Age

Increasing Safety by Increasing Age Limits of Drivers Many Albertans and fellow Canadians may agree that driving is an act of responsibility and maturity. Giving out licenses to teenagers, who tend to make risky and thoughtless decisions, is something the country should considered prohibiting. Due to such careless actions, crash rates are much higher for younger drivers than older, more experienced ones. The increase in fatality for teen drivers may be highly influenced by the lack of wearing seat belts, and their tendency to speed more.

Not only are they creating a huge risk for themselves, but also for others around them. The driving age limit in Alberta, as well as in Canada, should be raised to eighteen to ensure the safety of other citizens and teens themselves. By decreasing the rate of accidents, preventing recklessness and carelessness on the roads, and lastly ensuring that all laws are obeyed when driving, may be a step towards the right direction of creating a safer community, and more manageable society. To decrease fatality and accident rates in Alberta, the age of obtaining a license should be raised.

Service Alberta states, that to begin learning to drive an automobile you must be at least fourteen, while to obtain a license you must be a minimum of sixteen years-old (Driver’s License; Class 5). To save lives, not only in Alberta, but also nation-wide, the government should greatly consider changing this law. According to Daniel R. Mayhew, crash rates tend to decline as age increases (Changes in collision rates among novice drivers during the first months of driving). “Teen drivers make up about 7 percent of licensed drivers, but they account for 14 percent of the fatalities in accidents” (Teenager Car Accident Statistics).

With this knowledge, Albertans should invest more determination in the upbringing of the age limit to cause less worry for their citizens. Some steps have already been taken, such as bringing in a Graduated Driving License program; which requires driver’s to complete many different steps of learning and training, before a full license is received (Teenager Car Accident Statistics). Within a short ten-year p, the nation is able to see that teen crash rates have dropped 7 percent (Teenager Car Accident Statistics).

Possibly raising the age at, which teens must be supervised to drive, may also improve their driving skills, and at the same time lead to fewer accidents. Obtaining a license, should become a more in depth, and challenging process to save more lives. Not only do fatality statistics raise awareness to increase the driving age, but also the recklessness and carelessness teens have on the road. Many non-fatal accidents are caused by not paying attention, visual distraction, speeding, failure to recognize hazards and emergency maneuvers (Young novice drivers: careless or clueless? . Due to a combination of these factors, individuals may believe that teens should not be driving at such an early age, because it may make them poor drivers (Is 16 the right age to obtain driver’s license? ). Peer pressure among young drivers from fellow passengers may greatly impact driving capability. Being able to take on distractions such as conversations or texting is a skill acquired through multitasking. According to research, multitasking matures deep in the twenties (Is 16 the right age to obtain driver’s license? . Therefore, teens are more subjected to distraction that may occur on the road, which cause many more dangers for those around them. To improve driving conditions among all citizens, mainly teens, Alberta enforced a new distracted driving law. “Under the new law, drivers will be prohibited from talking, texting or emailing on a hand-held cellphone, using hand-held radio communication devices, using other electronic devices, reading, writing or personal grooming while behind the wheel” (Government of Alberta).

Trying to eliminate carelessness and irresponsibility on Alberta roads can be greatly improved through fewer distractions, and a much lesser need to multitask. Besides new laws being placed, government should still consider enforcing an age increase to obtain a driver’s license, to ensure the safety of all. With this in mind, raising the driving age is definitely a step in the right direction, as it can decrease many common broken laws. Not wearing a seatbelt, or careless drunk driving are only a few that are broken every day.

Teens may not realize the consequences and costs that every broken law entitles. For simply not wearing a seat belt, a driver can be fined between $200 to $1000, and lose two demerit points; where for a GDL driver only eight are allowed (One person, one seat belt). “Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. According to surveys about 10% of high school students report they do not wear seat belts” (Teen Car Accidents). Novice driver’s immaturity and naiveness not only puts their own lives in danger, but as well as others.

