19th Century Latin America Imperialism from a Global Perspective

Abstract

19th century Latin America was subjected to imperialist aggression from both the European nations and the United States. The form of imperialism, however, changed over the course of the century, with the ‘traditional’ imperialism of the colonial period giving way to the ‘gentlemanly’ imperialism of the early to mid‐19th century. By the century’s end, a ‘new’ imperialism emerged noted for its association with the growing world capitalist economy, especially the need for the capitalist nations of Europe and the United States to acquire new markets for their goods, cheaper sources of labor, and greater access to raw materials.