Final answer:
The U.S. expansion in the late 19th and early 20th century included areas such as Alaska, Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. This expansion involved both traditional forms such as purchasing land and new imperialistic methods including military action. It was a continuation of manifest destiny and also showed changes as the U.S. began to look overseas for expansion.
Step-by-step explanation:
U.S. Expansion in the Late 19th and Early 20th Century
The United States expanded into various areas around the world in the late 19th and early 20th century. This expansion can be seen as both a continuation of manifest destiny, which was the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the North American continent, and a change in form as the U.S. began to establish presence beyond its continental borders.
Areas of Expansion
The U.S. acquired Alaska from Russia in 1867. By the 1890s, American expansion had moved beyond continental borders to places like Hawaii, which was important for its sugar production, and the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico following the Spanish-American War. The United States also sought trading concessions in China and other parts of Asia and the Pacific.
Means of Expansion
Two primary ways the U.S. accomplished expansion during this period were through military action, as seen in the Spanish-American War, and diplomatic negotiations, such as the purchase of Alaska and the annexation of Hawaii.
Manifest Destiny and Beyond
In the 1890s, the ideology of manifest destiny continued to influence American expansion, but the methods and locations of expansion began to incorporate imperialistic tendencies, similar to European powers of the time, marking a change from the earlier continental expansion.