US Foreign Policy (1890-1914)
The United States' approach to foreign policy had not changedconceptually from the days it signed its independence. These ideas wereprimarily based on protecting US interests overseas and restricting foreigninfluences in the Americas. Once they furthered themselves politically andeconomically, they gained the status of being a world power and they stillwanted more. They figured they had to strengthen the country industrially asthey needed worldwide markets for its growing industrial and agriculturalsurpluses as well as sources of raw materials for manufacturing. They couldonly achieve these foreign markets with more concentrated efforts on its foreign
There were other important motives guiding the US's Foreign Policy withrespect to being able to compete with other imperialistic nations as well as toadvance themselves militarily. US business's were soonoverpowering foreign competition as even American steelmakers could easilycompete with any British producer in the world. Now, with a strong base of operations just400 miles from China, American businesses hoped to take advantage of China'svast resources. They were dividing China into "spheres of influence. " Some even claimed toown the territory within their spheres. They offered accounts of incredibleeconomic opportunities and possibilities in the Hawaiian islands. With these resources America could hope to become an evenprosperous country. A prominent example of USForeign Policy being guided by economic motives was the US's desire to obtainland in Asia. Countries including Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy,Japan, and Russia all claimed exclusive trading rights to certain parts of China. The internal economic growth of the United States made them want tolook outward for foreign markets. In addition, American businessmen were alarmed that as all the world wasdivided up among other world powers, their access to markets would berestricted and thus their businesses would suffer. Expansionists throughout America emphasized theresources of what other lands could provide and the wealth that could result fromtheir establishment. For example, Cuba offered an abundance of sugarplantations and land in Panama would offer America control of the canal. Consequently,other Americans proceeded to Hawaii to become sugar planters and to establishlucrative businesses.
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