Cornell University professor of history Walter LaFeber states that „the years 1896 to 1900 become critical for the student of U.S. foreign policy in the twentieth century. For if the nation entered the ranks of great world powers at this time, it is important to know how it did so.“[37]

   It is true, from its beginnings the United States has been an expanding nation. But the westward expansion over the North American continent can be described as ‘preclusive imperialism’. That is to say expansion of the territory had always had the objective of eliminating potential menace to the territorial integrity of the nation. The Louisiana-Purchase drove the French off the continent, the annexation of Flo- rida put the Spanish out of reach, annexing Texas and Oregon reduced the threat of British intervention, the war with Mexico finally opened the way to California, and acquiring Alaska put an end to possible Russian demands. During this time there had never been any national consensus on expansion. Starting with the 1802 Loui- siana-Purchase, territorial acquisition always met opposition. Many initiatives barely passed the Senate, even more were rejected there.[38]

   Furthermore, Jefferson’s Northwest Ordinance of 1787 had provided for the incorpo- ration of the settled western territories into the Union. They were not to be governed as colonies but successively integrated into the nation and their citizens enjoyed the same freedoms as citizens of Boston or Savannah (at least if they were white).[39]

   But the USA had ascended a ladder of economic power : the gross national pro- duct tripled in the thirty years before the turn of the century, industrial production grew five-fold, exports rose from $ 500 million to $ 1.5 billion. The population soared from 37 to 76 million and thus surpassed any single European nation. A great part of development was due to immigration which brought some 25 million new citizens to the U.S. from 1870 to 1914, in this sector the focus had shifted from Northwest to South and East Europe.[40]

   The United States had reached a turning point. As historian Paul Kennedy con- cludes: „Der Anstieg der amerikanischen Industriemacht und des Überseehandels wurde, vielleicht unumgänglich, von einer entschlosseneren Diplomatie und von einer weltpolitischen Rhetorik im amerikanischen Stil begleitet.“ (transl.:  The rise of American industrial power and over seas trade was, maybe inevitably, accompa- nied by  more decisive and American style world power rhetorics.  -B.Wahler)[41]