Expansionism Case
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During the late 19th and early 20th century, US expansionism kept the same main principle but departed from earlier expansionism in terms of Economics,politics and geography. They held the same basic belief that they had a God-given right to expand. However, they expanded this Manifest Destiny so that, instead of looking to the West, they were looking to the world. Earlier, the US had gained land in the same general area and wanted to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific.They expanded on the idea to encompass the world, stating that they had a “duty” to help lower nations.
Firstly the US expansion was based for economic reasons. The West had been settled to promote agriculture and ranching, with the Homestead Act and subsequent acts granting settlers land. Now, expansionism was a means of trade and competition. European countries such as Britain and Germany were gaining land and power through their “pick” of lower countries(Doc A) and the US had to test its strength against them. Many believed that expansion was necessary to preserve trading markets, easy passage of ships for trade, and the value of American products, as well as to limit the power of European nations and growing Japan(Doc C). This was one reason the United States government got involved in foreign affairs. For instance, the “Open Door” notes of 1899 from John Hay were designed to limit foreign power and keep the valuable trade with China available. When other countries were slow to agree. John Hay declared that they had agreed in principle by mid-1900, which many countries were skeptical and unhappy about(Doc G).
Secondly the U.S expansion was also based on Geography reasons . In their new expansion, the US moved from the home continent to land elsewhere in the world. Earlier, they had expanded through the Louisiana Purchase, land gained in the Mexican-American War and more. Now, their site was set on other territories outside of our homeland which meant different countries. This was shown when they took Cuba from Spain and controlled it through a provincial government, then eventually took control of domestic affairs by inserting the Platt Amendment into their constitution. In Hawaii, when Queen Lil refused to renounce power, American settlers asked for help and troops eventually raised the American flag there. In the Philippines, the US took control as well, despite opposition. The US held onto the same belief that God had chosen them for this (Doc E) as they has in Manifest Destiny, but they now went to land that didnt rightfully “belong” to them.
Lastly politics reasons was on of the driving force for expansion during the early Few opposed Manifest Destiny, the God-given right to stretch from sea to sea. Now, Anti-Imperialists rose against expansion, not wanting supposedly lower, uncivilized people to “pollute” the American race(Doc D). Others believed that Americans were destined to dominate