User talk:Rogers28
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Critics of American foreign policy argue that America uses such idealistic language only to justify actions taken to increase its own power. These critics characterize the United States as an imperialistic nation, bent on establishing its economic and political influence over other nations. As evidence, they point to the history of U.S. continental expansion, its acquisition of colonies after the Spanish-American War, and numerous examples of U.S. interference in the affairs of other nations. In the years after Independence, many Americans came to believe that the United States had a divinely-appointed mission to expand itself and its culture. This belief was expressed through the phrase Manifest Destiny: the idea that it was the manifest destiny, or obvious and undeniable fate, of the United States to possess and occupy the entire continent of North America. Manifest Destiny was used to justify the territorial expansion of the United States into lands already claimed by other countries and occupied by Native American tribes. MANIFEST DESTINY, MORE POWER By the early 20th century, the United States was truly a global power. It governed territories from the Arctic (Alaska, purchased from Russia in 1867) to the Tropics (Panama Canal Zone), from East Asia (the Philippines) to the Caribbean (Cuba and Puerto Rico). Nevertheless, the remnants of the old spirit of isolationism continued to inhibit the U.S. from interfering in European affairs. Former U.S. Colonies:
The Philippines: Acquired by the U.S. in 1898; governed as a U.S. territory until 1935, when it was upgraded to "commonwealth" status; granted full independence in 1946; now a close U.S. ally.
Cuba: Acquired by the U.S. in 1898; independent since 1902; U.S. continued to exercise substantial influence on Cuban affairs until 1959, when the guerrilla leader Fidel Castro led a revolution that overthrew the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista; since then Castro has ruled Cuba as a communist dictator. As of 2005, Cuban-American relations were very strained.
Puerto Rico: Acquired by the U.S. in 1898; in 1952, Puerto Rico adopted a constitution that made it a "territorial commonwealth" of the United States; residents of Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens but cannot vote in presidential elections; a non-voting "resident commissioner" represents Puerto Rico in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Hawaii: Acquired by the U.S. in 1898; in 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the U.S. by bombing the Hawaiian port of Pearl Harbor; Hawaii was a U.S. territory until 1959, when it was admitted as the 50th State in the Union.
Panama Canal Zone: Acquired from Panama by the U.S. in 1903; included all land within 5 miles of Panama Canal; governed as a U.S. territory until 1977; after two years of joint U.S.-Panamanian control, Panama took complete possession of the Canal Zone in 1979.
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