The close of the nineteenth century witnessed the end of the United States' wars with Native Americans in the western regions of the continent. Along with this military triumph came the close of the American frontier. For many, these two developments signaled the dawning of a new age in the American experience. For others, it foretold a continuation of the tragic flaws in American politics and culture. The repercussions of the Spanish-American War helped to crystallize the issues regarding American imperialism in a new century.

Causes and Debates Over Imperialism

For many turn-of-the-century politicians and business leaders such as Albert Beveridge and William McKinley, William Rockefeller and Russell Sage, the United States needed to expand its production of export goods because domestic consumers no longer could absorb the output of American industries. The saturation of the domestic economy resulted in disastrous, cyclical depressions and financial panics. The response...