Definitions And Reasons For Imperialism In The United States

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JUSTIFICATIONS AND REASONS FOR EXPANSION DURING IMPERIALISM

Mythri Velagapudi
US History I
June 14,2023

A democratic nation, the United States, utilized its military power to conquer and annex other nations. There were various excuses offered by the US, but there were also many valid grounds for its expansion.
The United Nations provided different excuses for expanding than the underlying causes of spreading. Utilizing Frontier's thesis to its advantage, the United States defended its expansion as a means of enhancing democracy. However, creating new markets and improving the economy were the true drivers of expansion.
The most frequently cited justifications for imperialism were advancing democracy and assisting the underprivileged. …show more content…

“Turner’s “frontier thesis” became immensely popular among intellectuals and the public as a justification for U.S expansion abroad.” The quotation states that the United States took advantage of Frontier’s thesis and used it as a justification for imperialism.
The Frontier’s thesis stated “this expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating American character. The true point of view in the history of this nation is not the Atlantic coast, it is the Great West.”According to the quotation, the expansion was carried out in order to advance civilization and subdue foreign powers that dominated the United States.
During the imperial era, the United States produced justifications for its actions, but these justifications frequently did not correspond to the real circumstances in the country. “Merchants began to publicly endorse imperialism because they hoped that the acquisition of new territories would provide new markets to offset the loss of revenues caused by the new round of European tariffs.” The quotation discusses the real justification for people's support of imperialism. According to the quotation, merchants backed expansion since it would help the economy and open up new