Anniversary Special Series - Session 2 "On America: From the Atlantic to the Pacific"

On America: From the Atlantic to the Pacific

Professor Qian Chengdan

Distinguished Guest Professor, Institute for Social and Cultural Research of MUST

Distinguished Historian

2026 Honorary Doctor of MUST

There was a theory known as the Frontier Thesis, which enjoyed great popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century. It argued that westward expansion shaped the making of America: the farther the frontier moved west, the more the United States distanced itself from Europe, weakening European influence while a stronger, more distinct American identity emerged. This theory helped shape the nation spiritually, with westward expansion serving as the material foundation behind it.

The United States emerged out of violent conflicts: first the war against Britain, then wars against Native Americans, followed by the war with Mexico. After these wars, the United States continued its westward push, and westward expansion entered a new phase — the push toward the Pacific Ocean.