Introduction
The Wild West myth has long shaped perceptions of American identity, portraying the nation’s expansion as a heroic saga of conquest and civilisation. This narrative often emphasises American exceptionalism—a belief in the United States’ unique destiny to spread democracy and progress, frequently justified through violence. In the context of late-19th and early-20th-century American imperialism, this myth extended from domestic Indian Wars to overseas ventures, reflecting cultural attitudes that viewed imperial actions as a moral duty. This essay examines these attitudes using Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The White Man’s Burden” (1899) and the political cartoon “School Begins” from Puck magazine (January 25, 1899), alongside an outside source from The American Yawp. By analysing these artifacts, it links historical attitudes of racial superiority and benevolent imperialism to events like the Indian Wars and the Spanish-American War. The thesis argues that such cultural representations reinforced American exceptionalism by framing violence against indigenous peoples and colonised territories as essential for progress, thereby justifying imperial behaviours.
Cultural Artifacts and Attitudes of Superiority
Cultural artifacts from the era reveal a pervasive attitude of racial and cultural superiority underpinning American imperialism. Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden,” written in 1899 amid the Philippine-American War, urges Western powers—implicitly including the United States—to civilise “sullen peoples” deemed “half-devil and half-child” (Kipling, 1899). This poem embodies the imperialist mindset that positioned Americans as bearers of enlightenment, a notion tied to exceptionalism. Indeed, it reflects attitudes during the late-19th century when the U.S. pursued overseas expansion following the closure of the western frontier in 1890, as declared by the Census Bureau (Locke and Wright, 2023). The poem’s call to “take up the White Man’s burden” arguably encouraged American involvement in the Philippines, portraying imperialism as a selfless duty rather than exploitation.
This attitude mirrors the domestic violence of the Indian Wars (1860s–1890s), where Native Americans were depicted as obstacles to progress. The Wild West myth romanticised these conflicts, casting settlers and the U.S. military as heroes taming a savage wilderness, which justified the displacement and massacres of indigenous populations, such as at Wounded Knee in 1890 (Locke and Wright, 2023). Kipling’s rhetoric extended this logic overseas, linking internal conquest to global imperialism and revealing how exceptionalism sanitised violence as a civilising force.
Linking Artifacts to Historical Events and Behaviours
The political cartoon “School Begins” (1899) further illustrates these attitudes, depicting Uncle Sam as a teacher instructing new ‘pupils’—representations of the Philippines, Hawaii, Cuba, and Puerto Rico—acquired after the Spanish-American War of 1898. In the background, Native American, African American, and Chinese figures appear as already ‘civilised’ or marginalised, reinforcing a hierarchy where Anglo-Saxon Americans imparted knowledge to inferior races (Dalrymple, 1899). This artifact highlights the era’s imperial behaviour, where the U.S. assumed a paternalistic role, much like in the Indian Wars, where policies like the Dawes Act of 1887 aimed to assimilate Native Americans by allotting lands and eroding tribal structures (Locke and Wright, 2023).
Historically, these attitudes drove behaviours such as the brutal suppression of Philippine resistance (1899–1902), resulting in thousands of deaths, paralleling the genocidal aspects of the Indian Wars. The cartoon’s humorous tone belies the violence, yet it evaluates the imperialist perspective by satirising the ‘burden’ of education, showing limited critical awareness. Furthermore, The American Yawp contextualises this as part of a broader shift from continental to overseas expansion, influenced by economic motives and naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan’s ideas (Locke and Wright, 2023). Such sources demonstrate how cultural artifacts not only reflected but also perpetuated attitudes that normalised imperial violence under the guise of exceptionalism.
Conclusion
In summary, cultural artifacts like Kipling’s poem and the “School Begins” cartoon reveal attitudes of racial superiority and moral obligation that fuelled American imperialism from the Indian Wars to overseas conquests. These linked to events such as the Spanish-American War and behaviours like forced assimilation, embodying exceptionalism through justified violence. Understanding this myth highlights the limitations of such narratives, which often overlooked indigenous perspectives and the human cost of empire. This analysis underscores the relevance of historical attitudes in critiquing modern imperialism, encouraging a more nuanced view of America’s past.
References
- Dalrymple, L. (1899) School Begins. Puck Magazine, January 25. Library of Congress.
- Kipling, R. (1899) The White Man’s Burden. Poetry Foundation.
- Locke, J. and Wright, B. (eds.) (2023) The American Yawp: A Massively Collaborative Open U.S. History Textbook. Stanford University Press.