While the seat belt law is commonly broken, driving under the influence is more frequent among teenagers. “60% of all teen deaths in car accidents are alcohol related” (Statistics Teenage Drunk Driving). Much of underage drinking occurs at house parties, hosted by high school students. Feeling confident and in control a teenager might rush into a car, expecting nothing to happen. When in reality the police may stop them, or worse they may land in a fatal crash. “Social host laws for minors aim to reduce teenage alcohol consumption by imposing liability on adults who host parties” (Angela K.

Dills). This is government’s way to prevent adults from supporting underage drinking, which leads to nothing but harm. MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is also an anti-drinking and driving group, whose mission is to stop impaired driving and to support victims of this violent crime (MADD Canada). Albertans are able to see that teens break laws more readily than older, more experienced driver, which is why the driving age should be raised to a more respectable one. Therefore, a consensus should be made among the nation, to raise the driving age to eighteen.

Not only will there be a dramatic decrease in accidents, but also a greater care and sense of responsibility on the roads. Lack of speeding and being more considerate about wearing seat belts, may greatly increase the chances of survival while driving. Not only should personal safety precautions be considered, but also the effects of multitasking. As discovered earlier, multitasking is an acquired skill that develops at an older age, which increases a driver’s safety and compatibility on the roads. More careful driving skills tend to be associated with maturity, which is also tends to be associated with safe alcohol use.

Teens don’t consider the consequences and make quick, thoughtless decisions that land many other citizens in harmful places or positions. Raising the age limit to obtain a license could be a step in the right direction of creating a safer society with fewer injuries and fatalities. Work Cited Admin. “Teenager Car Accident Statistics-What You, As a Parent, Must Know. ” Car Accident Injury Claim. N. p. 10 May 2010. Web. 21 November 2011. ; http://www. caraccidentinjuryclaims. org/teenager-car-accident-statistics-what-you-as-a-parent-must-know/; “Alberta’s distracted driving law comes into effect Sept. . ” Government of Alberta: Building a better Alberta. N. p. August 25, 2011. Web. 21 November 2011. ; http://alberta. ca/home/NewsFrame. cfm? ReleaseID=/acn/201108/ 3116101959656-A64D-B176-309E915FDAED40BA. html; Dills Angela K. “Social host liability for minors and underage drunk-driving accidents. ” Journal of Health Economics 29 (2010): 241-249. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 November 2011 “Driver’s License. ” Government of Alberta: Service Alberta. N. p. n. d. Web. 21 November 2011 ; http://www. servicealberta. gov. ab. ca/Drivers_Licence. fm#Class_5_Licence; Mayhew Daniel R. , Herbert M. Simpson, Anita Pak. “Changes in collision rates among novice drivers during the first months of driving. ” Accident Analysis and Prevention 35 (Spring 2002): 683-691. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 November 2011. McKnight A. James, A. Scott McKnight. “Young novice drivers: careless or clueless? ” Accident Analysis and Prevention 35 (2003): 921-925. Academic Search Complete. Web. 21 November 2011. “One person, one seat belt. ” Seat Belts: Stay Safe and Secure. Ministry of Transportation. n. d. Web. 21 November 2011. lt; http://www. mto. gov. on. ca/english/safety/seatbelt. shtml; “Statistics Teenage Drunk Driving. ” Learn-About-Alcoholism. com. N. p. n. d Web. 21 November 2011. ; http://www. learn-about-alcoholism. com/statistics-teenage-drunk-driving. html; “Teen Car Accidents. Teenage Car Crashes. ” Teen Car Accidents: Pictures, Statistics ; Stories. N. p. n. d. Web. 21 November 2011. ; http://www. car-“accidents. com/teen-car-accidents. html; “What We Do” MADD Canada N. p. n. d. Web. 21 November 2011. ; http://www. madd. ca/madd2/en/about/about_what_we_do. html;

Should the age allowance of driving be lowered to 16 years? Driving has always been popular among young boys and girls, which goes back for over 100 years ago. The very first automobile was built by Karl Benz which was a German scientist in the 18s century. By his name you could wonder why his last name is Benz, which is the same name that we used to call “gasoline” (Bensin). Funny enough his father is called Mercedes Benz. Mercedes, as many people know, is the very first car-company. Since then cars has been mass-produced, and is now available to prices that suits almost everyone.

