Racism and American Expansionism in 1898

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes American expansionism at the turn of the 20th century from the perspective of race and racism. The author maintains that the U.S. is a country founded and developed on racist principles. She points to the Declaration of Independence, which defined equality only for the white colonists of the New World, in order to set them on equal par with their white counterparts in England. The author maintains that this racism, which taints the very notion of equality in the U.S., is especially apparent in the arguments for and against expansion to the west at the turn of the twentieth century.

From the Paper:

"At the foundation of a racist ideology is the belief that people of any race different from one's own are inherently inferior, less moral, heathen, savage, and genetically unfit. This unfitness is then used to deny entire cultures and nationalities basic human rights. The belief is that these individuals are sub-human and thus there is no consideration of basic rights needed. Racist ideologies have been used throughout recorded history to take land, belongings, freedom, and lives with the only justification being felt necessary is that the other race is inferior and their subjugation is best for them."

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