American Expansionism, 1783-1860

American Expansionism surveys the history of U.S. territorial expansion from the end of the American Revolution until the beginning of the American Civil War in 1860. Besides foreign expansion such as the Louisiana Purchase and the acquisition of the lands of the Mexican cession, the book also covers the internal expansion as American settlers moved west. Issues covered include:

• the definition of the U.S.-Canada border and the border between U.S. territory and Spanish territory in the Southwest
• U.S. government land sales policy
• the governments policy of removing the Indians from the eastern United States to the region west of Mississippi

The author also addresses some important questions about the concept of Manifest Destiny. For example, if nineteenth-century Americans thought that the expansion of the U.S. was manifest, then why was there significant opposition to almost every incident of expansionism? Key themes from the most recent historiographical trends in the interpretation of the subject have also been incorporated.

provides students with an invaluable accessible introduction to the subject, with key documents from the time period and learning aids such as a glossary, whos who, chronology and guide for further reading.

Mark S. Joy is Professor of American History, Jamestown College, Jamestown, North Dakota