.

The Outbreak Of The War With Spain.
Before the nineteenth century ended, the Samoan, Hawaiian, and Venezuelan episodes had done much to quicken a national consciousness in the people of the United States and at the same time to break down their sense of isolation from the rest of the world.

Commerce and trade were also important factors in overcoming this traditional isolation.

Not only was American trade growing, but it was changing in character.
Argentina was beginning to compete with the United States in exporting wheat and meat, while American manufacturers were reaching the point where they were anxious for foreign markets in which they felt they could compete with the products of Great Britain and Germany.
In a thousand ways and without any loss of vigor the sense of American nationality was expressing itself.

The study of American history was introduced into the lower schools, and a new group of historians began scientifically to investigate whence the American people had come and what they really were.