Opening the stacks
Opening the stacks
The concept of the United States including not just the mainland states but also its inhabited and uninhabited territories, forming a larger imperial entity.
2 chapters across 1 book
The chapter critiques the conventional 'logo map' view of the United States for excluding its overseas territories, thereby obscuring the full territorial and imperial extent of the 'Greater United States.' It highlights how these territories, often marginalized in political narratives and public consciousness, played significant roles in shaping national identity, military history, and global power. By recognizing the racial, political, and historical inequalities embedded in the U.S. territorial empire, the chapter calls for a more inclusive and accurate understanding of American history that integrates these often invisible lands and peoples.
This chapter provides extensive notes and references underpinning the historical analysis of the United States' territorial expansion and imperial governance. It elaborates on the concept of the 'Greater United States,' detailing the colonial nature of U.S. territorial administration, the demographic transformations driven by settler colonialism, and the forced removal and marginalization of Native American populations, particularly the Cherokees. The chapter also addresses historiographical foundations, including the mythologization of figures like Daniel Boone and the cultural framing of events such as the attack on Pearl Harbor.