Reevaluating U.S. Territorial Expansion: The Case of Greenland and Historical Precedents

In recent times, former President Donald Trump’s expressed interest in acquiring Greenland has reignited conversations about America’s history and future in territorial expansion. While some dismiss the idea as fanciful, it resonates deeply with a legacy of land acquisitions that have significantly influenced the United States’ growth and global stature. This article revisits key moments in U.S. territorial history, particularly focusing on the transformative Alaska purchase of 1867, while assessing how contemporary ambitions like those involving Greenland fit into today’s geopolitical framework.

The Evolution of American Territorial Growth: A Historical Overview

The United States’ borders have been shaped by a series of strategic land acquisitions driven by economic interests, security concerns, and ideological beliefs such as Manifest Destiny—the conviction that Americans were destined to expand across North America. Landmark transactions include the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the nation’s size overnight through diplomatic negotiation rather than conflict; Florida’s peaceful annexation from Spain in 1819; and later expansions beyond continental borders.

By the late nineteenth century,U.S. ambitions extended overseas with purchases like Alaska from Russia (1867) and territorial gains following conflicts such as the Spanish-American War (1898),which brought…