Foreign Expansion DBQ

Throughout the history of the United States, America had a desire to expand its boundaries. The United States acquired most of it's land during the nineteenth and early twentieth century with a brief break during the Civil War and Reconstruction. However, the way America went about graining new lands drastically changed from non-aggressive means in the beginning to extremely aggressive means towards the end. This essay will depict the extent to how late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century United States expansionism was a continuation

In the late 19th century, a new idea of expansionism had interested the nation. During the spanish American war, many people were divided over the topic of Imperialism. Ultimately, many benefits came with US territory expanding. Not only did the US get bigger, but many aspects of our nation improved significantly. American expansion abroad was justified because it helped the government and economy advance greatly.

At the turn of the 20th century, the United States began to look at two foreign policy issues, isolationism and expansionism. Once the U.S. had its inland empire secured after the Indian wars, it began to look outward. Even though they were determined to remain detached from the Europeans, they believed it was their right to expand.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s Americans expanded abroad into other countries and areas. American expansion was unjustified with the barbaric ways that we gained land in one case, and what we did with land in another case.

In the late 1860’s, almost directly after the civil war, the United State’s influence in the world rose drastically. They had expanded territorially westward, and had experienced a population boom. With the industrial revolution modernizing how goods were being made and transported, many politicians debated whether or not the US should expand its borders outside of the clearly marked boundaries. The debate was heated, as some politicians didn’t want to act like other European countries at the time, such as France, Spain, Britain or Portugal. They sought to have a modest country with little dominance over other countries. Contrary to these politicians, others wanted the US to enforce their growing power over nearby territories in order

The United States expanded its territory on the North American continent in the 1840s and then expanded its territory overseas between 1890 and 1917. These periods of expansion had positive and negative effects on the United States and on other peoples. During Andrew Jackson’s presidency, he purchased Louisiana territory from the French for $15 million. The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States allowing the space needed for expansion and settlement. The Manifest Destiny-a doctrine that stated the U.S had the divine right to own the entirety of North American territory-encouraged westward expansion along with the technological advances brought by the Industrial revolution(Document 1).

By the year 1901, the United States possessed one of the largest navy’s in the world, a growing empire, and the respect of the world as a growing power. It gained these achievements by being involved in the growing imperialism of this era along with Britain, France, Germany, and Japan. However America did not gain its power spontaneously. During the Gilded Age and prior America established policies and precedents that would lead America into the discussion as a world power. Although the United States expansionism in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries was a continuation of the social and cultural continuation of the past, it was also resulting from the departure from the methods of the past in the government’s pursuit of new economic and political endeavors.

In the early to mid 1800s, Americans began to want to expand the country again. Some Americans did not agree with the idea of expansion, and wanted to remain complacent with the amount of territory that they currently owned. The nation was torn. There were supporters and opponents of the idea of expansion. Each side presented their points but we eventually ended up expanding.

By late the nineteenth century the world was in an Age of Imperialism. The foremost European powers were all competing and swiftly increasing their territorial claims. Americans have always felt the desire to grow and expand the United States, they ultimately proved that with Manifest Destiny, when they settled from the east to the west coast. The idea of expansion overseas was something not new to the United States. The war against Mexico had allowed the United States to be carried into the Pacific and the issuing of the Monroe Doctrine allowed the United States to expand their sphere influence well beyond the Caribbean and into Latin America. American Historian Howard Zinn (1980) says that the Monroe Doctrine was, “Issued in 1823 when the countries of Latin America were winning independence from Spanish control, it made it plain to European nations that the United States considered Lation America its sphere of influence” (p. 297). Also, the very idea of imperialism is deep rooted and is expressed through that very ideal of Manifest Destiny. Bowles (2013) states that, “Many believed it was God 's plan for the United States to control the continent from sea to shining sea” (p. 8). With the outbreak of the Civil War, the idea of expansion and Manifest Destiny would be nonexistent, but this very idea of expansion outside the continent would return into the hearts of many American politicans and leaders at the end of the nineteenth century.

Before World War 1, the US experienced significant changes. As a result of the Spanish American War, the US gained much territory and began expanding into the Pacific Islands in a small amount of time. American expansionism in the late 19th and early 18th centuries was a continuation of past American expansionism because of the idea of 'Manifest Destiny', spreading US ideas, and acquiring territory for economic gain but it fostered change in the way the land was acquired and the location of acquired lands. One was American expansionism fostered continuity was the extension belief in 'Manifest Destiny'. The US wanted to acquire territory because it was the 'fittest' of all nations as seen in Document 2.

The underlying cause and reasoning of the Spanish-American War is the political role of President William McKinley. President McKinley was the type of person who saw war would be popular. If he did not declare war on the Spaniards, then he would be pre-empt. Ever since the beginning of his administration, President McKinley was concerned about the Cuban affairs and how they would be affected. The USS Maine sunk on an official visit to Havana.During that time President McKinley

Courtney Leon Mr. Haldeman AP US History 6 April 2015 Throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century, America was reconstructing itself following a revolution in Cuba against the Spanish; in addition, Americans prepared for involvement in the Spanish-American War. Consequently, the United States of America leaped into the trail of imperialism, attaining more territories in a short period time. America’s expansion was persistent with the spirit of Manifest Destiny, a belief that it was G-d’s wish that Americans spread over the entire continent, and to populate and direct the country as they desire.

Although the United States didn't have the authority or firepower to back this up, it resulted in almost four decades of compulsory US involvement in any foreign affair. After the Civil War, Isolationistic practices grew stronger as the government had to find a way to re-unite the torn nation. President Grover Cleveland promised to avoid committing the nation to form any alliances with other countries while also opposed to the acquisition of new land. The climate of post Civil War US prevented us from deep involvement in foreign affairs. Our navy was also weakened by the war. Our natural resources were scarce and our diplomatic relations with other countries had been neglected. With the attention of our government focused solely on our nation, we proceeded to develop our interior. One of the biggest reasons for growth in US land mass was the public idea of Manifest Destiny. Americans believed that it was the destiny of the United States to populate a huge, vast continent.

This letter, written by the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, Enrique Dupuy De Lome, criticized American President William McKinley by calling him weak and concerned only with gaining the favor of the crowd.” By publicizing the letter it helped move forward the public support for a war with Spain over the issue of independence for the Spanish Colony of Cuba. This letter basically has its own opinion over the spanish having to do with Cuba and the diplomacy of President Mckinley. The United States came on top as a world power as symbolizing victory over Spain in the Spanish - American War. Cuba, however, became and independent country instead of being a us territory. For most Americans their main focus of the war was Cuba. The most famous battles of the Spanish- American War took place at El Caney and San Juan Hill. Most American troops in Cuba were quickly returned to the United States after Spain gave up Puerto Rico. Battle casualties were relatively light during the Spanish- American War. Only 379 U.S. soldiers died in combat. More than ten times that number would be killed during the philippine insurrection. In addition, there was a very high death rate due to disease, especially typhoid fever, in both places. The total number of deaths caused by the diseases and “other causes” during the Spanish - American War was about 5,000. Most of these deaths happened in the training areas in the southeastern United

The Spanish American war was caused due Cuba’s rebel against Spain. Spain started making fortified towns. Spain responded by making reconsentration camps and establishing a recnsitration policy. The Cuban civilian population were ordered into the 45 camps. Inside these camps was desiese and starvation. There were yellow journalism where the newspapers would start to advertise stories of the suffering the Cubans would experience. American started clamoring that they would rescue the Cubans. President Calvin claimed the United States neutral. He did this because he feared it might leaed to annexation against the Cubans will. In 1898 the United States when into war with Spain over Cuba.