Manifest Destiny was the belief in the 19th century that the United States was destined to expand westward, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, in order to spread American values and institutions. This belief was used to justify the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, as well as the annexation of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and the Oregon Treaty. One of the main arguments given by supporters of Manifest Destiny was that it was a God-given mission for the United States to expand westward and bring Christianity and "civilization" to the "savages" who lived in the western territories. Manifest Destiny provided a religious and cultural justification for American expansion across the continental United States, with the belief that the destiny of the United States was to spread democratic institutions "from sea to shining …show more content…
They pointed out that the forced removal of Native American tribes from their lands resulted in the deaths of thousands of people and the destruction of their cultures. Additionally, they argued that the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War were driven by the desire for new slave states rather than a desire to spread American values and institutions. Another argument was that Manifest Destiny would lead to the extinction of the Native American culture and the displacement of the native population. The belief in manifest destiny was racist and promoted the idea that white Americans were superior to other races. The opponents also argued that the acquisition of new territories would lead to more conflicts and wars with other countries, as well as increased tensions between the North and the South over the issue of slavery. The belief in manifest destiny was a justification for imperialism and territorial
Manifest destiny was the belief that was created by John L. O'sullivan in the 1840. Manifest destiny consisted of three steps, the creation of manifest Destiny, the process of achieving manifest Destiny, and finally achieving Manifest Destiny. These are the three subjects that will be talked about in this article. Like I said in the previous Paragraph it was created by John L. O’sullivan when he wrote it in his article on Texas annexation and the dispute over the British Oregon trails. There were several diffrent way people used the word Manifest Destiny like the way John L. O'sullivan used it was he believed that “ majority of Americans at the time believed was their mission from God: to expand to west and bring the United States government to unenlightened people.”
However, because I believe that Manifest Destiny was not justified, the more dominant arguments are the land that was obtained by the United States using Manifest Destiny was not fairly acquired. According to the Signs of Opposition, “By sending U.S. troops to the Rio Grande, they argued, Polk had bullied a weaker neighbor into committing an act of aggression.” This quote is explaining how the United States acquired Texas. Polk’s method of getting Texas was unethical because not only were hundreds of innocent people killed, but the United States bullied Mexico into firing on them. It was an unjust way to secure their hold on Texas.
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.
Manifest Destiny is a term used to describe a particular ideology and belief that white European-Americans were inherently superior than that of natives and other ethnic groups and were destined by God to secure claim expand their territories across America from "sea to shining sea. " Under the guise of religion and racist ideologies white European- Americans used extreme measures to wipe the native inhabitants from their land in order to reach this goal. Independence had been won, the war of 1812 had been conquered, and American settlers wanted to create a more homogenous society with more territory and preservation of their religion and racial superiority. In order to achieve to actualize their vision U.S. policy makers justified their reactions
American imperialism of the 1800s and early 1900s demonstrated the same cultural and social justification as expansionism that occurred in the United States. The original doctrine of Manifest Destiny, which created in the 1840s to encourage westward expansion in the United States, presented a belief that America was destined by God to expand its borders across the continent. Before the Progressive Era and the age of imperialism, Americans were also using Social Darwinism to justify their controlling and conquering of Native American and their land. For example with the Louisiana Purchase, the Homestead Act, and the Dawes Act, Americans continued to force their dominance and upon these Native Americans attempting to preach a “superior” Anglo-Saxon culture. These actions continued into the
Manifest destiny was the belief in which America was destined to expand through the entire continent. Tragically, hidden behind this God-driven and rightful duty, America tried to justify their violent and cruel actions towards Native Americans. Under religious purposes and political principles, the United States erroneously justified the brutal treatment done to the first inhabitants of America. Immorally Americans felt superior and filled with pride they became blinded to the pain of their neighbors. The government unlawfully took their lands and forced them to leave what belonged to them.
Manifest Destiny Manifest destiny was the cultural belief in 19th-century America that American settlers were destined to expand throughout North America. Manifest Destiny justified expansion with a sense of mission and purpose, viewing America's expansion as inevitable and predetermined by God. US President James K. Polk was the chief who was most associated to Manifest Destiny. The ideology of Manifest Destiny influenced a variety of policies to aim at or destroy indigenous people. Manifest Destiny ignited partisan tensions over slavery that ultimately led to the Civil War.
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.
Manifest destiny was the belief that colonist were destined to expand across North America and that it was their god given right. Although Native Americans were indigenous the the land, colonist felt that it was their destiny to redeem and colonize the rest of the land. They felt that Native Americans were not making right use of the land and letting it go to waste. In result, Native Americans were not seen as anything more as an obstacle in the pursuit of Manifest Destiny. During the Indian Removal Act of 1830, Indian groups who were still inhabiting the south east would be moved across the Mississippi to designated Indian territory, which is now known as Oklahoma.
Manifest Destiny is the fate of the US to occupy all land between the 2 oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. The idea of Manifest Destiny was created in 1845 and in 1853 the United States acquired all 48 contiguous states to fulfill Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was first used in the 1840s. The people who supported Manifest Destiny are called Expansionists. The United States has achieved Manifest Destiny for many various reasons.
A great deal of people do not understand what the term manifest destiny really is or what it truly means or can mean to considerable amounts of people. The specific term, manifest destiny, is the idea that it is the White Americans God-given right to move west. This idea was first introduced in a newspaper article written by John O’Sullivan. During the time of manifest destiny, which was about 1810’s to the early 1860’s, there was a great dispute within the United States on whether or not the idea of manifest destiny was moral, if it actually helped the country in any way, or if it was just a ploy to spread slavery. All of these things were hugely contradicted and defended, over a time span of about 50 years.
“Once we became an independent people it was as much a law of nature that this [control of all of North America] should become our pretension as that the Mississippi should flow to the sea” –John Quincy Adams (Henretta, p. 384). In the 1840s, Americans had a belief that God destined for them to expand their territory all the way westward to the Pacific Ocean. This idea was called Manifest Destiny. In the nineteenth century, Americans were recognized for coming together and building up one another for one cause: westward expansion.
Manifest Destiny was the belief in the 19th-century American expansion westward, which stated that it was the nation's divine right to expand its borders and spread its democratic values. This belief emerged in the 1840s and was fueled by religious and economic factors. Americans believed they were required to expand westward to fulfill their destiny and increase their wealth and prosperity. The result of the westward expansion was the acquisition of vast territories that led to significant economic growth, but it also had negative impacts and consequences for the Native Americans, Mexicans, and Chinese immigrants directly affected. Body Paragraph 1: Manifest Destiny and the American Desire to Move West
A wide range of Americans politicians, regular Americans, church leaders benefited from Manifest Destiny by gaining land and having the chance to share the American culture. They had the idea to spread democracy by taking over the land. They had a great idea but the execution wasn't well thought. You can't just kick the Native Americans out of their home and expect them to be ok with it. Making the American culture expanded is fine but it felt like they were trying to get rid of the Native American culture and make them accustomed to the culture, thoughts, and customs of the Americans.
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.