Essay On Theodore Roosevelt Imperialism

Imperialism in America was a critical period of growth and development for the new upstart world power. At this point in time America reached a sphere of influence and was the first time that it was recognized as a world power. The Imperial era in America is most notable for its growth and expansionist motives led in particular by one of America’s most interesting presidents. Throughout his time in the government Roosevelt saw the acquiring of new territories from Spain in the ever-so brief Spanish American war including Guam and the Philippines. During his tenure in office he also saw the construction of the Panama Canal, a crucial waterway that is still one of the most heavily traveled ports in the world. Matthew Perry was a great american

hero for the time period of Imperialist America. His voyage to Japan is so crucial to the way that future events would play out. His journey to Japan would lead to their industrialization and eventually to them taking their own place on the world stage. During the Imperialist era where growth and expansion along with the continuation of Manifest Destiny were rampant in the minds of the citizens, Theodore Roosevelt and Commodore Matthew Perry were huge contributors to the mentality with the actions they took and the feats they were able to accomplish in their lifetimes.
Theodore Roosevelt, born on January 27, 1858, has a quite a substantial resume including: 26th president of the United States, Governor of New York, leader of a volunteer regiment of soldiers, a published author and the founder of his own political party known as the Bull Moose, or Progressive Party.

Roosevelt was not meant to live the active and illustrious life that he had, being born sickly and an asthmatic it would have been the expectation that he would live his life bedridden and die at a young age1. He ended up doing exactly the opposite and living one of the most impactful lives in American history. Roosevelt’s life was crucial in charting the course for America’s ascent to a world power during the Imperial

Era.
Teddy Roosevelt was a larger than life figure for his time and had many great contributions to the United States of America during the Imperial era.

One of the imperialist actions Roosevelt took during his time in government was the strengthening of the Navy which was later dubbed “The Great White Fleet” and sent on a worldwide tour to showcase the strength of the American military. While many government officials make decisions regarding war, it is very rare that they ever fight in one. Roosevelt did both, as a high ranking officer in the United States Navy, he gave orders to the fleet as the assistant Secretary of the Navy while his superior, John Davis, was away, to blockade Cuba in the Spanish- American War. A war which he would later fight in as the leader of a volunteer regiment known as the “Rough Riders” made up of a variety of demographics including immigrants and African-Americans 2. The construction of the Panama Canal was possibly Roosevelt’s greatest contribution to the Imperialist movement during his tenure in office3. The Canal not only made trade even more accessible for Latin American nations and Asian countries including China. America’s current portrayal as the policemen of the world also stems from actions taken by Roosevelt known as the Roosevelt Corollary 4. Possibly the greatest attribute to Roosevelt’s Imperialist legacy was his negotiation to the end of the Russo-Japanese War for which he received a Nobel Peace Prize

5.
After living a very full and impactful life, Theodore Roosevelt passed away in his sleep on January 6, 19196. Roosevelt overcame many difficulties throughout his life from his sickly condition at an early age, to the passing of his father while he was attending college, Roosevelt achieved much as a result of his persistence and tenacious spirit which the American public loved and emulated during this time period especially with the rekindled desire to achieve manifest destiny. Roosevelt’s anti-monopoly policies and massive steps forward in worldwide trade led to a boom in the American economy7. Roosevelt left America in a much better condition than when he came into power by taking actions such as: enacting many progressive policies to help America gain power on the world stage, creating a much more fair and safe economic environment and unifying the country under a promise of progress and expansion.
Commodore Matthew C. Perry was born on April 10, 1794 and was the much younger brother of the great American hero of the War of 1812 Oliver Hazard Perry, whose heroics on Lake Michigan were instrumental for the United States 8. Perry’s military career more than rivaled that of his older brothers with an impressive resume. Perry led a naval campaign in Northern Africa in the Mediterranean Sea against Algerian pirates, who had previously demanded heavy “bribes” in order to have safe passage for their trade ships. Commodore Perry also laid claim to Key West off of the coast of Florida for America 9. From these actions alone one can see that Perry was a huge figure for the imperialization of the America especially in these stages.
Perry’s most convincing action for imperialism in America was his voyage to Japan. The voyage was not only significant for its diplomatic implications but also as an early testament to the power that would soon be held by America in the World. Japan was the last trip on a “world tour” of sorts for Perry and his small armada of naval vessels. As they reached their final destination in Tokyo harbor the Japanese in their traditional isolationist fashion treated them with hostility and asked them to leave. Perry persisted however and eventually convinced them to open their ports, most likely because the massive amount of firepower he had placed outside of Tokyo, the capital city of Japan. Leaving the Japanese government with the Perry and Fillmore letters (suggestions to open trading with the United States), he returned nearly a month later and essentially refused to leave until they agreed to the terms set out. Perry’s journey was a milestone for the world as Japan opened its ports, despite their reluctance, for the first time in several centuries. Commodore Perry was able to achieve where many others failed, engaging in trade with Japan 10. This would allow the volume of trade in the Pacific to increase greatly but would also lead to a complete paradigm shift in the way Japan operated internally 11. They departed from a feudal system of government with a traditional agricultural economy to an industrialized powerhouse that would lead to Japan eventually taking on a major role on the world stage 12. The worldwide implications that would result due to Perry’s voyage would have is a further testament to America’s rising imperialism and power in the world. For one of the first times since its independence, the United States of America had a major effect on worldwide political relations.
After battling rheumatism for several years Perry finally succumbed to his illness on March 4, 1858 13. He died in American hero, remembered for his groundbreaking actions as a war hero and as a diplomat to Japan. He was one of the premiere individuals who brought America into the world stage especially with his voyage to Japan. His journey also brought joy to the citizens back in America as a great achievement that led to increased patriotism and national pride. The economical impact that Perry had was also very substantial as it allowed for the United States to gain a new trade partner and a port in the Pacific as well to increase trade with other asian nations.
From roughly 1870-1914 the United States of America was in a state of continuous growth and expansion. Beginning with the purchase of the Alaska territory from Russia by William Seward which is looked back upon as one of the greatest investments in United States History, thanks to its wealth of resources and strategic and advantageous position on the Pacific ocean. During this time period the United States also made another addition to the union by annexing Hawaii and adding it to the Union after a rebellion. The addition of Hawaii also gave the United States greater access to even more resources making the nation even more powerful on the precipice of becoming a world power. Surprisingly, the amount of territory gained by the United States came with not very much conflict. The only major war for the United States during this time was the Spanish American War where Teddy Roosevelt played a major role by ordering a blockade of Cuba and leading a volunteer regiment. The war allowed greater freedom for Latin American countries and increased trade. Another instance that allowed increased trade and development worldwide was Perry’s expedition to Japan which forced them to open up to foreign trade and allowed more freedom to trade in the Pacific. Imperialism is what truly brought America to the forefront of world power, a feat that could not have been accomplished without such individuals as Theodore Roosevelt and Commodore Matthew Perry.