History

link

The Age of Imperialism
Trends and Themes of the Era

    American industrialization created a need for foreign markets in which to sell manufactured goods and from which to buy raw materials.
    Early efforts to find foreign markets involved economic expansionism, which focused on opening markets through investment rather than military involvement. Under President McKinley, near the end of the nineteenth century, the United States wanted to increase its exposure in foreign markets and shifted to a more militaristic and imperialist policy.
    Victory in the Spanish-American War gave the U.S. an empire, and also marked the ascendance of the U.S. as a world power.

link

im·pe·ri·al

¹ [im-peer-ee-uhl] Show IPA

adjective

1.

of, like, or pertaining to an empire.

2.

of, like, or pertaining to an emperor or empress.

3.

characterizing the rule or authority of a sovereign state over its dependencies.

4.

of the nature or rank of an emperor or supreme ruler.

5.

of a commanding quality, manner, aspect, etc.

It seems to take place 1700, 1800s.