Economic Expansion in the Late Nineteenth Century and Early Twentieth Century

Economic expansion in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century was driven by economic expansion and sole beliefs. In the past the United States was an agricultural nation and based there economy on farming. Since the United States based there economy on farming they need to expand was necessary for the country to grow. However as time went on the slow transition between farming to big business changed the motives for America’s expansion. In both era’s however the United States was able to justify its expansion through national belief.

Before the nineteenth century America had an agriculturally based economy and wanted to expand its nation for this use. The United States slowly grew after the American Revolution through warfare and land purchase. Thomas Jefferson signed the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 which doubled the size of the United States and this promoted more land usage and westward expansion. This expansion however caused problems that lead up to warfare such as the civil war. When new lands were acquired through these treaties problems such as the expansion of slavery and relations with the Natives Americans arose. America became bigger through land treaties such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Gadsden purchase and also through warfare like Spanish American war and Mexican war. However as time went on land treaties and warfare died down and expansion beyond North America became another motive. America slowly but eventually changed from an agricultural based economy to a more big business and trade economy. At the time nations had their own spheres of influence and within that sphere they tried to dominate trade and commerce. In document A Thomas Nast cartoon displays countries trying to establish their ...

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...est and through natural selection the strongest survived. Josiah Strong states “the final competition of races, for which the Anglo –Saxon is being schooled…” and he also states in his last sentence “And can anyone doubt that the result of this competition of races will be the survival of the fittest”. This related to imperialism because stronger countries like Britain and France used this “Burden” as an excuse to express their control over weaker countries.

United States expansionism during the late ninetieth- century and early twentieth century were similar because of economic power and religious beliefs. Before the ninetieth century the United States had an agricultural economy and in the early twentieth century it had changed to a business economy. As the United States became a stronger nation it started to expand its influence into other countries.