From the conditions of frontier life came intellectual traits of profound importance. The works of travelers along each frontier from colonial days onward describe certain common traits, and these traits have, while softening down, still persisted as survivals in the place of their origin, even when a higher social organization succeeded. The result is that to the frontier the American intellect owes its striking characteristics. That coarseness and strength combined with acuteness and inquisitiveness; that practical, inventive turn of mind, quick to find expedients; that masterful grasp of material things, lacking in the artistic but powerful to effect great ends; that restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism, working for good and for evil, and withal that buoyancy and exuberance which comes with freedom—these are traits of the frontier, or traits called out elsewhere because of the existence of the frontier. Since the days when the fleet of Columbus sailed into the waters of the New World, America has been another name for opportunity, and the people of the United States have taken their tone from the incessant expansion which has not only been open but has even been forced upon them. He would be a rash prophet who should assert that the expansive character of American life has now entirely ceased. Movement has been its dominant fact, and, unless this training has no effect upon a people, the American energy will continually demand a wider field for its exercise. But never again will such gifts of free land offer themselves. For a moment, at the frontier, the bonds of custom are broken and unrestraint is triumphant. There is not tabula rasa. The stubborn American environment is there with its imperious summons to accept its conditions; the inherited ways of doing things are also there; and yet, in spite of environment, and in spite of custom, each frontier did indeed furnish a new field of opportunity, a gate of escape from the bondage of the past; and freshness, and confidence, and scorn of older society, impatience of its restraints and its ideas, and indifference to its lessons, have accompanied the frontier. What the Mediterranean Sea was to the Greeks, breaking the bond of custom, offering new experiences, calling out new institutions and activities, that, and more, the ever retreating frontier has been to the United States directly, and to the nations of Europe more remotely. And now, four centuries from the discovery of America, at the end of a hundred years of life under the Constitution, the frontier has gone, and with its going has closed the first period of American history.

Question

—Frederick Jackson Turner, from The Frontier in American History

The U.S. SHOULD have expanded its territories in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Answer 1

The belief that the U.S. should have expanded its territories in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries can be supported by several key arguments rooted in the ideas articulated by Frederick Jackson Turner regarding the significance of the frontier and American expansion.

1. Continuation of the Frontier Spirit:

Turner's thesis emphasizes the influence of the frontier on American character, suggesting that expansion fosters qualities such as individualism, inventiveness, and a robust work ethic. By pursuing further territorial expansion, the U.S. could have sustained this pioneering spirit, encouraging innovation and economic growth.

2. Economic Opportunities:

Territorial expansion would have provided new markets and resources necessary for fueling the growing industrial economy. The late nineteenth century was marked by rapid industrialization, and acquiring new territories could have alleviated potential resource shortages, increased agricultural production, and created new economic opportunities for American businesses and settlers.

3. Strategic Interests:

In a world increasingly characterized by imperialism, expansion could be seen as a necessity for national security. Acquiring territories would allow the U.S. to establish strategic military bases and exert its influence in key geopolitical areas, particularly as European powers were competing fiercely for dominance around the globe.

4. Manifest Destiny:

The ideology of Manifest Destiny, which held that Americans were destined to expand their territory across the continent, played a significant role in justifying expansion. This belief not only fostered a sense of national purpose but also encouraged the spread of American values and institutions, which proponents argued would contribute to progress and civilization.

5. Cultural Exchange:

Expansion into new territories offered opportunities for cultural exchange and the introduction of American values. As the U.S. interacted with diverse populations, it could have promoted its ideals of democracy and individual rights, potentially leading to positive transformations within newly acquired territories.

6. Settler Opportunities:

Just as Turner noted the opportunities offered by the original frontier, expansion could provide new land for American settlers. This could have helped alleviate overcrowding in eastern cities, reducing social tensions and enhancing the quality of life for many.

7. National Unity:

Expansion can serve as a unifying force for a diverse population. By extending its borders, the U.S. may have fostered a stronger national identity, encouraging a shared vision of growth and opportunity that transcended regional differences.

In conclusion, advocating for U.S. expansion during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries aligns with Turner's ideas about the significance of the frontier in shaping the American character and opportunities for growth. While recognizing the complexities and ethical concerns surrounding territorial expansion, one can argue that it had the potential to sustain and enhance the distinctive qualities of the American experience.

Answer 2

in a sentences

Answer 3

The U.S. should have expanded its territories in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to sustain the frontier spirit that fostered innovation and individualism, create new economic opportunities and markets for a rapidly industrializing economy, secure strategic military advantages in a competitive world, promote the ideals of Manifest Destiny and democracy, facilitate cultural exchange and the spread of American values, provide land for settlers to alleviate urban overcrowding, and strengthen national unity among a diverse population.