It has given many solutions to people that lives far away from work, school, relatives etc. More importantly it has done benefits to transports of food supplies, material and other stuff which has kept this world on balance. But this has also led to many accidents on the streets, which mostly occurs by young people that does not exceed the age of 20, and is now ranked on the top death-accidental stuff a human being can experience. So we ask the following question: What is the most suitable age at which people can start driving?

Psychologists that have been researching on young teenagers have stated that humans become uncontrollable when they enter the period of “14-17 years”. And that it is not unusual that teenager that entered that period become fiercer and starts rushing after inordinate desires, which affects driving vehicles a lot in a negative way. And only a few numbers of people can control that large amount of energy. P. Fredrik is a psychologist who has devoted his life on studying teenagers, and has said that the large amount of energy starts disappearing in the end of the age 17, and people become more controllable after they pass the age of 17.

Even if driving at the age of 16 increases the risk of accidents on the streets, there will also be lots of benefits of allowing people to drive at the age of 16. Principal of Kenny University, George Johansson has stated that more students start to drop school after they finish High School. Doctor Dennis Henry has been studying that reason for 5 years now and has come to some few reasons to why more students start to drop school after High School. And one of those reasons says that students has a lack of transport since school buses aren’t available after High School and they still don’t have the right to drive vehicles to school which could replace the need of transport. Therefore stops encouraging students to enter Universities. Finally, to keep the minimum number of accidents on the streets which can lead to death or permanent injuries and at the same time give students the opportunity to enter Universities which will give them a better life in the near future, the age allowance of driving vehicles should keep it at 18 years.

Individuals who are affected with spina bifida are faced with many difficult challenges. The social factors are different in each age group (newborns to infants, toddlers and preschoolers, school aged children, adolescences, teenagers, and adulthood). Nevertheless, finding resources in your community, knowing what to expect, and planning for the future can help increase confidence in managing spina bifida, enhance quality of life, and assist in meeting the needs of all family. Spina bifida affects the entire family.

People who are affected by spina bifida get around in many different ways. This may include walking without any aids or assistance; walking with braces, crutches or walkers; and using wheelchairs. Some people with spina bifida have difficulty picking up the verbal and non-verbal cues necessary for social skills. Some of the areas that might be difficulty for them are talking over differences without getting angry, persistence when facing frustration, taking turns while talking, understanding social rules, demanding immediate attention, and waiting when necessary.

However, finding resources, knowing what to expect, and planning for the future can help. No two children with spina bifida are exactly alike. Children’s health issues will be different for each child. Some will have issues that are more In many cases, infants and children with spina bifida require early and frequent hospitalization. This can interrupt normal social development.

Adults also can learn to find and use other transportation safely, such as buses and cabs. Being safely mobile in their homes and communities will help adults become more independent. As adults plan for employment, college, or vocational training, they need to find and use transportation safely. Many young adults are still getting used to their new independence. They may have started working, volunteering, going to college or other training, or living on their own. Nonetheless, continuing to plan for the future is very important.

This involves setting goals and how to achieve them. At times, unexpected problems can make life difficult. It is important for them not give up and to keep moving towards their goals, even if their goals sometimes need to be modified, or take longer than planned. Planning now will help adults continue to grow and succeed as they get older. In summary, people with spina bifida will face lifelong medical challenges associated with this disorder, and the emotional and financial effects that the family will endure are overwhelming.

In the United States, children born with spina bifida often live long and productive lives, even though they face many challenges. Though individuals reported having a high quality of life, they also described facing challenges and barriers that affect their ability to fully engage in life experiences. Individuals of all ages from birth through young adulthood reported experiencing common physical challenges such as pain, skin break-down, pressure sores, mobility limitations, latex allergy, and difficulties with endurance and balance.

Some individuals between the ages of 6 and 18 years reported having scoliosis and breathing difficulties, during a time of rapid growth. As youth reach the teen years through young adulthood, many also reported difficulties with weight gain and concern about sexuality. Although individuals with spina bifida may experience secondary conditions, the role of support has shown to be a large factor that minimizes these challenges. Family support has been reported as a critical component as well as support given to families from outside sources such as friends, relatives, churches and other community groups.

