America’s Empire State of Mind

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Jan 3, 2025

In a compelling discussion, historian Daniel Immerwahr delves into America’s hidden history of imperialism, exposing how it intertwined with ideals of democracy and freedom. He shares how guano, a seemingly unremarkable resource, fueled America's overseas ambitions. Immerwahr also highlights the complex debates about American identity in light of territorial expansion, and he explores the often-overlooked realities of labor exploitation during the 19th century. The conversation sheds light on the lasting impacts of this imperial past on contemporary issues of citizenship and identity.

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ANECDOTE

Misunderstanding Puerto Rico's Status

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's joke about Puerto Rico being trash sparked outrage.
This incident highlights the misunderstanding of Puerto Rico's status as a US territory.

INSIGHT

Guano and US Expansion

The US expanded its territory in the 19th century due to depleted soil and the need for guano.
Guano, rich in nitrogen, was essential for revitalizing agricultural lands.

ANECDOTE

The Navassa Island Trial

The Navassa Island guano miners' trial challenged the constitutionality of US overseas expansion.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of expansion, setting a legal precedent for US imperialism.

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The complete story of American imperialism is missing from our history books. On this week’s On the Media, how the United States worked to capture territory and expand power, while preaching democracy and freedom.

[01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with historian Daniel Immerwahr, on the hidden history of the United States empire. For Americans, empire often means economic and military power abroad, or CIA coups in Central America–not British-style imperialism. But the American empire was — and in some ways continues to be — a lot closer than most people realize. Immerwahr explains the role of guano — bird poop — in launching America's overseas empire, and the legal, political and social clashes that ensued.

[17:57] Host Brooke Gladstone continues her conversation with historian Daniel Immerwahr, exploring why, at the dawn of the last century, the arguments over imperialism didn’t end with poets like Rudyard Kipling and writers like Mark Twain. How should the adolescent U.S., big-headed about its democratic values, grapple with capturing territory? Immerwahr explains how this vital debate blazed across America’s consciousness like a comet, then vanished just as quickly.

[34:47] Host Brooke Gladstone and historian Daniel Immerwahr conclude their conversation, discussing how, after World War II, global anti-colonial sentiment (combined with less dependence on natural resources) led to a shrinking of America's physical empire. But the American empire didn't disappear — it merely changed form.

This originally aired in our April 5, 2019 program, “Empire State of Mind.”