History Dbq on Land Expansion

As the United States grew in power, so did its ideas of expansion. The foreign powers were beginning to move out of their continents and seek land in other countries. The United States soon followed. They followed in their founder’s footsteps and tried to occupy lands in the far seas. However, in the beginning, this need for land was called Manifest Destiny. This idea claimed that God was forcing them to occupy the new western lands. The expansionism that occurred in the late nineteenth-century was not a result of Manifest Destiny, and therefore this “new” idea of expansionism was different from the expansionism ideas of early America. For the most part, the United States need for more land was primarily to keep other nations out of the western hemisphere. However the United States began to see reason behind change towards the “new” expansionistic ideas.

The departure from previous expansionism developed alongside the tremendous changes and amplifications of United States power. The growth in strength and size of the United States navy gave the country many more opportunities to grow, explore, and expand both in size and money. The better range and build of ships allowed the U.S. to enter the Far East, lands of the Philippines and China, all to increase trade and to create an influx of commerce. Because of the huge production of agricultural goods and the need for outputs and markets for these goods, the United States needed to find other places for shipping, trading, buying, and selling, and these areas of interest were just the place. The idea of Manifest Destiny and placing faith in God also allowed the United States to expand farther out into what once were unattainable lands. Mahan the naval writer, explains the three necessary obligations of sea power, as well as expressing the extreme importance of the navy during late 1800’s expansionism. (Document C) During this time period and before, it was believed that whoever retained control of the seas would...