Imperialism (speech)

"Imperialism: Flag of an Empire" is a famous speech by William Jennings Bryan that was delivered in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 8, 1900. It was made in the context of the Spanish–American War in Cuba and in the Philippines and its aftermath.

In the speech, Bryan, a prominent American politician of the 1890s, warned against the harms and hubris of American imperialism. The speech is the one that is most commented on and his only speech whose main subject was imperialism that has been transcribed.

Bryan calls for a rejection of imperialism in American policy on the grounds that it is directly opposed to basic American values. He makes several references throughout the speech that call upon the ideals of democracy and basic human rights.