Final answer:
The belief in American cultural superiority, rooted in American exceptionalism and the civilizing mission, promoted imperialism as a moral obligation to spread democracy and 'civilized' values, despite often contradicting democratic ideals.
Step-by-step explanation:
U.S. Cultural Superiority and Imperialism
The belief in American cultural superiority significantly influenced the country's imperialistic endeavors during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This sense of superiority was rooted in notions of American exceptionalism and the civilizing mission, which posited that the U.S. had a unique role in spreading democracy and liberty. Such ideologies were intertwined with economic and strategic interests, inspiring the expansion of American influence overseas. The U.S. similarly adopted Orientalism, romanticizing Eastern cultures while molding them to fit Western preconceptions. Notably, the American push for imperialism was also a competitive response to European powers engrossed in territorial acquisitions around the world.
Advocates of imperialism rationalized the expansion as a spread of 'civilized' values, underpinned by the era's prevalent belief in racial superiority and Social Darwinism. The idea that Anglo-Saxons were destined to bring civilization to 'lesser' cultures was expressed in the literature of the period, such as The White Man's Burden by Rudyard Kipling, and became a moral justification for imperial control. Yet, American strategies and actions overseas often contradicted the nation's professed democratic values, resulting in a complex and sometimes hypocritical relationship with imperialism.