Jane Addams Influence On American Imperialism

In 1898, the Treaty of Paris was signed to end the Spanish-American War. This resulted in Spain losing Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Philippines Islands, etc. There was a lot of discrimination as to if imperialism was okay and moral. Jane Addams was an anti-imperialist who believed in peace and hated war. Despite many people approving of imperialism, some went against it and changed the minds of many. Jane Addams had always been against violence. She was kicked out of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She went to colleges and states all over the United States to spread her message of peace. After a lecture in Wisconsin, she wrote Newer Ideals of Peace. It changed the way that people thought of peace and social justice. Later on, she and

Besides being an anti-imperialist, she was largely for equality and that everyone could participate in important situations and issues. She was part of many women’s leagues and was the founder of the Hull House. The Hull Houses gave a life to the poor and immigrants who struggled in a competitive world. It gave them education, a home, health care, social circumstances, and safety. She was never married, so she spent her life dedicated to promoting peace. She believed that war, force, and violence only brought pain, struggle,and problems for family. She saw working together instead of using force was way more powerful and successful. War and violence only hindered the world and created a loss in compassion and kindness. At the Chicago Liberty Meeting, which protested imperialism in the Philippines, Jane was the only woman to speak. “To ‘protect the weak’ has always been the excuse of the ruler and tax-gatherer, the chief, the king, the baron; and now, at last, of ‘the white man’” (Addams 1899). The United States often didn’t listen to the anti-imperialists but they continued to peacefully fight for