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Question: Did American expansion strengthen or weaken the nation!?Why!?
Give an example of an American expansion
Did this form of expansion weaken or strengthen the nation

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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Well, the most obvious one is the westward expansion which included the Louisiana Purchase and the lands gained in the Mexican war!. This expansion greatly strengthened the country in several ways:

Strategically: With the expansion of the nation from one coast to another, it limited the other nations that could get a foothold in North America and thus limited greatly the military and political threat posed by European powers!.

Economically: the westward expansion provided the United States with a huge new venue for the collection of natural resources, and made trade with nations all across the globe, especially in Asia possible!. Gold, iron, coal, lumber, fish, and lots of agricultural land were all widely available out west, and this expansion made the US much less dependant upon Europe!.

Socially: The westward expansion also allowed for the bleeding off of social pressures and discontent from the Eastern cities!. The opportunity presented in the west for land and for the expansion of rather decentralized democracy assisted the US in staving off the sort of urban decay that sometimes happened in Europe!. It created the idea of the American dream and helped induce immigrants to pour in, strengthening the diversity of the nation at the same time it expanded the population!.

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