What were the primary motivations and factors that led to the U.S. shift from isolationism and continental expansion to imperialism by the late 19th and early 20th centuries?Discuss

Students must write a research paper–using both primary and secondary sources–that answers the following question:

J.A. Hobson, a British theorist, and Vladimir Lenin, the Russian revolutionary and leader of the Bolshevik (later Communist Party) in the Soviet Union, both criticized late 19th century imperialism as a capitalist conspiracy by “big business” to subjugate colonies for pure economic gain. Colonies provided cheap raw materials and guaranteed markets for European and U.S. “trusts and monopolies”. But what about ideological factors such as the idea of the “Civilizing Mission” or Manifest Destiny? By the late 19th century, the U.S. joined other European powers in constructing an empire.

The question is this:

what were the primary motivations and factors that led to the U.S. shift from isolationism and continental expansion to imperialism by the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

All sources must be correctly cited using the Chicago Manual of Style. You must also provide a separate Bibliography at the end of your paper. Please go to Student Resources for a link to the Chicago Manual of Style.

https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/turabian/citation-guide.html

Out of the 5 total resources, the two assigned texts are:

Understanding the American Promise: A History, Vol. 2 From 1865, Seventh Edition
ISBN 10 :
1319062008
ISBN 13 :
978-1319062002

Reading the American Past: Volume II: From 1865
ISBN 10 :
0312563779
ISBN 13 :
9780312563776

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