Answer:
Explanation:
The US has significant effects on other countries in terms of pop culture, technology, business practices, and more. However, the gravity of how much influence America has on other governments is evident in American Imperialism, which is the military, economic, and cultural influence of the US on other lands, usually going hand-in-hand with expansion on a grand scale into other territories.
The burning question is, “Does the constitution follow the flag?” and the answer is a resounding no. When they were conquered, the American territories did not enjoy the same rights that Americans in the mainland did. The US government operated on the idea that the peoples of these newly acquired lands were inferior to Americans, and thus not capable of holding the responsibilities of a mainland American citizen.
There are many pros and cons to American imperialism. One positive for the US is that it expands territories. The more territories you have, the greater power you have. It gives access to many resources, and presently the US dominates over Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa, The Northern Mariana Islands, and the US Virgin Islands. Imperialism also gives a boost to the economy, not just for the United States who uses the resources for trade, but for the territory itself. The United States brings technology, industries, government policies, and privileges American citizens possess to these territories. Also, the US has many military bases around the world, and in return the US aids these territories with protection.
However, there are many cons that follow American imperialism. American imperialism kills the tradition of the indigenous peoples, who lose their identity and tradition. In many cases, the territories’ own people grow to discriminate against what is local and originally of their own native culture.
Additionally, it can be argued that the possession of territories is not necessary and perhaps even counterintuitive, as the US spends so much money on bases scattered around the world and helping the economy of those islands. They are expensive to keep, and the US is already quite expansive.
American people talk so much about freedom and have fought a war over it, but the American territories don’t even have full freedom. The United States controls the islands and they cannot act on their own. The people there are expected to follow American culture or risk discrimination on social and economic playing fields.
How do you feel about American Imperialism?
