With the purchase of Alaska in 1867, the United States embarked on the road of building an empire. From Alaska to the Spanish-American War to the Philippine Islands, the U.S. grew as an imperial nation throughout the latter half of the...

This site explains how, as the race for empire gained momentum, the U.S. sought trade relations with China by the late 1800s. Late to the game, the Open Door Policy secured equal trading opportunities for all countries involved. The...