During the early twentieth century, America’s imperialistic spirit was contrary to the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence was about the People governing themselves and having the unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The U.S. should have allowed these same rights to foreigners, if they so chosen.
Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence, governments derive “their just powers from the consent of the governed” and nowhere else. He further wrote, “whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…” The Philippines, Hawaii, Cuba and Puerto Rico are great examples of places that were affected by American imperialism and where the people were not looking for a new government or another nation to govern it. These people should have had the right to govern themselves like the 13 original colonies.
The Philippines wanted independence from Spain and any other country. Furthermore, it is likely they would have supported the principles of the U.S. Declaration of Independence including the final paragraph in which Jefferson wrote that: “We….the Representatives of the united States of America…are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of