Imperialism and America’s Rise as a Global Power
Faculty Mentor
Yafeng Xia
Major/Area of Research
History, Helath Science
Description
INTRODUCTION: The transformation of the United States from a regional republic into a global power was neither accidental nor inevitable; rather, it emerged from a series of deliberate strategic choices shaped by economic expansion, geopolitical competition, and ideological ambition. American leaders in the late nineteenth century faced a fundamental tension: how to reconcile the nation’s anti-colonial origins with the demands of industrial growth and international influence. As Robert Zoellick (2018) argues, this era marked a redefinition of American foreign policy through a combination of pragmatic problem-solving and a self-proclaimed mission to advance global order. Policymakers increasingly viewed power—military, economic, and diplomatic—as an integrated toolkit. In this context, the pursuit of overseas influence was justified not simply as expansion, but as a necessary step toward securing national prosperity and stability in an increasingly interconnected world.
METHOD: This study draws on comparative analysis of key historical interpretations by Zoellick (2018) and George Herring (2008) to examine the evolution of U.S. foreign policy between 1861 and 1913. These scholarly narratives are supplemented by visual and documentary sources, including the educational videos American Imperialism & the Spanish-American War and Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War. Together, these materials provide a multidimensional perspective on how technological innovation, military modernization, and economic imperatives intersected in shaping American expansionism. This mixed-source approach allows for both analytical depth and accessible illustration of complex historical dynamics.
RESULTS: Herring contends that the expansionism of the 1890s should be understood not as a sudden deviation, but as the logical culmination of long-standing nineteenth-century trends, including continental expansion and commercial outreach. Zoellick further identifies multiple traditions of American diplomacy, emphasizing that policymakers adapted strategies to changing global conditions. For instance, Secretary of State John Hay’s Open-Door policy sought to secure access to Chinese markets without formal colonization, reflecting a preference for informal empire. Meanwhile, Alfred Thayer Mahan’s influential theory of sea power underscored the strategic necessity of a modern navy, linking maritime strength to national prosperity and global reach. Together, these developments illustrate how economic interests, strategic theory, and diplomatic innovation converged to support a more assertive international role.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The War of 1898 represents a pivotal turning point in this transformation, serving as a crucible in which the United States emerged as a recognized global power. The acquisition of territories such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines signaled a departure from earlier anti-imperial ideals, exposing contradictions within American political identity. Yet these actions also expanded U.S. strategic capabilities and international presence. Under leaders like Theodore Roosevelt, the United States further consolidated its influence through assertive diplomacy, including mediation in global conflicts and the construction of the Panama Canal, a critical artery of global trade. Ultimately, this period reveals that American imperialism was not merely opportunistic but rooted in a broader redefinition of national purpose—one that fused ideals, interests, and power into a new vision of global leadership.
Imperialism and America’s Rise as a Global Power
INTRODUCTION: The transformation of the United States from a regional republic into a global power was neither accidental nor inevitable; rather, it emerged from a series of deliberate strategic choices shaped by economic expansion, geopolitical competition, and ideological ambition. American leaders in the late nineteenth century faced a fundamental tension: how to reconcile the nation’s anti-colonial origins with the demands of industrial growth and international influence. As Robert Zoellick (2018) argues, this era marked a redefinition of American foreign policy through a combination of pragmatic problem-solving and a self-proclaimed mission to advance global order. Policymakers increasingly viewed power—military, economic, and diplomatic—as an integrated toolkit. In this context, the pursuit of overseas influence was justified not simply as expansion, but as a necessary step toward securing national prosperity and stability in an increasingly interconnected world.
METHOD: This study draws on comparative analysis of key historical interpretations by Zoellick (2018) and George Herring (2008) to examine the evolution of U.S. foreign policy between 1861 and 1913. These scholarly narratives are supplemented by visual and documentary sources, including the educational videos American Imperialism & the Spanish-American War and Crucible of Empire: The Spanish-American War. Together, these materials provide a multidimensional perspective on how technological innovation, military modernization, and economic imperatives intersected in shaping American expansionism. This mixed-source approach allows for both analytical depth and accessible illustration of complex historical dynamics.
RESULTS: Herring contends that the expansionism of the 1890s should be understood not as a sudden deviation, but as the logical culmination of long-standing nineteenth-century trends, including continental expansion and commercial outreach. Zoellick further identifies multiple traditions of American diplomacy, emphasizing that policymakers adapted strategies to changing global conditions. For instance, Secretary of State John Hay’s Open-Door policy sought to secure access to Chinese markets without formal colonization, reflecting a preference for informal empire. Meanwhile, Alfred Thayer Mahan’s influential theory of sea power underscored the strategic necessity of a modern navy, linking maritime strength to national prosperity and global reach. Together, these developments illustrate how economic interests, strategic theory, and diplomatic innovation converged to support a more assertive international role.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The War of 1898 represents a pivotal turning point in this transformation, serving as a crucible in which the United States emerged as a recognized global power. The acquisition of territories such as Puerto Rico and the Philippines signaled a departure from earlier anti-imperial ideals, exposing contradictions within American political identity. Yet these actions also expanded U.S. strategic capabilities and international presence. Under leaders like Theodore Roosevelt, the United States further consolidated its influence through assertive diplomacy, including mediation in global conflicts and the construction of the Panama Canal, a critical artery of global trade. Ultimately, this period reveals that American imperialism was not merely opportunistic but rooted in a broader redefinition of national purpose—one that fused ideals, interests, and power into a new vision of global leadership.