(EQ1) How was American expansionism overseas similar to previous continental expansion westward, and how was it different?

As America expanded across its watery borders, many similarities echoed of its expansion across the plains, deserts and mountains of the West. However, the newly appropriated land was also with its own flavors. Like before, cultural extinguishment was attempted upon locals, combined with the gift of technological advancement for a concoction that could not be seen as inherently evil or beneficial. Painfully new, though, was the introduction of reduced citizenship. Additionally, the purpose of annexation was different than that of westward bound settlers. Like the frontiersmen before them, the US government set upon the newly taken land consisting primarily of the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico with an energetic fervor. Schools and roads were set up to facilitate communicate both physically and linguistically, while advanced methods of hygiene and sanitation were implemented, saving countless lives. Unfortunately, such radical changes to societies fully accustomed to functioning without them cannot proceed without grating upon the cultural foundations. A process of Americanization soon took root, further implemented by missionaries. Compared to the western frontier, the process was much streamlined, considering the sedentary lifestyles of the inhabitants, as opposed to nomadic ones personified by some plains Indians. Like before, and as is similar throughout all of history, the forced learning of new traditions is never looked upon fondly, and backlash ensued.

Because the new expansion encompassed lands not physically connected to the United States, keeping them effectively ruled proved intensely difficult. The Philippines would rather quickly break away, playing on the America sense of morality and spirit of independence. Cuba would simply refuse to fully integrate, and would become mostly independent, and continue as a protectorate. Unlike the economic expansion of the West by homesteaders, miners and speculators, the early 20th century overseas expansion was marked by its stimulus set forth by the government. There were no vast deposits of natural resources that were plundered, but the economic importance was still great. The most important asset that was considered was strategic location, and more so the effect it would have if occupied by a foreign power, such as Germany, Britain or Japan. By keeping the inlands as military buffers, America considered itself to be considerably better defended. Even after the loss of direct control over Cuba, the American military retained Guantanamo Bay and similar posts in the Philippines. Hawaii, possibly the most important militarily of the possessions, had a massive naval base built at Pearl Harbor. While the similarities abound surrounding the methods of conquering and retention, physical dissimilarities and motivations ultimately led new overseas possessions to live a different fate.