Imperialism Essay
Jamie Thody
When the United States of America went to the Philippines, they went there as imperialists. Some people saw the acts of America as being humanitarianism but that was not the case. America did not go to the Philippines to help the Filipinos, America went to help themselves. The United States of America was violent, racist and interested in getting money. The actions of the United States of America in the Philippines were imperialistic.
The United States of America was extremely violent when it went to the Philippines. An enormous amount of Filipinos were killed. America had no regard for the lives of the people in the Philippines. They were willing to kill almost anyone, including women and children. An American private said "with my own hand set fire to over fifty houses of Filipinos after the victory at Caloocan. Women and children were wounded by our fire." America was clearly not there to help. When an American general was asked what the age limit for who they killed was, he answered, "Everything over ten."
America was not only violent, it was racist. The people of the Philippines looked different than the people of America, which is something that the Americans didn’t like. Albert Beveridge said, “Senators must remember that we are not dealing with Americans or Europeans. We are dealing with Orientals.” American’s didn’t see the Filipinos as people, but instead as animals. American’s weren’t only racist in the Philippines; they were racist in their own country. Between the years 1889 and 1903, two colored people were killed on average every week.
Some people thought that when America went to the Philippines, they went to help. These people were wrong. America’s motives were much less selfless. The United States of America wanted to gain money by going to the Philippines. Albert Beveridge said “China is our natural customer. . . . The Philippines give us a base at the door of all the East. . .” This shows that American people wanted to have the Philippines so that America would have an easier place to make money from. Albert Beveridge also said, “No land in America surpasses in fertility the plains and valleys of Luzon. Rice and coffee, sugar and cocoanuts, hemp and tobacco. . . . The wood of the Philippines can supply the furniture of the world for a century to come. At Cebu the best informed man on the island told me that 40 miles of Cebu's mountain chain are practically mountains of coal. . .” This quote shows how the American government saw the Philippines. They didn’t see it as a place that needed help, but a place that they could gain from.
The views that America had on the Philippines and the Filipinos are proof that America is an imperialistic country. The fact that Americans were so violent and racist towards the Filipinos shows that America didn’t have the motives of humanitarians. If Americans wanted to help them, they would have treated them like people instead of animals. America also wouldn’t have been so interested in the ways that they could gain financially. The United States of America showed traits of an empire while they were dealing with the Philippines.
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Actually, there were three reasons the Americans took the Philippines as their colony - the same as thee Spaniard only modified - God - Spread of Christianity - and later Education - Gold - Brokers wanted overseas stock and monopolied w/ Philippine resources - Glory - Since they were one of the "Big Countries", America wanted a colony as a symbol of power... In the Expo at St. Louis, America shipped 40 million Filipinos to St. Louis, and in the cold of winter, made them dance scantly dressed in their traditional costumes... many died of pneumonia afterwards... And because the ancient tribes used to eat dog meat occasionally, but not anymore, the Americans ordered around 40 dogs killed every 2 weeks, and forced the Filipinos to eat the meat... Dog owners of missing dogs blamed it on the Filipinos... I lived in the Philippines all my life and I can assure you, no one w/ sanity in mind ate dog meat... As you can see, I am a man who is outraged in the Idea of torturing the innocent, and injustice is where I see RED.
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Oh, I just reread the last part - they did not only deal w/ the Philippines - they bought Hawaii and Cuba, I think, from the Spaniards - yes bought - for 10 million dollars... They also referred to the Filipinos as "Little Brown People", and then, "Little Brown Americans". They even "invaded" a Spanish fort to make an illusion that they were freeing the Filipinos - truth is - they had a done deal w/ Spain. 10 Million dollars, right? And how do I know this? Well, easy, I studied grade school in the Philippines.. But compared to what the Japanese did, the Americans where nearly tame - haha...
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