These supports have shown to help reduce secondary complications for individuals with spina bifida as well as ensure that they can participate fully in life activities and experiences. While individuals with spina bifida face many challenges growing up -whether they are social, physical, or academic -remember that the person with spina bifida is first and foremost a person with similar desires, likes, talents, frustrations, and concerns as all people. They will experience the same developmental milestones as all individuals -from saying “NO! in the toddler years, to becoming more independent and social in the teen years, to thinking about relationships and employment in the adult years. We are privileged to live in a time of positive change and opportunities for people with disabilities. Expectations are changing for the positive to include individuals with disabilities in all facets of community living. Regrettably, change is usually a slow process and many of the physical and attitudinal barriers of society have not kept speed with the new positive expectations.

Legal Age to Drink: Should it be Changed? In this day and age with more sophisticated teens and young people abusing alcohol, the issue concerning whether or not teenagers should be able to drink at a younger age is an important topic. In the article “Perils of Prohibition” Elizabeth M. Whelan argues that alcohol should be legalized at the age of eighteen instead of twenty-one. She hopes to persuade readers, parents, and educators to support her proposal for the change by successful alcohol education.

Although Whelan provides valuable examples to prove that proper alcohol education is an effective solution in reducing the problems faced with alcohol abuse among American teenagers, she does not provide enough substantial evidence to justify changing the legal drinking age to eighteen years old. In the beginning paragraphs, Whelan compares alcohol consumption with American teens and their European peers. She says, “American teens, unlike their European peers, don’t learn how to drink gradually, cautiously, and in moderation” (2).

This is a great example because it makes the readers think about the different cultural views of alcohol consumption among youthful drinkers globally. Though the consumption of alcohol in France, Spain, and Portugal is higher than the United States per person, the rate of alcoholism and alcohol abuse is lower (4). Whelan hopes to prove that if moderate alcohol consumption and proper awareness of the use of it is instilled in children eighteen years old and up then drinking alcohol should be okay. She compares three countries to the United States in her example.

We live in a pretty big world, is it the same in other “drinking” countries? The example is fairly effective but comparing drinking habits in only three countries to the United States is not enough to persuade readers. In order to gain support for successful alcohol education being a key factor in helping the problems faced with alcohol abuse, Whelan mentions an example involving her daughter. She explained to her daughter the differences in alcohol contents and the importance of not drinking on an empty stomach (8).

The strength of this example is effective because it is coming from personal experience. It’s detailed and provided by a woman whose education and occupation qualifies her to make this kind of study. This type of person often makes you want to believe him or her. However, this piece of evidence uses the hasty generalization fallacy. A single personal experience or even many is not enough to convince readers. People’s personal experiences differ greatly. And how do the readers even know if alcohol education was successful with her daughter?

Her daughter may not have gotten herself into trouble recently but she’s still under the legal age of drinking and who knows what would happen once she goes off to college? Because of her daughter’s age and the fallacy used, creates a weak example for supporting alcohol education. Whelan continues with examples to prove that proper education is the key instead of prohibiting teenagers the right to drink until the age of twenty-one. She mentions tragic accidents that occurred at the Ivy League school her daughter Christine will be attending in the fall.

A student who was nearly electrocuted when, in a drunken state, climbed on a moving train. The student survived but lost three of his limbs (10). A second incident where an intoxicated student ended up in a chimney and was found three days later dead (10). She hopes to convince readers that students do not make good choices when they drink, if they’re not educated properly. The tragedies with the sick, injured students are fair because they’re emotionally appealing to the reader but weak because she fails to provide statistical evidence as to how often injuries of this kind occur.

The examples are extreme and rare ones that are unlikely to happen on a regular basis. Whelan continues supporting her claim by mentioning a study that was done at the Harvard School of Public Health by her colleagues. What they found in their survey of college students was that they drink “early and . . . often,” frequently to the point of getting ill (1). She defends her claim by appealing to authority as evidence. And readers would not be happy knowing that students are becoming sick from irresponsible drinking – the human factor.

