--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imperialism is the factor in American…" description: "\"Imperialism is the factor in American policy, not just since 1898, but in fact long before it when we were expanding across this continent and taking a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/howard-zinn-576_continents_imperialism-is-the-factor-in-american-po_1047826.jpg" --- # Imperialism is the factor in American policy, not just… ![“Imperialism is the factor in American policy, not just since 1898, but in fact long before it when we were expanding across this continent and taking away Indian lands in order to enlarge the territory of the United States. We have been an imperial power and an expansionist power for a very long…” quote by Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/howard-zinn-576_continents_imperialism-is-the-factor-in-american-po_1047826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/howard-zinn-576_continents_imperialism-is-the-factor-in-american-po_1047826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/howard-zinn-576_continents_imperialism-is-the-factor-in-american-po_1047826.jpg) > “Imperialism is the factor in American policy, not just since 1898, but in fact long before it when we were expanding across this continent and taking away Indian lands in order to enlarge the territory of the United States. We have been an imperial power and an expansionist power for a very long time.” [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American policy has long been driven by imperialist and expansionist motives, predating 1898 and involving displacement of Indigenous peoples. **In simple terms:** US has a history of expansion and displacement. Key Takeaway Recognize past injustices. Themes imperialism expansionism colonialism indigenous rights Mood reflective critical somber Type historical political When to use this quote - education - policy reform - activism Key Concepts historical analysis political economy national identity Questions to Reflect On - How does imperialism affect modern policy? - What responsibilities arise from historical actions? A Different Perspective Historical narratives can be contested or oversimplified. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-policy-445677/) [Continents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/continents/) [Expanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expanding/) [Expansionist Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expansionist-power-2488474/) [Factors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/factors/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Imperial Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperial-power-1943972/) [Imperialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism/) [Imperialism Factor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperialism-factor-2488473/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Territory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/territory/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [It is in the nature of imperialism that citizens of the imperial power are always among the last to know-or care-about circumstances in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-is-in-the-nature-of-imperialism-that-citizens-of-the-imperial/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [How do you have a democratic empire, how do you have an imperial foreign policy built on a democracy polity. 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None…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-schell/it-is-a-key-fact-about-american-policy-in-vietnam-that-the-withdrawel/) [Jonathan Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-schell/) > [All along, American policy has been, 'We don't establish a Kurdistan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-t-odierno/all-along-american-policy-has-been-we-don-t-establish-a-kurdistan/) [Raymond T. Odierno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-t-odierno/) > [I've always criticised American policy when I've disagreed with it. Just as I've criticised British policy. 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