Alexander Dolitsky: Brief history of America’s westward expansion and exploration of Greenland

By ALEXANDER DOLITSKY

Although 19th-century American history is often defined by the westward expansion of Manifest Destiny, a parallel and frequently overlooked story was unfolding in the North. From the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 to the early 20th-century exploration of the Arctic, the United States has consistently viewed the Northern frontier, specifically Greenland, as a vital, strategic extension of its national security interests.

The 13 British colonies in North America, established between Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, Plymouth Colony in New England in 1620 and James Oglethorpe in Georgia in 1733, were prosperous settlements along the Atlantic coast. Driven by economic opportunity and religious freedom, they developed into three major geo-political regions—New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont), Middle (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania), and Southern (Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia)—before uniting to declare independence from Britain in 1776.

Following the 1803 Louisiana Purchase from France, American westward expansion accelerated, driven by the desire for economic opportunity, the principles of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine (named after the U.S. President Monroe [1817–1825]), and the 1840s ideology of Manifest Destiny. This movement transitioned from early, government-sponsored exploration of American frontier, such as the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804–1806), to a surge of mass migration along western trails to Oregon and California that intensified in the 1830s.

This era of mass migration and exploration of America, ending around early 1890s, involved mapping, fur trading, introduction of agriculture and infrastructure developments like railroads, while also causing massive displacement of Native American nations. The Louisiana Purchase was a monumental 1803 land deal in which the United States acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of territory from France for $15 million dollars. It amounted to about three cents per acre.

The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy, warning Europe to stay out of the Americas, establishing a U.S. sphere of influence, while Manifest Destiny was a cultural belief that God destined the U.S. to expand across North America, often used to justify westward expansion, with the Doctrine providing a political framework that supported the territorial ambitions of Destiny. Essentially, the Doctrine stated, “Europe, stay out of our hemisphere,” and Manifest Destiny said, “We are meant to control all of this hemisphere, from sea to shining sea.”

In short, originally designed as a defensive warning for European powers to stay out of the Americas, the Monroe Doctrine evolved into a tool for U.S. expansion within the Western hemisphere. Fueled by Manifest Destiny, this shift justified the acquisition of new territories, culminating in the Mexica-American War (1846–1848) to acquire vast new lands, fulfilling the “destiny.”

Exploration of Greenland

Prehistoric Greenland was inhabited by multiple waves of Arctic indigenous peoples over 5,000 years. These Paleo-Inuit groups, including the Dorset culture (lasting from 500 BCE to about 1500 CE), were well-adapted to severe climates through hunting and stone/ivory tool technology long before Norse arrival (Scandinavian society of farmers, traders, and explorers— c. 793–1066 AD). In fact, Greenland was a colony of the Kingdom of Denmark from 1953; however, in 1979 Greenland was granted home rule (autonomous territory).

Greenland is the world’s largest island (2.16 million km. sq. or 833,981 square miles) and an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Population of Greenland is approximately 57,000 residents: predominantly Inuit (88% Inuit [Greenlandic], 7.5% Danish, and others, mostly Nordic and some Asians). Nearly 80% of the land is covered by an ice sheet, limiting human settlement to the coastal areas, with about one-third living in the capital, Nuuk. The Greenland economy relies heavily on fishing, tourism, and mining (rare earth minerals, zinc, uranium, lithium) and presence of the U.S. military bases.

American exploration of Greenland, spanning over 200 years, evolved from 19th-century scientific expeditions and whaling to 20th-century U.S. strategic military presence. Key figures like Robert Peary and Elisha Kent Kane mapped the Arctic, defining the coastline, while the U.S. later established critical military bases during WWII (1940-1945) and the Cold War (1946-1991), including Thule Air Base, driven by geographic security interests.

Key Historical Phases

• Early Explorations (19th Century): American whalers and traders visited Arctic, with explorers like Elisha Kent Kane mapping uncharted areas in the 1850s, including “Grinnell Land.”
• Northern Mapping (Late 19th/Early 20th Century): Robert Peary led expeditions that mapped northern Greenland, dispelling myths that the island extended to the North Pole.
• Strategic Interest and Claims: Following the 1867 Alaska purchase, the U.S. Secretary of State William Seward considered acquiring Greenland. Claims were relinquished in 1917 after buying the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands) for US$25 million in gold.
• World War II and Cold War: After Denmark was invaded in a six-day Blitzkrieg by Nazi Germany in 1940, the U.S. protected Greenland. The 1951 agreement formalized the U.S. military presence, establishing Thule Air Base.
• Cold War and Modern Era: The U.S. viewed Greenland as vital for early warning systems and strategic security, leading to attempted purchases in 1946 and 1955.

These efforts established a long-standing U.S. presence in Greenland, transitioning from scientific mapping to a crucial North Atlantic security partnership. The relationship between the U.S. and Greenland spans more than 200 years, reflecting a critical U.S. geopolitical, strategic and national security interest.

Given dramatic socio-political changes and alarming hot spots in various world regions, securing acquisition of Greenland as a territory of the United States (like Puerto Rico) seems a reasonable proposition. In essence, West European resistance to U.S. objectives and interests in Greenland overlooks geopolitical realities, jeopardizes regional security, and appears to be a reactionary, misguided and emotional response rather than a pragmatic geopolitical solution.

After two decades of excavating remote prehistoric archaeological sites around the world, my experience as an archaeologist has shown me that human societies are in a constant state of flux, either evolving into something new or being replaced altogether by more advanced societies. History demonstrates that international borders and land-use changes are rarely determined by empathy toward ethnic or national groups. Instead, these outcomes are driven by hard power—specifically, military strength and industrial capacity.

The American rise to power was built on the premise of national security, territorial control, domestic needs and Judeo-Christian values. This perhaps illustrates the nature and evolution of American national identity, explains the origin of the American ethos and highlights how the United States established its unique national character, transforming the northernmost reaches of the Western Hemisphere into a critical pillar of American defense and global influence.

The author was born and raised in the former Soviet Union before settling in the U.S. in 1978. He moved to Juneau in 1986 where he taught Russian studies and Archaeology at the University of Alaska Southeast, and Social Studies Teacher at the Alyeska Central School of the Alaska Department of Education. From 1990 to 2022, he served as a director and president of the Alaska-Siberia Research Center, publishing in the fields of anthropology, history, archaeology and ethnography. Find him on Amazon.com.

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