Did American Imperialism constitute a part of the Progressive movement, or a break with it?

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The question first requires us to define imperialism clearly.
<br><br>Imperialism can mean many things, but for the purposes of the response I am providing here, it is going to mean a policy of assertive colonialism - namely, the extending of the authority of the nation into regions outside the nation in order to create jurisdictions that are controlled by the nation. This assertiveness is a military one primarily - in other words, this control is not achieved via either persuasiveness or mere sanction, but through use of the armed forces or police.
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<br><br>The progressive movement without a doubt played both sides of the
<br>"Imperialism Question" as it was debated in the late 19th and early
<br>20th centuries. Many of the progressives associated with the
<br>Republican party were heavily involved in imperialist efforts, while
<br>many of the progressives associated with the Democrats were the best
<br>known critics of imperial policies. In addition, there were more
<br>independent progressives that had their own take on these matters.
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<br><br>1. The figures of American progressivism at the turn of the 20th
<br><br> century
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<br><br>Theodore Roosevelt
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<br><br>The leader of the Republican progressives at the turn of the century was Theodore Roosevelt, who was the second Vice President selected by President William McKinley, the main architect of American imperialist policies during this period. McKinley presided over the conduct of the 1898 Spanish-American War, which ultimately resulted in the establishment of American colonial holdings in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Theodore Roosevelt, at the time the war broke out, signed up to go fight, and acquired some considerable fame as a battle leader during the charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba. Roosevelt's tenure in office after the death of McKinley showed much of the imperial bravado of his days in the military, particularly as involved the U.S. establishment of a territorial claim over a portion of Panama where the Panama Canal was built. This formal U.S. claim was only relinquished by the Carter Administration in the late 1970s, but was a result of the direct efforts of Theodore Roosevelt. The "Roosevelt Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine, which resulted in the establishment of protectorates in strategic locations in the Caribbean and Central America, further ...