When the United States was born in the late 18th century, the world lay at AmericaÆs feet, or at least a continent did. The inevitability of an American empire seem obvious to all (at least among the elite members of society), including one Englishman who wrote, ôWestward the Sun of Empire takes its way. TimeÆs noblest offspring is the lastö (Mead 11). The U.S. rationalized that expansion in a peculiarly American way, referring to religion and claiming it was the nationÆs ôManifest Destiny.ö This paper will analyze Manifest Destiny and AmericaÆs other justifications for its 19th century imperialism and quasi-imperialism.
The U.S. emerged from an empire during the age of empires, so it was natural that the new nation would quickly join in the competition. The U.S., though, faced a dilemma. The founders had based the nationÆs independence on the natural right of self-determination and based the nationÆs government on republican principles. How could American leaders square those standards with a push to conquer land and people? Did not the people in the targeted lands also have the right of self-determination? (Williams 21-22).
For Britain, this had never been a problem because its leaders never attempted to bring any colonies into the fold. ôSelf-governing Englishman never had to cope with the problem of integrating their conquests into their domestic social and political economyö (Williams 22). For America, incorporating their conquests was not only an option but the goal of imperialism. The fledgling nation had its sights set on the area West of the original 13 colonies, controlled either by absentee landlords from Europe or Native Americas.
One of AmericaÆs founders, James Madison, provided the answer. America not only could build an empire, it must build an empire. ôExpansion was essential to mitigate economic clashes by providing an empire for exploitation and developmentö (Williams 22)...