America On Foreign Affairs Summary

America on Global Affairs 1880-1929 United States of America set its ride to become a competitive- further a dominant, power since the Monroe Doctrine of 1823. To its advantage, America was far away from the European dominance over the world and on its own accord, geared towards industrialization, which was its root stand to become a Great Power. The U.S evolved from a continentally isolated country to a Great Power, a nation stronger than the others in Europe in such a small period of time from the end of the Civil War to the early twentieth century. However, there are different interpretations of how this Great Power became an eager expansionist nation. Territorial expansion, the notion of expansionism, was always part of American history from its beginning. Expanding to the west and acquiring land for the ever growing nation seems like an inherited characteristic from its European ancestors. As Paul Kennedy argues in his essay The United States
Perez as he places the catalytic event the sinking of Maine, to the Spanish American War. Through his essay, Perez gives an explanation of how America is an expansionist nation by questioning the sinking of Maine which catalyzed American people to want expansionism. According to Perez, the destruction of Maine “had immediate repercussions and lasting implications” on the foreign affairs. (p.279) Following the destruction, the relationship between the U.S and the Spain totally deteriorated. Perez argues that the U.S was “propelled to war by an agitated citizenry”. (p.281) From Perez’s essay, it is clear the public was the driving force in the American involvement in foreign affairs. Yet in a way, Perez’s argument coincides with Kennedy’s. Kennedy argues that the business leaders pressed the government to take actions in order to save the blood flow of the American economy as to people pressed the government to take action in Perez’s