Manifest Destiny: was a slang term used in 1845 to encourage the attitude displayed within the 19th century period of Texas used after American settlement of European colonial and Indian lands in the Great Plains and the West and, more generally, as a justification of America’s empire. This term was ultimately the idea that Americans were destined, by God, to control the North American continent, and imply deep American roots into the…
Newspaper editor John L. O'Sullivan first used the term manifest destiny in an 1845 article to describe the inevitability surrounding the annexation of Texas. Since then it has come to describe the belief among American settlers and political leaders that it was their God-given right and duty to expand U.S. territory, customs, and institutions throughout North America from coast to coast. The concept gained traction during the nineteenth century as immigration and land acquisitions, including the Louisiana Purchase (1803), drastically increased the feasibility and pace of westward expansion.…
The expansion of America from the thirteen colonies across the entire continent was known as westward expansion. In 1845, John O’Sullivan, a newspaper editor that was writing about the possible annexation of Texas, coined the term Manifest Destiny. “Manifest Destiny…to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions” (Wexler 96). Manifest Destiny inspired a 29-year old named Stephen F. Austin to talk grandly of colonizing the Mexican province of Texas with "North American population, enterprise and intelligence" (digitalhistory.edu). It led expansionists, united behind the slogan "54° 40' or fight!," to demand that the United States should own the entire Pacific Northwest all the way to the southern border of Alaska. Manifest Destiny was a 19th century view held by Americans who felt they had the right to expand across the North American continent. The events of this westward expansion did provide the United States with security and prosperity by eliminating European powers as well as the North American Indians. However, the necessary balance of the slave versus non-slave states, so essential in Congress, caused the sectional conflicts that led to the Civil War.…
James K. Polk was the president of the United States of America during the Mexican-American War. Congress agreed upon James K. Polk declaring war on Mexico. The war was fought over the possession of Texas. In 1836 Texas won their independence from Mexico. The United States of America wanted to annex Texas then, but did not because they wanted to avoid a war with Mexico. President Polk supported the annexation of Texas, regardless of the war that it could potentially start. Therefore, with James K. Polk’s support Texas was admitted into the union on December 29, 1845. After this event, tension rose between the United States and Mexico over border disputes. In July of 1845, James K. Polk ordered troops into the land between the Rio Grande Rivers…
Polk was elected the eleventh president of the United States. A candidate of the Democratic Party, Polk was known as the “dark horse,” thinking that he was the weakest candidate for president. Despite the reputation, Polk did many positive and ambitious goals for the United States. As president, he supported the idea of America’s westward expansion, which led to the Texas statehood and acquiring the Oregon Territory. For Polk’s Administration, they achieved a better economy by lowering tariffs and maintaining an independent Federal Treasury. Polk was very ambitious about westward expansion; many people supported the thought of a continental America. During his presidency and from his goals of expansion, war broke out with Mexico in the Mexican War. After about two years, Mexico succeeded New Mexico and California to the United States. In total, Polk gained about 800,000 square miles for the United States during his…
Manifest Destiny is defined as "a belief that it was God's will that Americans spread over the entire continent, and to control and populate the country as they see fit." Many expansionists conceived God as having the power to sustain and guide human destiny. It was white man's heavy burden to conquer and Christianize the heathen and savage land. While the positive side of Manifest Destiny was a surge of enthusiasm and energy from the white settlers for pushing West, the negative side was the belief that the white man had the right to destroy anything and anyone -- namely Indians -- who got in the way. Tracing the path of Manifest Destiny across the West would highlight mass destruction of tribal organizations, confinement of Indians to reservations, and full blown genocide. The dark side of Manifest Destiny revealed the white man's belief that his settlement of the land and civilization of its native peoples was preordained.…
Manifest Destiny still exists, however in a more modernized form. In the 1800’s the main goal for everyone was to spread Americanization and be found everywhere. Although we still want America to expand, our reasons differ than the past. Curently are goal seems to be expanding our economic domination. Examples of this include spreading our economic domination in Afghanistan and Iraq.…
