merican virilty and manhood were mandatory if America the nation was to hold its own in the world. As he saw it, our fight against the savage Indians of the west was our calling to world dominance. To be over civilized, peaceful, and lenient was now something to be ashamed of. It was effeminate and a way to lose control of our destiny. If we became luxury-loving or lost our virile zest, someone else, a manlier race, would then step in and become the power of the world. He explained his imperialism this way. A man working for his family and country were not enough. This virile manhood required us to do work outside our nation, just like a man goes outside the home to work everyday. The opportunities of the time, the late 1890’s, was a perfect fit for this mantra. The old world powers of Britain, France, and especially Spain were on the decline. Seeing this, Roosevelt not only preached it but lead the way himself as a symbol of American virility and masculinity. He left public office, along with his wife and six children, and enlisted himself into the military, becoming the infamous commander of the Rough Riders. TR led this unit to total victory in Cuba and upon his return, his metamorphosis from effeminate state assemblyman to virile war hero was complete. Thus leading him to the presidency of the United States and forging the destiny of America as a world power.

The two essays today speak of a time when America was starting to feel its oats, so to speak. We saw that, although our production could continue without end, in order for us to continue to grow and become the greatest nation on the earth, we had to open the foreign markets to American business, and to a les

Some topics in this essay:
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