History 110 Final essay

History 110 Final Essay

Introduction

Territorial expansion was a popular trend among nations that can afford to send forces around the world . The superpower nations then were constantly competing with each other - The British , French , Spaniards in particular were expanding their territories across the Atlantic and were often causing conflicts with the Americans and with one another . Their main reason for their territorial expansion is their drive for wealth The United States , for example , expanded its territory extensively by acquiring several new states in almost rapid succession . The US tried to

br expand its territory so much that it even caused a war against the Mexicans in the American-Mexican War

Territorial Expansion

Wealth is the primary reason for territorial expansion . States would not fight tooth and nail over territories however small they are if those territories do not bring or do not have the promise of generating profit . The world was virtually unknown and unchartered before the invention of the sail , and even then , new , unclaimed lands were hard to find . Power belonged to the nation with most wealth , and territories translated into profit . Therefore , the nation with the most land was the most powerful . If wealth meant power , so too did military supremacy , and what better way to gain military advantage over others through established colonies around the globe ? In to dominate the world one must take a hold of most of it . The United States government realized this , so when opportunities came , the government expanded their territory through...