USA Ideologies

 Manifest Destiny
The Manifest Destiny, in U.S. history, is the supposed inevitability of the
continued territorial expansion of the boundaries of the United States  during
the 19th century. The idea was the driving force behind the rapid expansion of
America into the West from the East, and it was heavily promoted in
newspapers, posters, and through other mediums. It was used to excuse the
forced removal of Native Americans and others from their homes. It was not
an official government policy. It led to the Civil War occurring, as it increased
the issue of slavery when new countries were added to the union. Due to the
increased birth rate, the population expanded by the millions in just 50 years,
and there were also two economic depressions within 20 years of each other,
which encouraged the then president of the US, Thomas Jefferson to purchase
Louisiana in 1803. This doubled the size of the US and was the first major step
towards Westward expansion. The government saw the appeal in acquiring
more land, as well as the potential political power which large tracts of land
could confer upon the young nation.
 The Monroe Doctrine
During Thomas Jefferson’s reign as President, he had set his sights on
purchasing Spanish Florida after having purchased Louisiana, but did not do it
during his time. It was however, bought in 1819 when James Monroe came
into office. In 1823, Monroe invoked Manifest Destiny when he spoke before
Congress to warn European nations not to interfere with America’s Westward
expansion, as any attempts of colonization by the European would be seen as
an act of war. This policy became known as the “Monroe Doctrine”. After
1870, it would be used as a rationale for US intervention in Latin America.
 The Roosevelt Corollary
The Roosevelt Corollary was an addition to the doctrine of Monroe, and it
states that the US will intervene in the conflicts between nations of Latin
America and Europe to enforce the legal claim of the European powers. It was
also consistent with the foreign policy and implied that the US was justified in
exercising the power of international police to make an end to chronic unrest.