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

Question

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.

Answer 1

The excerpt you provided draws upon the significant impact of the American frontier on the national character and intellectual traits of the United States. It presents an argument in favor of territorial expansion during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by highlighting the benefits that growth and exploration offered to American society. Here are several key points that support the assertion that the U.S. should have expanded its territories during that era:

1. Opportunities for Innovation: The frontier environment fostered a culture of innovation and practicality. As people faced new challenges, they developed inventive solutions, which became integral to American progress. Expanding territories provided the space and opportunities for further innovation.

2. Individualism and Freedom: The frontier embodies the spirit of individualism and personal freedom. As new lands were explored and settled, individuals had the chance to escape the constraints of established societies, encouraging a strong sense of independence that became a defining trait of American identity.

3. Economic Growth: Expansion meant access to new resources, markets, and land for agriculture, which were essential for economic development. The prosperity gained from these new territories fueled the national economy and contributed to the U.S.'s emergence as a global power.

4. Cultural Exchange and Diversity: As the U.S. expanded its territories, it encountered and incorporated various cultures and peoples, enriching American society as a whole. This blend of different traditions and ideas helped to build a dynamic, multicultural state.

5. Historical Context: The notion of Manifest Destiny, which held that Americans were destined to expand across North America, was a widely accepted belief at the time. This sentiment justified territorial expansion not just as a right, but as a national purpose, aligning with the cultural ethos of the era.

6. Existential Drive for Movement and Progress: The idea that movement has been a dominant fact of American life suggests that stagnation would be contrary to the nature of the American spirit. Expanding territories aligned with this inherent restlessness and desire to explore new frontiers.

In conclusion, the text supports the argument that the U.S. should have pursued territorial expansion in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by emphasizing the positive attributes and opportunities that arose from such endeavors. The legacy of the frontier contributed significantly to the development of a distinct and resilient American identity built on innovation, individualism, and diverse cultural influences.

Answer 2

in a sentence

Answer 3

The U.S. should have expanded its territories in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries because such expansion fostered innovation, individualism, economic growth, cultural diversity, and aligned with the national ethos of exploration and progress.