This study is included to let people know that college students are drinking irresponsibly and becoming sick from it as a result. Not surprisingly, she failed to provide statistical evidence again. That is, evidence of how many students is involved in the survey and the diversity of people in the study. These are important factors needed to be included in the survey to make it believable and convincing to the readers. Finally, two analogies are given by Whelan in hopes of her readers to accept her case. This author creates a weak analogy when comparing sex education to alcohol education.

In an attempt to change the legal age of drinking to twenty-one, she says “we choose to teach our children about safe sex, including the benefits of teen abstinence, why not about safe drinking”? (13) The only similarity is that drinking and sex can cause unsafe or unwanted events, therefore it makes sense to be educated on both subjects. However, the similarity is not relevant enough to be considered a good analogy. Safe sex education has been taught for many years to children but it has not stopped them from having sex or preventing unwanted pregnancies.

If this is the case, how would safe drinking education be convincing to the readers to change the legal age to eighteen? The second analogy which is fairly significant in dealing with the unfairness of the legal age to drink, is comparing the ability for teens to be able to drive cars, fly planes, marry, vote, pay taxes, take out loans, and risks their lives in the U. S armed forces to drinking. She says, “At eighteen they’re considered adults but when they want to enjoy a drink like other adults, they are “disenfranchised”” (5).

Whelan hopes this evidence will convince readers that if eighteen year olds are given “adult” responsibilities then they shall be treated as adults in all aspects of life, including drinking alcohol in moderation. She makes a great point with the comparison but when comparing voting, paying taxes, taking out a loan, and marrying to drinking, the responsibilities don’t impair your brain in a way that drinking alcohol would. Whelan presents herself as a kind-hearted woman who is a bit upset and frustrated with the current laws regarding the legal age to drink.

The example she uses explaining how she educated her daughter with regards to alcohol content shows her taking a subtle approach with allowing her daughter to drink rather than making it appear to be a bad thing if you are under the legal age. (8) She shows compassion and concern. Whelan’s tone throughout the essay is fairly tolerable, but she does show some depreciation towards the government when she compares teenagers being able to “drive cars, fly planes, marry, vote, pay taxes, take out loans, and risk their lives as members of the U. S. rmed forces but laws in all fifty say that no alcoholic beverages may be sold to anyone until that magic twenty-first birthday. ” (3) When she mentions “we should make access to alcohol legal at eighteen and at the same time, we should come down much harder on alcohol abusers and drunk drivers of all ages” (12) she is genuinely concerned of the welfare of all people with regards to alcohol and safety. She eagerly wants to make a difference. And as public-health scientist with a daughter heading to college, she has professional and personal concerns in regards to the dangers of alcohol.

While it is obvious that Whelan’s heart is in the right place and that alcohol abuse among teenagers is a problem, her argument suffers from lack of evidence to support changing the legal age of drinking to eighteen years old. Proper alcohol education can be helpful in terms of improving the problem but that’s it. Whelan’s article indicates a need for further study on the abuse of teenage drinking. It would be helpful to see statistical results in studies done among colleges across the nation and in all areas from rich to poor. The more valid studies the better chance finding the proper solutions to the problem.

AGE DOESN’T MATTER I feel that teenage criminals should not be considered not guilty by reason of adolescence. Just because someone is under the age of 18 doesn’t give them the right to break the law. In my opinion teens should know the difference between right and wrong, therefore should be charged for their crimes just as any other person would be. Although in our adolescent years our brains aren’t fully developed and we tend to make poor and irrational decisions; teens should know if their actions are right or wrong.

For example if a kid steals a shirt and get caught they should get into trouble. Since it’s a severe crime, I don’t think they should go to jail for it, but their must be some form of punishment. I feel that teen’s must be punished for the severity of the crime they committed, not by the age at which they commit it. For intense, murder. Murder is unacceptable no matter who you are or what age you are. No human has the right to take another humans life.

Whether you 17 or 47 murder is murder. Sure their may be different thought processes going on in the 17 and 47 year olds brains as to why they chose to murder, but that shouldn’t matter. The main thing is that they chose to act that way, they chose to kill, and they should receive the same punishment. The punishment itself should depend on the severity of the crime not on the age of the person committing it. Say a teen kills a woman at the mall and is in court being sentenced.

