One of the points in favor of increased US involvement overseas was the idea of keeping up with the competition. Some people believed that the US needed to colonize because European countries were doing the same thing, otherwise the US would be left behind. Another point that favored increased involvement came from a moral perspective. Some people believed it was the duty of the US to bring civilization and religion to supposedly weaker nations.
It is the legislative branch that received the most power under the Constitution, since the Founding Fathers wanted to make sure that only elected officials carried the most power to avoid the rise of tyranny.