In the 19th century, Manifest Destiny, which is the idea that the United States’ expansion was inevitable and justified throughout the continent, became prevalent and was used a way to validate the nation’s acquirement of new territories. The idea brought forth a sense of nationalism and led to the nation working towards expanding and laying a foundation for an empire. However, as the US made an effort in developing a dominating country, the nation became divided as conflicts regarding the spread of slavery and the beginning of the Mexican war lead to disagreements and a lack of unity.…
The idea of Manifest Destiny ran through American history since the 19th century. America began to expand through the continent, because it was their destiny to expand. America wanted to become bigger and greater. Manifest Destiny not only included the idea of being destined to expand America, but it also included the idea of expanding America for economic opportunity and for the progress of Liberty. America went straight for Manifest Destiny to better its economy and strength. Imperialism degrades other nations making them oppressed by their ruling countries, however the United States did try to expand their colony into the pacific ocean for the ideology of Manifest Destiny by having people from America going to other countries, building canals in other provinces and creating companies in China to expand the American economy.…
The general idea of Sullivan´s phrase was that God gave the United States of America territory so that the American people could travel westwards and settle on land that was rightfully theirs. We can notice that Manifest Destiny is a racial doctrine and it put forward the white supremacy. Some people say, that the idea served as a justification for the expropriation of Native American lands. This theory cost the death of many Whites, Blacks and Native Americans. O´Sullivan created the perfect excuse for politicians like Polk, to push forward their plans of expansion in the West.…
How is the idea of Manifest Destiny represented in what occurred as the Northwest Territory was established?It was represented Anglo-Saxon Americans and to extend its influence beyond its continental boundaries into the Pacific and Caribbean basins. What occurred as the Northwest Territory was established was to expand the concept were taken up by those desiring to secure Oregon Territory, California, Mexican land in the Southwest, and, in the 1850s, Cuba. This is the idea of Manifest destiny represented in what occurred as Northwest Territory was…
(13.1)In 1845, John O'Sullivan made credit for the phrase Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny is used to describe America's 19th century. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 seen the U.S. Congress forcibly displace,all Native Americans living in the Southeast to west of the Mississippi River. The 1838 Trail of Tears also saw the U.S. government forced the Cherokee nation to relocate from the East Coast to Oklahoma.…
Manifest Destiny, a phrase coined by journalist John L. O' Sullivan in 1845, was used to express the notion/belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic Seaboard to the Pacific Ocean. The phrase "Manifest Destiny" was popular among the Jackson Democrats during the annexation of what is now much of Western America, using it to help promote the expansion of the United States in to the west, but more so it was an idea/notion. Supporters or advocates of Manifest Destiny thought that the expansion was not only good, it was clear and evident that the US was meant to expand throughout North America. It was and idea that went deeper the just the notion that the US should own the west, thou that's the general interpretation of it. Actually, there were three main or more popular ideas associated with manifest destiny. The first was virtue of the American people and their institutions, the second was their mission to spread these institutions and in turn remake the world in the image of the US, and the third was the destiny of god to accomplish this work. It was the idea of spreading a republican democracy to John O' Sullivan, to Abraham Lincoln it meant a country of higher complexity and education, not just the expansion of simple farms.…
“Manifest Destiny” is by far one of the most important terminologies in American history; and, is a crucial stepping stone towards the making of the American nation. However, it is neither a written law or a process. “Manifest Destiny” was coined by John O’ Sullivan, an influential political writer and American columnist, in his essay “Annexation” written in 1845 which was influenced by American-Mexican war. It is the notion believed by Americans that expanding to the West is a self-fulfilling prophecy, their right and would happen with a natural course of events. Sullivan repeatedly uses the word “natural course of events” to highlight that he believes America is entitled to conquer. “Manifest Destiny” can almost be considered as a religious cause. In his essay “Annexation,” Sullivan mentions that the developing the West and spreading the idea of liberty and democracy is “(their) right of (their) manifest destiny” which the “Providence” Himself has entrusted them with and makes it a religious and moral obligation for the Americans. This idea is vividly portrayed in the…
After the California issue, came the Mexican American war. In 1845, Texas was annexed while ignoring the Missouri compromise along with the nation changing again its policy on free and slave states. Mexico began a dispute with the aim of a war as regards…