The jury needs to think about the crime itself and not feel sympathy for the boy just because he’s young and will have to spend the rest of his life in jail. If that old woman that got killed was someone they knew then they would have absolutely no second thought about sending the kid away for life. The problem is that the court system is too lenient on teen’s. A murderer should be sentenced as a murderer and a shoplifter a shoplifter, a teen should not get any kind of special treatment.

In conclusion I completely think that a teen should not be considered not guilty by reason of adolescence. Teen’s know the difference between right and wrong and should choose to stay out of trouble. If they choose to commit a crime, then they deserve the full punishment that comes along with it. They shouldn’t receive any type of special treatment whatsoever. They are responsible for their actions and need to live with the consequences just as any other person would.

Born in Florence, Italy having American parents, the most flourishing portrait painter during his time John Singer Sargent becomes a part of an exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, through his eye-catching landscapes and masterpieces. During his time, the world of art is dominated by Cubism, Fauvism and Impressionism.

However, John Sargent accomplished his masterpieces through his own form of Realism. His skills, as well as his form, were honed under the tutelage of Emile Auguste Carolus-Duran in Paris from 1874 to 1878, after studying rigorously in both Italy and Germany. John Sargent’s paternal grandfather was a Spanish descent and he carefully studied the paintings in the Prado during an extended residency in Madrid from 1866 to 1868 (Boone, 117).

Constantly the internationalist, John Sargent journeyed by train from Paris to Madrid, and he was in the Prado by October 14, and the several of copies that he completed, such as the painting of a dwarf then credited to Velasquez and a detail of Velasquez’s “Las bilanderas” in 1879, recommends or advocates a stay of just more than one month. Sargent also has several collections of photographs after Velasquez’, “Don Antonio el ingles” and “Las Bilanderas”.

In addition to this, he also had “The Surrender of Breda”, “the Forge of Vulcan” and “Las meninas”, which he stored or set aside in a scrapbook. These photographs served as souvenirs from his trip as well as reference material for his study of art history, and motivation for fresh works of art (Boone, 280).

John Singer Sargent is fond of life. John Sargent finds the the people portrayed rather than the setting to be exotic. His love for life, as well as being a painter, can be observed in some of his masterpieces such as in “Dolce Far Niente” and “The Sketchers”.

“The Sketchers” (1856-1925) is John Sargent’s 22 by 28 inches masterpiece which uses oil on canvas as medium. The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts was able to acquire this artwork through the help of Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund, in the year 1958. In “The Sketchers”, there is an interplay of light and dark or chiaroscuro which can be instantly recognized.

The left side of the painting shows scuro (dark), while the right side shows chiaro (light). The chiaro can be observed through the shadows and darker shade or hue of colors used through the trees and on the left side of . In addition to this, the background “sky” on the left side is darker as compared to that on the left side. These darker shades or shadows are results of the light from a source which can be observed to be coming from the right side of the painting.

Imperialism is a process by which countries attempt to extend their power into new spheres by leveraging their military, economic, cultural, and political power over another land. The roots of imperialism have differed through the ages. Some countries have sought imperialism by conquest, pillaging and plundering another land for pure exploitative economic gain. Other countries have conducted imperialism by colonization, slowly infiltrating and eventually assuming control of another land over time by force.

For much of European history after the renaissance, the European continent entered an “Age of Imperialism” that saw British, French, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, and German expansion across the far reaches of the globe. America, however, was a late addition to the scramble for imperialist expansion. Not until the late 19th century did the fledgling North American power attempt to move beyond its borders in pursuit of bolstering the national interest.

Over the course of several decades, however, America removed the shackles of isolationism and became an aggressive expansionist power primarily in Latin America and the Philippines. While this policy was not uniformly popular, it is important to understand because it drastically influenced and shaped American foreign policy for the 20th century. During the late 1800’s, America engaged in overseas expansion in three main areas: Spanish-America, the Philippines, and several Pacific islands. These campaigns were ideologically motivated by the philosophical underpinnings of the Monroe Doctrine.

