The foreign relations of the United States entail its interactions with other nations and how it sets standards of interaction for its organizations, corporations, and individual citizens. The late 1800s through early 1900s led to several changes in the United States; there were many cultural, economic, social, and political changes during this time. In American history, a few events took place, including ideological differences and political tensions which profusely impacted the United States foreign policies. Some of the events during the 1800s and 1900s greatly prepared the United States for global engagement during World War I. During the 1800s and 1900s, changes took place in the United States; some shaped its foreign policies while others prepared it for global engagement during World War I.
The late 1800s and early 1900s were a time of great cultural, economic, social, and political changes in the United States. In terms of culture, there was a shift away from traditional values toward more modern values. This was reflected in the arts, with new styles of music, dance, and clothing emerging (Vest, 2020). The rise of industry and technology led to major advancements in transportation and communication, which helped to bring the United States closer together as a nation.
In the 1800s United States experienced a dramatic shift in its economy. The country transitioned from an agricultural to an industrialized economy, and factories began springing up across the landscape. This caused a rapid increase in the demand for goods and services, which resulted in significant economic growth (Mahoney, 2017). However, this growth was not evenly distributed across all sectors of society. The wealthiest Americans benefited the most, while many others struggled financially, and this trend continued into the early 1900s. The wealthy grew even richer, while many poor Americans found it increasingly difficult to meet their basic needs. This eventually led to increased socioeconomic inequality, which is still a major issue in the United States today.
Moreover, the social changes during the late 1800s through the early 1900s were largely due to advances in technology and the resulting increase in productivity. With more goods and services being produced, people were able to earn more money and afford more things. This led to an increase in consumerism and a rise in social inequality as the wealthy became better and the poor became worse. Additionally, new transportation technologies allowed people to move to cities in search of work, which contributed to the rapid growth of cities (Garber & Hoel, 2019). Finally, advances in communication technologies allowed people all over the world to connect easier as compared to the past.
Politically, there were significant changes in the late 1800s, including the unification of Germany and Italy, as well as the rise of socialism and communism. The First World War began in 1914 and devastated much of Europe. Economic recession followed in many countries, leading to social unrest. The Russian Revolution of 1917 brought about the first communist government (Chamedes, 2019). New technologies such as radio and film were used to spread propaganda, and dictatorships began to emerge throughout Central and South America. The Second World War began in 1939 and caused even greater destruction than the first World War.
The Monroe Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the Cold War were the three American history aspects that shaped its foreign policies. First, the Monroe Doctrine is a United States foreign policy announced by President James Monroe in 1823 (Scarfi, 2020). It stated that the United States would not tolerate European colonization or interference in the Western hemisphere. The doctrine aided in shaping United States foreign policy by pledging to protect any new countries in the Americas from European colonization and intervention. Second, the Marshall Plan was a program developed by the United States to aid in rebuilding Europe after World War II (Koça & Koça, 2017). The plan provided billions of dollars in economic assistance to European nations and helped strengthen ties between the United States and Europe. The Marshall Plan similarly assisted in shaping United States foreign policy by strengthening relationships with allies and promoting democratic values abroad.
Third, the Cold War was a period of tension and conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from the end of World War II until the early 1990s. It was called the “Cold War” because it never escalated into a full-fledged war, but there were several incidents during which the two countries came close to nuclear conflict (Koça & Koça, 2017). The Cold War resulted in a number of changes to the United States’ foreign policy. For example, the United States became much more active in international affairs and began to fund and support anti-communist movements around the world. The United States also increased its military spending and began developing new weapons systems such as nuclear missiles and bombers.
In many ways, the events in United States history during the 1800s to early 1900s time frame helped to prepare the United States for global engagement during World War I. The industrial revolution and consequent advances in technology led to an increase in production that was necessary to support the war effort both domestically and abroad (Mahoney, 2017). Additionally, the influx of immigrants into the United States led to a more diverse population that was better equipped to understand and navigate different cultures. Finally, America’s entry into World War I helped to solidify its position as a global leader and strengthen its relationships with other countries around the world.
Similarly, in the 1880s and 1890s, the United States began to increase its involvement in international affairs, taking on a more active role in such organizations as the International Monetary Conference and the Pan-American Union. American businesses likewise expanded their operations overseas, and United States citizens began to travel more frequently to other countries. This increased engagement with the world prepared the United States for its greater involvement in World War I (Koça & Koça, 2017). During the war itself, America’s role was crucial in ensuring an Allied victory. The country provided essential economic resources and military personnel that helped to tip the balance in favor of the Allies.
In conclusion, during the 1800s and early 1900s, a lot of changes occurred both socially, economically, politically, and culturally that impacted the United States’ foreign policies. Culturally, due to the emergence of technology, several changes occurred, especially in the field of music, clothes, dance, and arts. Economically, there were improvements since the country moved to industrialization from the agricultural economy, even though unequal wealth distribution was the main challenge. Socially, many people were able to raise their living standards while transport technology and communication enabled easier movement and social connectivity, respectively. Concerning politics, Italy and Germany’s unification, communism and socialism, economic recession, and the Russian Revolution were some of the changes experienced. Conversely, a few aspects of American history, such as the Cold War, Marshall Plan, and Monroe Doctrine, shaped United States foreign policies. The events in United States history during the 1800s to early 1900s time frame aided in preparing the United States for global engagement during World War I in many ways.
References
Chamedes, G. (2019). A twentieth-century crusade-the Vatican’s battle to remake Christian Europe. Harvard University Press.
Garber, N. J., & Hoel, L. A. (2019). Traffic and highway engineering. Cengage Learning.
Koça, N., & Koça, B. (2017). Effects of Marshall plan on Turkish economy. Sociology, 7(2), 83-121. Web.
Mahoney, E. (2017). The industrial revolution: The birth of modern America. Greenhaven Publishing LLC.
Scarfi, J. P. (2020). Denaturalizing the Monroe Doctrine: The rise of Latin American legal anti-imperialism in the face of the modern US and hemispheric redefinition of the Monroe Doctrine.Leiden Journal of International Law, 33(3), 541-555. Web.
Vest, J. M. (2020). Prescribing sound: Willem van de wall and the carceral origins of American music therapy.Modern American History, 3(2-3), 109-132. Web.