In order to best answer the question posed one must break expansionism into two separate time periods. Both of these time periods show comparisons and contrasts with US expansionism. From 1776-1880 and the late 1800s-1914 are chronicled by major events in United States and World history. Using these documents as well as commonly known events that occurred during these time periods I will show the similarities and differences that late nineteenth century and early twentieth century United States expansionism exhibit from past United States expansionism.

United States expansionism has undergone many changes throughout the years. We have expanded for land, for God, and for the economy. As the people of the United States progressed both …show more content…

The continuations of United States expansionism were limited compared to the departures. However, these continuations were of utmost importance. Staying true to our faith in God and the Monroe Doctrine helped shape American Diplomacy in regards to human decency and the opportunity for all to succeed and expand at their own pace regardless of size and relative inexperience. All of the major departures show hints of our ancient ideals. The expansion into non-contiguous lands comes from Manifest Destiny and the idea that the Anglo-Saxon, or WASP, was mandated by God to expand into these territories. The belief was that the Anglo-Saxon race was The race of unequalled energy, with all the majesty of numbers and the might of wealth behind the representative, let us hope, of the largest liberty, the purest Christianity, the highest civilization will spread itself over the earth” (Doc B). The Roosevelt Corollary comes directly from the Monroe Doctrine which protected the rights of struggling Latin American countries and their fights for freedom. First enforced by Great Britain, the US quickly gained the power to recognize that “Chronic wrongdoing, or an impotence which results in a general loosening of the ties of civilized society, may in America, as elsewhere, ultimately require intervention by some civilized nation, and in the Western Hemisphere the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant