What political forces were responsible for the new imperialism that began in the late nineteenth century?

The Imperialism of the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s goes back to the idea of Manifest Destiny. It was the "destiny" of our nation to expand from border to border and sea to sea. Once the North American continent was "acquired" (physically, politically, and economically) it was only a "natural" step to seek influence abroad. The economic factors that supported imperialism included the need to obtain more Natural Resources for industrial development and the need for more markets to expand the industrial profit of the nation. Politically we considered ourselves a model for other nations and areas to admire. Politicians claimed that imperial ventures were simply a way for the US to take part in world affairs and not become too isolated. Trade between nations made the US an active imperialistic nation as well. The desire to spread our political and social ideals as well as missionary zeal also contributed to our imperialistic designs. The following sites should have more information for you. http://www.teacheroz.com/20thcent.htm http://hometown.aol.com/we4amhis/SubjectIndex.html MrV