In 1845, the idea of Manifest Destiny was created by John O’Sullivan. Manifest Destiny continued to have a large impact on the development of the U.S. Furthermore, Manifest Destiny helped unite the U.S. through the common goal to expand, however, it further developed the split on slavery. Documents one, four, and six show that Manifest destiny led to a common goal to expand westward, specifically, unifying whig and democratic parties to a common objective. The first document was from a Whig journal and it is clear that he was for expansion,” the natural progress of events will undoubtedly give us that province[California]”(document one).
In this article Chandler addressed a widely glorified view of the manifest destiny spread by common textbooks in circulation in the United States. Chandler describes how this propaganda like belief as such, “One’s opinion about this central aspect of American mythology depends heavily on one’s point of view”(Chandler 153). This statement illuminates the factual idea that the manifest destiny, like so many other american historical events, is told from one perspective, which leaves a huge portion of american history untold. Later on, Chandler narrows in on the idea that the commonly held view on the manifest destiny leaves out the impact this westward expansion had on the “original inhabitants of North America, as well as its ramifications today”(Chandler
Yes, I believe you can see attitudes of what came to be major issues developing into the manifest destiny. In the book there is an excerpt where it talks about the bountiful lands of California. It talks of how they have plentiful ports, forests for game, waters full of fish, and lands full of cattle. It makes California seem fresh for the picking, while also saying that the governmental system has flaws and anyone can take control. The whole thing makes it seem like it would be so much better if Americans from the east coast were in charge there, for they would surly know what to do with such plentiful land and not squander it like the Spaniards.
Manifest Destiny is the belief of the nineteenth century that America was destined by God to expand westward. The author of Our Country: Its Possible Future and Its Present Crisis believed that God established Anglo-Saxons as the superior people whose purpose was to spread Christianity. (Doc B) This idea of spreading a superior culture or religion has been a motive for expansion for decades before this. Despite this support for expansionism, there were those who were against it.
However, it was not Gods mission on wanting to expand the US territory it was the mission of Americans. Not only did whites conquer the lands of the Spanish speaking people but they also had taken the lands of Native Americans. Senator Lewis Cass stated that “We do not want the people of Mexico, either as citizens or as subjects. All we want is their territory” (469). This statements shows how manifest destiny had a strong influence on Americans because all they wanted was Mexico’s land and to remove its people and culture for their own benefit.
The three characters: Thomas Hart Benton, Jessie Benton Fremont, and John C. Fremont all shared a unified vision of manifest destiny in book one. The future of the US was envisioned by these three people, and it was based on the concepts of Manifest Destiny and westward migration. The concept of "Manifest Destiny" asserted that it was America's duty and destiny to colonize the West and spread democracy and civilization throughout the world. The Western region was seen by many who supported this vision as a chance for American power to flourish, expand its territory, and grow economically during the regime of President James K Polk. The influential Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton was a powerful advocate of Manifest Destiny.
The Manifest Destiny ideology, that it was a divinely ordained right and destiny for America to expand westward, towards the Pacific Ocean, was protracted throughout the nineteenth century. Oregon, which was in part occupied by England and in part by the U.S., and the lands owned by Mexico, were an obstacle to such expansion and, consequently, to the economic development. The presidential candidate James K. Polk, guided by the ideology of Manifest Destiny, promised that, if elected, he would push the United States territory westward. His campaign slogan for the occupation of Oregon was “Fifty-four forty or fight”, which was the north latitude that he intended to occupy. In 1846, Great Britain agreed to set the border at the 49th parallel.
Manifest Destiny is a unique, yet mysterious fundamental series of events in American history. No other country’s history contains such an eventful history as the United States. Amy Greenberg’s book, Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion, provides documented evidence that settlers believed they were destined for expansion throughout the continent. In other words, many religious settlers believed that it was a call from God for the United States to expand west. On the other hand, people believed that Manifest Destiny vindicated the war against Mexico.
America was proliferating with the expansion of people “modernizing” to the new America with the growth of the West, urbanization, and building of industries across America being the development of the practice of freedom. Beginning with the expansion of the West, it played a vital role in the urbanization of the expanding American land. Americans chose to migrate West because people could start again(249 TAE). The Westward expansion is what caused urbanization in the short term.
Manifest Destiny (first developed in 1845) was the idea that during the nineteenth century, America not only could but would expand from coast to coast. The accomplishment of this idea came with the removal of indians in areas like the great plains, as well as many smaller conflicts in between the indians and the Americans. The Americans attempted to make a compromise with the indians so that they would leave peacefully, examples of this would be the offer to pay the indians in the form of supplies and annuities. The idea was a good one until Americans denied a payment in 1862 because John pope regarded the Indians as “maniacs or wild beasts ” and states that they do not deserve treaties or anything of the sort. Another big factor in the expansion of America from coast to coast was the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, not only with the people that it had brought to the west for the work, but the ease that it had provided for those who wanted to travel from the east to the west and did not have the money nor the time.
Manifest Destiny changed the United States socially, economically and politically. It was affected socially because it became more culturally diffused; it also affected relationship with the Native Americans due to the Americans belief that they were the better race and others were inferior to them. It was affected economically because there was more land to profit off of and politically it damaged the United States and Mexico’s foreign relations. Those who believed in the manifest destiny forcefully removed Native Americans from their lands in order for the United States to gain more land. America was shifted politically, due to new tense relations with Mexico, as an effect of the Mexican
If Native Americans were not compliant, Americans would murder them. Although Manifest Destiny was seen as an inevitable movement among Americans and resulted in the formation of the American West in the Nineteenth century, it was truthfully an act of invasion and subjugation against peoples who had settled the land for hundreds of years earlier. Manifest Destiny led to an obvious upsurge in racial
Jake Teran Ms. Bruno U.S 1H 3/26/23 Manifest destiny Manifest destiny is a term used to describe the belief prevalent in the 19th century and the United States that it was the destiny of the nation to expand its territorial boundaries and influence from coast to coast. The idea of manifest destiny was popularized during the 1840s, and it played a significant role in shaping US foreign and domestic policies during that time. However, the view of manifest destiny was not uniform, some supported it, and those opposed it. In this essay, I will compare and contrast the different views of manifest destiny.
Manifest Destiny was the term used by John O’Sullivan to describe America’s desire to expand West due to reasons including both the vast amount of unclaimed land and the opportunities Americans wanted to explore. During this time, Americans believed that it was their God-given right to expand West, and therefore they were entitled to push away any groups that were in their way. Due to the mindset that the Americans could do as they pleased with the groups of people who got in their way, Manifest Destiny affected many groups of people, including the American Indians and Slaves, and continued to build up the preexisting tension between the North and South. One of the groups of people affected greatly by Manifest Destiny were the Native Americans. Manifest Destiny affected the American Indians by spreading foreign diseases to them as they moved Westward, through the Native American territory.
I agree with Morgan’s central ideas in the article. I think that people had a great affect on many of changes everywhere. Manifest destiny wasn’t just a belief held by one, it was held by many and for that exact reason is why it worked. In the chapter in “Undaunted Courage” (Pages 418-421) the people are excited and eager to learn from what had been discovered on the journey.
