I’m also an amateur and don’t have much more frame of reference then college history and quick internet searches that validated with what I remember professors lecturing.
The westward expansion should count as imperialism. The territories were meant to be integrated parts of the nation and not independent vassal states.
The US was Neo-colonial without being an empire. Which is a pretty jerk move when you realize that meant a groups of people had to agree in unison to use soft-power to oppress countries over decades.
America historically avoided the empire classification because of the division of power prevented there being a single supreme power. The erosion of the separate powers providing the checks and balances is what is sliding the US into empire by definition.
I’m also an amateur and don’t have much more frame of reference then college history and quick internet searches that validated with what I remember professors lecturing.
The westward expansion should count as imperialism. The territories were meant to be integrated parts of the nation and not independent vassal states.
The US was Neo-colonial without being an empire. Which is a pretty jerk move when you realize that meant a groups of people had to agree in unison to use soft-power to oppress countries over decades.
America historically avoided the empire classification because of the division of power prevented there being a single supreme power. The erosion of the separate powers providing the checks and balances is what is sliding the US into empire by definition.