A Great and Rising Nation: Naval Exploration and Global Empire in the Early US Republic

A Great and Rising Nation challenges the notion that the United States was a feeble player on the world stage before the Spanish-American War of 1898, arguing that early US naval expeditions were in fact deeply imperialist, reflecting diverse imperial aspirations such as commercial dominance, religious empire, and slavery expansion.

Format: Hardback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2022
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

The early decades of the United States' imperialist naval aspirations are illuminated in Michael A. Verney's A Great and Rising Nation. Contrary to conventional wisdom, which holds that the United States was a feeble player on the world stage until the Spanish-American War of 1898, Verney argues that early US naval expeditions, often characterized as merely scientific, were in fact deeply imperialist. These voyages, which circumnavigated the globe from the Mediterranean to South America and the Arctic, reflected the diverse imperial aspirations of the new republic. These aspirations included commercial dominance in the Pacific World, religious empire in the Holy Land, proslavery expansion in South America, and diplomatic prestige in Europe.

As Verney makes clear, the United States had global imperial aspirations far earlier than is commonly thought. These early voyages laid the foundation for the United States to become a dominant force in the world. They helped to establish the country's reputation as a global power and paved the way for its eventual expansion and influence.

The book also provides valuable insights into the political and economic factors that drove these imperial aspirations. Verney explores how the United States' desire for economic growth and expansion, as well as its religious and political beliefs, shaped its foreign policy. He also examines the role that slavery played in the country's imperialist ambitions, particularly in the expansion of the slave trade in South America.

Overall, A Great and Rising Nation is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the United States and its imperialist ambitions. It provides a fresh perspective on the country's early years and sheds light on the complex and often controversial factors that drove its expansion and influence.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226818382