U.S. Imperialism: Conflict and Consensus, 1780-1900

This historical monograph provides a chronological account of how conflict rather than consensus shaped territorial expansion from the nation's founding through the wars of 1898. I reveal how contingent annexation attempts were on alliances formed over domestic issues, and how central dissent has been to expansion. Based on the writings of a diverse group of average Americans, this study returns debates over annexations successful (Louisiana, Puerto Rico) and failed (Upper Canada, Dominican Republic) to their rightful place at the intersection of simultaneous domestic negotiations overlooked in most studies of foreign policy. In the process I offer a reconsideration of the evolution of U.S. empire that provides historical justification for embracing political dissent as a crucial component of foreign policy.