Final answer:
American expansion in the 1890s was indeed a continuation of the manifest destiny concept from the 1840s, with similar motives of spreading American influence and values beyond the North American continent, now including overseas territories.
Step-by-step explanation:
To what extent was American expansion in the 1890s a continuation of manifest destiny in the 1840s? The concept of manifest destiny did indeed persist into the later period of American expansion. The 1890s witnessed the United States extending its territories beyond the continental landmass, acquiring places like Hawaii and engaging in the Spanish-American War, resulting in the annexation of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
While the earlier phase of manifest destiny focused on continental expansion and the belief in spreading democratic institutions and American values "from sea to shining sea," the principles of manifest destiny continued to influence expansion in the later decades in terms of spreading American influence, though it was now beyond the North American continent.
Manifest destiny was characterized by the belief in American exceptionalism and the perceived divine right to expand and transform various peoples and cultures. This ethos largely underpinned the Americanization of Indians and Mexican residents in newly acquired territories such as Texas, Oregon, and California.
Moreover, the notion of spreading freedom and republicanism was tied to manifest destiny and was also wielded as a justification for expansion in the 1890s. However, this later period of expansionism also led to more pronounceding foreign relations, as the aggressive nature of American expansionism stoked distrust, especially from Latin American countries that viewed the U.S. with increasing suspicion.