American Expansion In The Late 1800s And Early 1900's

The Westward expansion began for the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. For $15 million dollars, President Thomas Jefferson purchased from France 828,000 square miles, including most of 14 current states, thus doubling the size of America. Jefferson now had the land, but how to populate it was another story. On a three year expedition, Lewis and Clark were sent by Jefferson to explore the lands to get a better understanding of the geography and resources of the West. During the 1830s to 1840s, to promote further territory expansion, the “manifest destiny” came into play – which was the idea that America was destined to expand across the entire country westward. Quickly, the nation expanded.

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

During the 1890’s, the United States began building and advancing their economy, as well as focusing more independently on becoming an even more powerful nation. Not only did the Americans begin to create a stronger national military and navy, they also began to look overseas towards the Pacific Ocean for resources and territories; this is when America began to look less like a national power and more like an imperial power. There were many reasons as to why the United States began to expand between 1880-1929, two of which include the military opportunities countries abroad had to offer, such as Pearl Harbor, as well as the domestic and political objectives the U.S. felt obligated to fulfill. Although, there were many important reasons for the United States to began to expand, the most significant reason for the expansionist foreign policy was the economic resources and opportunities other foreign countries had to offer the U.S.

The Early American Industrial Revolution and Westward Expansion, two interconnected yet independent occurrences, were significant events in the Antebellum Era. The Early Industrial Revolution utilized new inventions to improve the United State’s economy and change lifestyles (Hakim NN 105; Hakim NN 107). It had offered new opportunities and transformed America 's farm economy into a market economy, which is, arguably, more efficient (Hakim NN 109). While Westward Expansion extended America’s borders, fueled by a popular ideal known as “manifest destiny, it caused many disputes amongst the American citizens, creating complications in Congress (Hakim 62-63). As shown, the Industrial Revolution and Westward Expansion were both major changes for America 's economy, each with its own benefits and disadvantages (Hakim NN 103-109; Hakim 58-59). The Early Industrial Revolution and Westward Expansion promoted and enhanced the effects of each other; the increased production of textiles urged Southern farmers to expand their plantations, which in turn, produced more raw materials for the Northern industrial workers to process (Hakim NN 103-109; Hakim 58-59). While both, as shown above, had improved the economy and allowed some freedom for the workers in free states which would otherwise not have, they also promoted slavery, which, at the time, was an ongoing issue

During the early 1800’s in the United States of America, both the Early Industrial Revolution and the Westward Expansion contributed to the sectional tension between the North and the South. While the North had factories popping up everywhere, the South had more and more land dedicated to plantations. To stay at the pace of the North, the South decided it would be beneficial if they were to become their cotton suppliers. With the invention of the cotton gin, cotton was being mass-produced and sent to the North to be made into items such as clothing. Whilst this was going on, the point of slavery became a big issue and the debate over it began, dividing the North and South more and more over time. The North didn't support slavery and instead, hired workers to work in the factories (specifically low-wage woman), while the South supported slavery and used African slaves to work on plantations. This caused many problems as both sides wanted more land to promote their opinion on slavery for either plantations or factories. Due to each of the sides having contradictory points of view on slavery, the Missouri Compromise and the addition of other territories such as during the Louisiana Purchase, the Oregon Treaty, and the Annexation of Texas, much strife occurred in the Senate. The Westward Expansion led to the desire for more land, therefore the United States expanded their land from the East coast to the West coast. The Westward Expansion promoted the addition of new land and

Imperialism is a policy that has positively impacted nations and their development for centuries. This was especially true during the late 1800s and early 1900s, when many European nations began to expand far beyond their borders. Imperialistic policies were not only good for the development of countries that were expanding, but in many cases, the countries that were being expanded into as well.

From 1830 to 1860 the United States, as a country, experienced change unlike any other before. This change was the territorial expansion of the United States, otherwise known as Manifest Destiny or “The Way West.” This expansion exponentially grew the size of this young country. When there is change, controversy is not far behind, uniting and dividing people. In the case of territorial expansion, this change was able to unite the United States. It was because of territorial expansion that the economy of the United States thrived. It was because of territorial expansion that the United States was viewed as a supper power, helping the countries National Security. It was also because of territorial expansion that more people were able to life the American dream of freedom and prosperity.

