Name: ___________________________________________________

Carousel: Motives and Effects of American Imperialism

Yesterday we discussed five primary motives of imperialism. Each of these motives spurred American expansion
abroad and influenced United States foreign policy:
Economic Interests: Economic leaders argued that expansion would increase U.S. financial prosperity. Industry had
greatly expanded and many industrialists saw new colonies as a potential source of cheap raw materials. Agriculture
had also expanded and farmers believed that new colonies would create new markets for its products.
1. Resources: raw materials for manufacturing
2. Business: gaining new markets/customers for American manufacturers
Cultural Superiority: Many Americans believed that their government, religion, and even race were superior to those
of other societies. Some people hoped to spread democratic ideas overseas and others saw a chance to advance
Christianity. Racist ideas about the inferiority of the non-white populations in many foreign countries were also
used to justify American imperialism.
3. Racism/Social Darwinism/superiority: the belief that the US has a duty to uplift (yet dominate)
backward, non-white nations by spreading the Christian religion and American customs
4. Democracy: the desire to spread the American form of government to other parts of the world
5. Manifest Destiny: the belief that Americans had a God-given destiny to spread over North America, and
possibly the rest of the world
Military Interests: Alfred T. Mahan argued that economic interests went hadn-in-hand with military interests. Some
U.S. leaders urged the country to follow the example of Europe and establish a military presence overseas.
DIRECTIONS: As you rotate among the different stations around the room, complete the graphic organizer
below. Each row corresponds to a different station.
Station

WHERE was
this engagement?

Which of the five motives

influenced the United States
involvement here?
Circle one

Resources

What was the EFFECT of that motive? In

other words, how did the motive influence
actions that the United States took in this
area?
Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest

To reach its goal.

Station WHERE was

this engagement?

Which of the five motives

influenced the United States
involvement here?
Circle one
Resources

What was the EFFECT of that motive? In

other words, how did the motive influence
actions that the United States took in this
area?
Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest
To reach its goal.
Resources

Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest

To reach its goal.

Resources

Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest

To reach its goal.

Station WHERE was

this engagement?

Which of the five motives

influenced the United States
involvement here?
Circle one
Resources

What was the EFFECT of that motive? In

other words, how did the motive influence
actions that the United States took in this
area?
Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest

To reach its goal.

Resources

Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest

To reach its goal.

Resources

Motivated by __________________,
the United States

Business
Racism/Social Darwinism

Democracy
Manifest Destiny
Military Interest

To reach its goal.