ipl-logo

Why Is The Frontier Thesis Described As A Justification For Imperialism

455 Words2 Pages

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. “The United States has engaged in each of these activities. Since the mid-twentieth century, it has added other …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

Show More
Related

  • The Role Of American Imperialism In Late Nineteenth-And Early Twentieth Century

    912 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the twentieth century, the United States of America held the position of one of the largest navies in the world, had a tremendous, extensive international empire, and the right to call itself a major world power. To acquire this reputation, America both went through a continuity of the past and a change in their expansionistic motives. Its imperialistic actions included a rapid and extensive colonization and expansion, and competition with many of the world’s largest and strongest world powers. This role of an imperialistic power was not immediate, however and was the result of much continuity and change of the past. While the United States expansionism of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries had a clear social and cultural continuity, its political and economic motives were changed.

    Read More

  • What Was The Impact Of The Louisiana Purchase Aggressive Imperialism

    414 Words  | 2 Pages

    While the Louisiana Purchase was a key starting point for American expansionism, aggressive imperialism into the West didn’t begin until the middle of the Jacksonian Period. Many Americans considered Manifest Destiny as a benevolent movement and a divinely ordained right to move west toward the Pacific Ocean. It combined discourses of imperialism and freedom by claiming that it was the duty of the US as a Christian, democratic country to take over lands in the Southwest. Manifest Destiny was aggressive imperialism that created a greater need for slavery, oppressed natives, and lead to the Mexican-American War.

    Read More

  • Ap Us Expansionism Dbq Analysis

    447 Words  | 2 Pages

    Toward the end of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the United States was becoming an increasingly powerful nation and world power. The country was competing with other nations also expanding. Their motives for expanding were to gain land and resources. While there was a slight departure from past expansionism, the United States mostly continued as it had been in the previous years. In order to accomplish expansionism, the United States needed to acquire foreign territories to increase their global presence.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of American Expansion

    1153 Words  | 5 Pages

    The American countries were built out of the countries that conquered it and rebuilt over the constitution that they started. As the other countries expanded to the west, the west became a country itself and as a country, a country wants to expand. As the British, Spanish, and French empires expanded they also lost the lands, conveying the fact that the U.S. expanded slowly and made sure that none of the areas that they conquered would declare war over them for their safety and own laws. When the U.S. expanded they wanted to be sure that history doesn't repeat itself against themselves as they did. I argue that the American expansion was doing whatever a country should do, expand and upgrade, improve the culture, religion, and technology.

    Read More

  • Did The Us Become An Empire In The Late 1800s Essay

    2751 Words  | 12 Pages

    It was a widely held belief that it was the predetermined destiny of the United States to expand beyond its borders and to project its culture on that of other civilizations. The belief that the American way was the better way was the theme of this time. As Manifest destiny turned into International Destiny, American businessmen believed that America should extend its authority over other countries. They believed that the way to expand America’s economy was through imperialism and should be the main effort of America during this time. The Monroe Doctrine and The White Man’s Burden promoted the ideas of Manifest Destiny in ways that justified its reality.

    Read More

  • Monroe Doctrine Dbq

    1109 Words  | 5 Pages

    History Final Essay Americans were convinced it was their man-made destiny to expand and conquer the land towards the Pacific Ocean. People believed that the westward land was rightly theirs because it was given to them by God though the idea of the Manifest Destiny. As time passed, the American population grew quickly, therefore the immediate need for more resources and land arose. However, America was not the only country to prosper in numbers; European nations also grew and needed new places to colonize to satisfy their growing population as well. With that being the case, the Monroe Doctrine was established as concrete warning towards European powers to not attempt any more colonization.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast American Imperialism In The Late 1800s And Early 1900

    1369 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the late eighteenth and nineteenth century, expansionism proved to be a greater departure from the methods of the path through new economic and political motives. America was no longer thinking in terms of of taking these new acquired Islands such as the philippines, and panama and making them states. The new concern was becoming a more protective world power, which was enforced through documents such as the Monroe Doctrine, and the Roosevelt Corollary. American imperialism during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, proved to be a continuation of the United State’s previous expansionism, through social and cultural justification. The idea of Manifest Destiny which had originally been introduced to us during the 1840’s, led to the kickstart of Western Settlement.

    Read More

  • 1865-1910 Dbq Essay

    773 Words  | 4 Pages

    First, one of the reasons for American expansion was to gain more global power. Document one is from the treaty signed between Russia and Seward. The

    Read More

  • Why Was The United States Unjust In Achieving Manifest Destiny?

    832 Words  | 4 Pages

    The United States was unjust in achieving Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny had a strong influence and was one of the reasons why Americans supported for US expansion. The US felt that they were justified in achieving Manifest Destiny because this notion “offered a moral justification for territorial expansion” (466). However, what they did was unfair because they took control over Mexican territories that wasn’t theirs in the first place. President Polk lust for new land gave him motives in seizing Texas from Mexico.

    Read More

  • Narrative Essay Of President Mckinley

    858 Words  | 4 Pages

    Imperialism is the best way for us to expand.” He said. Such a wise man, right? “Well, what does imperialism exactly mean sir?”

    Read More

  • American Frontier Expansion

    725 Words  | 3 Pages

    As Turner pointed out, his own views on how he believes that the American frontier was formed by the different characteristics of the people who made it happen and formed America. He states that the attraction to the frontier made a dramatic change to America and the West due to the different cultures each race brought unto the country allowing each one to accept as well change persons perspective of each others culture. (Turner, 1996.) The frontier helped everybody make a part of the history because of the necessities the frontier helped provide. It was and it continues to be a part of history because the frontier continues to change peoples life as they still continue

    Read More

  • US Expansion

    754 Words  | 4 Pages

    Have you ever been too cramped and need more space? The U.S. was once in that position until the great expansion began. During the US expansionism process, The US has become closer to having better opportunity, liberty, and more rights because of the start of American democracy, Mexican war, and the Mormons. These are the three ways that the US has expanded. The first step of the US expansion started with the birth of American democracy.

    Read More

  • Reasons For American Imperialism In The Early 20th Century

    744 Words  | 3 Pages

    Before the 20th century the United States was an isolationist nation but around the late 19th century America decided to convert into an imperialist power. They had numerous reasons to shift into being an imperialist nation. America didn’t want to begin imperializing to settle and live in the nations they were taking over, they already had America for that reason, they wanted to adopt these nations for what they had to offer, which was many things. America saw an opportunity to improving their nation and took it. Even if there were many causes for America to imperialize, three of them stood out the most.

    Read More

  • American Imperialism In The 19th Century

    718 Words  | 3 Pages

    And lastly the desire for a new frontier to settle in order to maintain America’s identity and prosperity. All three of the examples: economically, politically/military, and culturally can simply explain why and how America became an imperialist nation in the late

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of American Imperialism

    1764 Words  | 8 Pages

    As America became a great power, it has continued its legacy of territorial expansionism through neo-imperialist policies. Aside from acquiring land and expanding American territory, the United States has established policies that have allowed direct and often indirect military and political control, economic exploitation, and the introduction of American ideals. The U.S. has justified this form of colonialism by claiming that it is for mutual economic pursuits, the spreading of democracy, and the establishment of stable governments in developing countries. Despite America’s noble causes, American imperialism has caused many repercussions. The United States should cease to be an imperialist power as it is economically damaging to countries under its rule, costly to America, violates the fundamental American principle of self-governance, and exacerbates social and political situations in countries America has tampered with.

    Read More

More about Why Is The Frontier Thesis Described As A Justification For Imperialism

Open Document