Group Five: Imperialism in America Before Imperialism.. What is America? American Culture In the year 1750, America had not yet got her independence from Great Britain. So the culture was still in a sense English. And by 1914, America was getting ready to enter WWI. However, in the years between; Time of science of technology. Benjamin Franklin publishes his finding on electricity. In 1862, R.J. Gatling invents the machine gun. In 1903, the Wright Brothers fly the first airplane. 1914, the Panama Canal is finished. Government & the Citizen America was and still is a democracy. After receiving their independence in 1776, this was established. The first President, George Washington comes into office. Only white, male property owners could vote. Not until 1920, women were allowed to vote. There were several political parties in America in the 1800s Federalist Party, (Jeffersonian) Republican Party, National Republican Party, Anti-Masonic Party, Whig Party, Liberty Party, Free-Soil Party, Greenback Party. Time of Revolution & War Imperialism adopting America Imperialism forever changed.. For Better or for Worse?