The Birth of American Imperialism (with Stephen Kinzer)

No matter how often we debate America’s role in the world, we are not throwing around original ideas. This debate resurfaces each time we decide whether or not to intervene in a foreign country. It was the main discussion amongst Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, and William Randolph Hearst who favored imperial expansion while other notable intellectuals; Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie valued restraint. Stephen Kinzer joins us today to discuss how this original debate unfolded.

What is manifest destiny? Who were the expansionists in 1898? Who was Henry Cabot Lodge? Who was William Randolph Hearst? What was Teddy Roosevelt’s view on war? How did the U.S. acquire Puerto Rico and Guam? What is plutocracy?

Further Reading:

The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire, written by Stephen Kinzer

John Winthrop Dreams of a City on a Hill, 1630

Theodore Roosevelt

The Spanish-American War in the Philippines and the Battle for Manilla, American Experience

Related Content:

The World Wide Revolution, Liberty Chronicles Podcast

Imperialism, written by Stephen Davies

The Conquest of the United States by Spain, written by William Graham Sumner

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