ch.18 sct.1 CT #3

In the first half of the 19th century, Americans claimed Western lands and moved west towards the Pacific, corresponding with their ideas of Manifest Destiny, God's plan for them to inhabit the land. After they had moved west, fixed up their political system, and made a few reforms ("progressivism"), Americans felt they had the need (or at least want), and now the power to expand elsewhere. Many American leaders in the 1880's were convinced that the U.S. should join the imperialist powers of Europe and establish colonies overseas (p.548). Their beliefs in Manifest Destiny had eventually led them to follow the trend of rushing and competing to aquire lands and colonies all over the world, mainly to create trading posts for their country all over the world.