There were several different factors that caused the US to become a part of the imperialist movement, including:
1) Industrialization- The invention of technologies that allowed for the mass production of goods allowed businesses to make more of their products than ever before. Due to their increased ability to make large sums of goods, these individuals wanted the US to expand their global influence so that they may have new consumers to sell their products too.
2) Social Darwinism- This idea revolves around the concept of the "survival of the fittest." Many Americans felt that the US was a superior society that should spread its ideas and influence in order to help less civilized countries/territories.
Answer:
Higgs's argument is stronger because Folsom's primary arguments involved quotes. Quotes can be unreliable, especially if chosen with bias from a selected group of people. Beyond that, quotes from people that lived in the moment are often short-sighted and don't understand long term effects. While Folsom does also source historians, he focuses a lot on Roosevelt's interest spending and believes that the money that went back to the American people actually prolonged suffering. Higgs, however, focuses on the short and long-term effects of the New Deal and uses a lot of data to prove his point. While he does have quotes, he doesn't rely on them to make or break his argument, unlike Folsom. Higgs is also able to understand some of the negatives of the New Deal, unlike Folsom who did not pay any attention to the other side of the issue.
Explanation:
This is for part two of the question.
True. That's why there were cave paintings and architecture