After settling the land on the east coast of the United States, many wanted to gain more out of the land in order to create wealth. The main location of population in Michigan was in certain places for certain reasons. Their lives were not the greatest, but they worked hard for what they had. Western expansion into Michigan was for many important reasons, and became very important in the future of the United States.

Ever since the first English colonists arrived in Jamestown and Plymouth, the colonists and eventually Americans have always considered expanding west, whether the land was previously inhabited or not: And like most things, many people had different opinions if and how it should be done. Before the 1800s, this issue already had opinions on the best solution. One example of this can be observed by King George III in The Royal Proclamation of 1763, in which he forbade all English settlement past a line in the Appalachian Mountains. Contrarily, Daniel Boone carved out the Wilderness Road and built the settlement of Boonesborough in the late 1700s. These sharp contrasts in ideas led to future debates. From 1800-1855, territorial expansion ignited nationwide debates: The supporters of territorial expansion rallied behind the term “manifest destiny,” while the opposition argued the unconstitutionality of the acquisition of territory, and the future negative consequences expansion may cause.

However, as America started maturing. Towns grew into cities, railroads were built, urbanization increased. Large families were an inconvenience was jobs were scarce, and abortion became more and more popular. Meanwhile in Great Britain 1803, the Ellenborough and Lansdowne Acts were passed.

The purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803 opened the door to westward expansion. Thomas Jefferson purchased this extensive plot of land with the hopes of strengthening and expanding the Republic, unaware that it would have the opposite effect. Jefferson’s fateful decision to expand the United States nearly destroyed the Republic that Americans worked so hard to build. It triggered the rise of divisions amongst Americans. These small cracks continued to grow and tear at the seams of the nation. Although westward expansion between 1800 and 1848 granted many new opportunities to the American people, it also brought about tension that plagued the nation for years to come.

These new acquisitions were desired for their resources and as potential markets. This new type of expansion was called imperialism. Imperialism replaced the acquisition of contiguous territory during pre civil war U.S foreign policy with the acquisition of non-contiguous territory in post civil war foreign policy. This was a departure because the lands being taken over were not contiguous. The goal was to continue the move west and exploring the border until the US owned areas all around the world. The expansion is similar to that of the first Manifest Destiny; the US is still simply attempting to obtain more land. Except, now that there is no more contiguous land for the United States to lay claim to, it must set its sights on lands across the vast

Similar to the oppressive structure of the United States, which favors residents of a higher socioeconomic status, and favors the dominant culture while oppressing minorities (primarily poor blacks and Hispanics), Jerusalem’s structure is oppressive to Palestinians. Yes, Jerusalem’s growth politics are concerned (partially) with economics, but the driving force here is maintaining and expanding Jewish control through claim of space, and by oppressing Palestinians through displacement. When building projects take place in Jerusalem, no matter the scale, there are almost always ulterior motives, and the construction projects make local (and often national) news. The expansion of Jerusalem is driven by a desire to expand the Jewish state. Because Palestinians are the oppressed minority, the powerful controlling Jewish growth forces have been very successful in expanding the Jewish state as they desire, with claims made to territory ownership simply because it is occupied (e.g. by a building simply being built on land). Because ownership is claimed once Jewish structures and residents occupy a place, growth expansions and building projects are ultimately land grabs. According to Shlay and Rosen, there seems to be a general consensus on the worldview of settlement development in Jerusalem; the world generally regards the Jewish acquisition of land unjust and illegal.

Many nations of historic significance matured to the point where they sent out colonial settlers to faraway lands and over time eventually extended dominion over those lands. The United States also came into

The expansion of the American imperial overseas was happening simultaneously and even before our expansion across North America. The reasons for America’s imperial expansion overseas during the late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth centuries were essentially no different than the reasons for its earlier expansion across the North American continent. The reasons for any imperial expansion is mainly because countries are greedy and looking for more power, but there are always other reasons that drive development, such as resources, soil composition, population distribution, and the need for economic growth.