Chapter 18 Section 1 Critical Thinking # 3 &5

3) Manifest destiny geatly infuenced American policy during the first half of the 19th century. How do you think manifest destiny set the stage for American imperialism at the end of the century?

Manifest destiny was something very influential in the settling of the U.S., and very ingrained into the American culture in the 19th century. One of the 3 reasons for American imperialism starting was the belief in cultural superiority, which is what Manifest Destiny is all about. Manifest Destiny is the belief that God wanted the white man to move West and "civilize" the land (according the white man's ideas of what "civil zed" was). And so Americans, believing that they had God's blessing, went merrily forth in their Christian duty to destroy the culture of everyone else in the United States. By the time that imperialism started becoming an issue, all of North America had been settled and there was no more land left to civilize, but why should they stop at the United States when there was the rest of the world to bring to the feet of God? In the late 19th century, the people of the United States argued that they were responsible for spreading their idea of civilization and Christianity to the 'inferior peoples" of the world. Manifest Destiny set a precedent that was followed in the time of imperialism in the United States.

5)
In the following passage, how does Indiana Sentor Albert J. Beveridge explain the need for the U.S. to acquire new territories?
"Fate has written our policy for us; the trade of the world must and shall be ours...We will establish trading posts throughout the world as distributing points for American products...Great colonies governing themselves, flying our flag and trading with us, will grow about our posts of trade."

Beveridge explains the need for the U.S. to acquire new territories by saying that they are necessary for the trade and distribution of American products. One of the reasons for the start of American imperialism was the need for new markets, and it seems as if he was using this belief for his argument. Imperialists thought that foreign trade would remedy the problem of American over-production and the problems that came with it, such as economic depression and unemployment. The U.S. needed new markets for its surplus manufactured and agricultural goods. Beveridge explains the need for new territories by saying that having trading posts would cause wealthy colonies to spring up in the area, and American products would be sold around the world.