elevant. They are unfit even for themselves and need our direction and government. Without a sense of equality between them and us, we can do anything without a sense of guilt and, in fact, must do everything. According to American, races as well as individuals must follow Social Darwinism’s laws of survival of the fittest (Brinkley, 606). American imperialism also possessed the solution to several arising problems in that time (Healy 34). America desired to keep up with the imperialist fever that was raging through the European countries (Brinkley 604). Europe had already conquered and possessed a vast majority of Africa and other “uncivilized” lands. This provided these countries with new raw materials and foreign markets. America was falling behind. America had already practiced transcontinental imperialism for decades, but without extra-territorial imperialism America was being left out. The “closing of the frontier” had produced widespread fear that America’s natural resources would dwindle, necessitating foreign alternatives (Brinkley 605). The prolonged business depression in 1893 also encouraged the economic interest in the foreign markets available through imperialism (Healy 45).Imperialism was supported by beliefs and current events, but also by numerous people of power. Business was interested in imperialism because of the possibility of new markets. The majority of the population, including popular authors like Rudyard Kipling, supported imperialism because of the concept of the “civilizing mission”. And government supported imperialism as a means of gaining both political and military power.Both President William McKinley and President Theodore Roosevelt supported the rise of American imperialism. At first it seemed as though President McKinley was unsure of whether to become and imperialist nation or not (McKinley). However, he held the same beliefs – exp...
