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Early American Imperialism

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One of the unique challenges of studying history is that there is never a single right way to interpret the events of the past. Oftentimes, it is difficult to compile a disparate range of people and places into a single theme. Likewise, in the early days of colonial america, there was no single narrative that could describe the vast differences in the society, behavior, and beliefs of early American settlers. However, as America continued to grow and expand, a common narrative developed around the dreams of settling a new land, and the ways in which this was accomplished. All of this shaped a collective identity that came to revolve around a tool that unexpectedly shaped the course of history: the axe. The axe not only forged a new American identity centered around a rejection of European establishment and culture, but also became a profound symbol of a new country that was shaking off the influence of Great Britain and discovering a new role model in the American frontiersman. …show more content…

For centuries, the economic and cultural systems of Europe had been based upon mercantilism, the idea that resources should be extracted from undeveloped colonies and transported to a home country for manufacture into valuable goods. For many years America was trapped in this system, but after gaining independence the new country finally had a chance to grow and develop unimpeded. As it began its increasingly rapid expansion to the west, it began to enact its own version of mercantilism, one that incorporated a specific set of values and came to form a new American

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