Louisiana Purchase American Imperialism

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Imperialism is defined as the policy of expanding a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition or political and economic dominance over other nations. Manifest destiny is just another name for aggressive imperialism. As the United States expanded westward, it gained much control of lands as it prospered. Though many treaties and arrangements started of friendly, they ended in bloody battles and victory for the U.S. In 1803, an agreement was signed between Livingston and James Monroe which was later recognized as the Louisiana Purchase. The United States paid 15 million dollars total to the French government and granted certain privileges to France pertaining to the port of New Orleans. Residents of Louisiana were to be incorporated with…show more content…
The U.S. offered Mexico to buy Texas twice, but they refused. Mexico was granted independence from Spain in 1821. Texas was so sparsely populated that the Mexican government encouraged American settlement during this time. In 1824, the Mexican government brought into play a law that offered any American willing to move to Texas, cheap land and tax exemption for 4 years. Many white southerners and their slaves migrated with the idea of establishing their own cotton plantations. By 1830, more than 7,000 Americans were living in Texas, nearly twice the amount of Mexican residents. The majority of the settler’s came to Texas thanks to American intermediaries who received fairly large land grants in return of bringing new residents into the region. One of the most important intermediaries was Stephen Austin. Since the new settlers were technically living in Mexico, they were expected to follow Mexican culture by becoming Catholic and obeying the outlaw of slavery. Since none of these conditions were met, a war was underway. Stephen Austin, hoping to ease the tension, traveled to Mexico to make peace with the Mexican dictator, Santa Anna. The Mexican dictator simply threw him in jail. In 1835, the fight between Mexico and American settlers commenced, later leading to the settlers defiantly claiming their independence from Mexico. General Sam…show more content…
A treaty was brought up between the United States and Britain to allow citizens equal access to the territory. These two countries showed no major presence in the region after. The region was mostly populated by scattered American and Canadian fur trading posts. The interests of Americans in Oregon increased when they noticed what they were capable of doing with the land. The migration into not only Oregon, but Texas too went on for 20 years. (1840-1860) Groups that headed for the area where mining or lumbering was the principal economic activity mostly consisted of men. Those who wanted farming region mainly traveled with their family. By the 1840s, white Americans outnumbered the British in Oregon and had gotten rid of much of the Indian population. Mostly through an epidemic of measles that spread through the Cayuse Indians. American settlements began spreading and new settlers urged the U.S. government to take possession of the Oregon Territory. It wasn’t until James K. Polk came in to solve the Oregon question. The British minister in Washington rejected an agreement that would establish the 49th parallel border between U.S. and Canada. Polk became angry and in order to get revenge he gave Americans the right to claim Oregon. Many slogans demonstrating aggression were made such as the popular “Fifty-four forty or fight!” which was where Americans hoped to draw the northern boundary of their
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