Introduction
The American Century began right after the Spanish war and brought the United States to a new stage of evolution. It gave a strong push for passionate nationalism to emerge. Everyone was aware of the war’s outcome; Sherwood Anderson, a famous novelist, once stated that having a war with Spain is “like robbing an old gypsy woman in a vacant lot at night after the fair” (Oakes et al. 614). The consequences of the triangular war between Spanish, Cuba, and the United States can still be felt showing how America became a world power.
Main body
The primary element of the US further development and spreading the domination beyond the geographical borders was the sea power, which appears to be the key to the improvement. Alfred Mahan (admiral and historian) is considered to be one of the prominent figures of the nineteenth century in strategy and tactics (Oakes et al. 611). In 1890, the president of the United States Naval War College, Alfred Mahan published the subversive book The Influence of Sea Power upon History (1660–1783) giving explanation and analyzes on the strategies and tactics of the British Empire’s naval forces. According to Alfred Mahan, the countries with modern and powerful naval forces will have a significant influence in the world (Oakes et al. 614). This statement caused the race of the naval army across the globe. Mahan once stated, “At present the positions of the Caribbean are occupied by foreign powers, nor may we, however, disposed to acquisition, obtain them by means other than righteous; but a distinct advance will have been made when public opinion is convinced ” (Lukacs 18).
In 1891, the Queen in Hawaii tried to create a new constitution for the monarchy to restore; however, due to the sugar industry development, the plantation owners announced the provisional government that led to the annexing of Hawaii in 1898 (Oakes et al. 616). Henry Teller stated, “I am in favor of the annexation of Hawaii. I am in favor of the annexation of Cuba. I am in favor of the annexation of the great country lying north of us” (Lukacs 18).
The reasons for the more active US foreign involvement towards the end of the nineteenth century were the rise of the super-nationalism, gaining the power due to the naval forces, changing the vision of the United States’ objectives across the nation, willingness to expansion (Hawaii annexing, the war in Cuba). Henry Cabot Lodge, the American Republican Senator, once stressed:
Small states are of the past and have no future. The great nations are rapidly absorbing for their future expansion and their present defense all the waste places of the earth. It is a movement which makes for civilization and the advancement of the race. As one of the great nations of the world, the United States must not fall out of the line of march (Lukacs 19).
Theodore Roosevelt’s response to these words was that the United States should get the Manila, Hawaii, Porto Rico, and protect Cuba’s liberation (Lukacs 19).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be stated that American history as one of the most powerful countries began after the war with Spain. The rise of national ideology and patriotic feelings gave a strong push for the country to develop economically, socially and be prepared to influence the world by having the most powerful naval force; changing the foreign policy was one of the major reasons to be done to achieve the economic and military improvement.
References
Lukacs, John. “The Meaning of ’98.” American Heritage 49.3 (1998): 15-21. Print.
Oakes, James, Michael McGerr, Jan Lewis, Nick Cullather, and Jeanne Boydston. Of the People: A History of the United States. Vol. 2. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.