The United States' Old and New Expansionism Ideas: An Analysis

In America, people often stick to what they know. In the nineteenth-century, America does not realize how much it is truly accustomed to expansionism. While establishing itself all those years ago, America became imperialistic because of ideas such as the Manifest Destiny, religious and habitual conversion, and geological strategy. These ideas, little did America know, carried with it to the late nineteenth-century and early twentieth century and became prominent in the way it expanded in the world. Past United States expansionism can still be seen in late nineteenth-century and early twentieth century, but it has been altered in a way that fits the times. Early expansionists and imperialists had many areas to choose from, due to the lack of settlements. In Document A, there are power countries collecting smaller areas casually. This is because it was casual because of how much land was up for grabs. America had this idea that they were to own all of the continental United States. This idea, Manifest Destiny, caused many problems and skirmishes with other countries. America was never quite satisfied with the land it acquired, although it held much of the area in its grasp, it craved more. This hunger for more land shown through in things such as the Monroe Doctrine. This Doctrine said that Europe could not attempt to form any new colonies in the Western Hemisphere. There was a layer of greed behind this. The same greed that was behind Manifest Destiny. A big aspect of Manifest Destiny was the idea that God had chosen America specifically. Document E says, "and thanksgiving to Almighty God that He has marked us as his chosen people." This was not said in the time of Manifest Destiny, but instead in the twentieth. This shows that o... ... middle of paper ... ...ansion. For this reason, it is obvious that old expansionist ideas are very prominent in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries’’. It has been proven that old expansionist ideas never ended. There was not a timeline of new versus old imperialism; America's ideas simply transform to rise in the current situation. Underneath it all, they hold the same background and fight for the same goal. However, the continuation of old expansionist ideas is very real. America has held tight to their beliefs in an unbending way. For example, the connection between the Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny is strong. Also, similarities in religious and habitual ideas are common. Finally, geological strategy has always been important. American imperialism is not a matter of continuation or departure, but rather a look at which part America chooses to highlight at that time.