This foreign policy standard, developed by President James Monroe in 1823, stated that the Western Hemisphere was distinctly the domain of the United States and that American “exceptionalism” would allow the United States to exclusively deal with affairs of the Western Hemisphere (Oklahoma College of Law, The Monroe Doctrine). This principle was the foundation of a series of events that eventually prompted the United States to invade foreign sovereign nations. Racist thought also perpetuated public support for these imperialist invasions.

The so-called White Man’s Burden, which had justified so much inhumanity by European powers was also raised by proponents of American expansionism. This theory held that because White men were “civilized” in contrast to their colored counterparts, it was the ethical duty of Europeans and European descendants to forcibly civilize the “uneducated” and “inferior” races of the world. Coupled with the Monroe Doctrine, politicians combined with sensational journalists (often referred to as “yellow journalists”) to drum up support for American excursions abroad (American Library of Congress).

The first major front in the eventual military expansionism that ensued was in Cuba and other parts of Spanish America. This campaign, known as the Spanish-American War, was Cuba. Here, Americans sympathetic to the plight of the Cubans, legitimized a show of force with the U. S. S. Maine, which was eventually sunk near Havana, prompting an outcry for war. The war in Cuba raged on in the aftermath of that incident, with Congress issuing a declaration of war. Unlike Cuba, which was more of a conflict between two “White” powers, American imperialism in the Philippines developed into a far more systematic form of colonialism.

American became an occupying power that asserted its dominance and applied its customs and language on the native population. Indeed, during the course of the war, American brutality was substantial, with an estimated 200,000 Filipinos dying from the conflict, largely in the festering disease-ridden concentration camps. Additionally, many Americans were reported to have carried out war crimes against the local population—shameful acts that were exposed and documented by the Lodge Committee report (Miller, 184).

Similarly, America extended its reach—with many negative results—in Guam, Samoa, Hawaii, and other Pacific islands. These particular conquests mark the height of American imperialist expansion at the close of the 19th century. Even though the Monroe Doctrine and the White Man’s Burden theories garnered sufficient support from the public to carry out the imperialist campaigns popularly, dissent against the newfound expansionism did exist. The major opponent of imperialist policies in America was the Anti-Imperialist League.

This organization, which prided itself on its founding ideals of liberty and equality for all persons, regardless of race or geographic location, sought to end American imperialist expansionism. As they argued, America’s militarism against the defenseless indigenous populations was nothing more than “criminal aggression” (Modern History Sourcebook). The League had a substantial impact on the national debate over imperialism, as it had cultural superstars like Mark Twain on its side.

Nonetheless, however, even as the League successfully highlighted some of the bankrupt practices of American expansionism, the campaigns were nonetheless carried out. The impact of American imperialism during the late 1890s reverberates still today. The Monroe Doctrine has now been replaced by a series of new foreign policy strategies, including the most recent addition of the Bush doctrine, which authorizes preemptive attacks anywhere in the world to ensure American security. Our occupation of Iraq currently has its roots and its legacy embedded in the deployment of troops under President McKinley.

This fact highlights why early American imperialism is so important to understanding our current foreign policy; it is a continuum rather than a series of isolated events. And now, just like then, anti-imperialist groups are being heard throughout the country. Only time will tell how effectively they will be at steering our government from continuing the imperialist legacy started at the close of the 19th century. Works Cited: Miller, Stuart C. “Benevolent Assimilation”: the American Conquest of the Philippines, 1899- 1903. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1982.

340 p Modern History Sourcebook. “American Anti-Imperialist League, 1898. ” Available online from: http://www. fordham. edu/halsall/mod/1899antiimp. html. Accessed 17 January 2009. “The Monroe Doctrine. ” University of Oklahoma College of Law. Historical Documents. Available online at: http://www. law. ou. edu/ushistory/monrodoc. shtml. Accessed 17 January 2009. “The World of 1898: The Spanish American War. ” The Library of Congress, Hipic Division. Available online from: http://www. loc. gov/rr/hipic/1898. Accessed 18 January 2009.