Title: Manifest Destiny: Economic, Political, and Religious Factors and the Consequences of U.S. Manifest Destiny was a belief prevalent in 19th-century America that asserted the divine right and obligation of the United States to expand across the North American continent. This expansion was driven by a combination of economic, political, and religious factors. The acquisition of territories such as the Oregon Country, Texas, and California and the Southwest was achieved through diplomacy, annexation, and war. However, the pursuit of expansionism was not without its critics, particularly in the case of the U.S.-Mexican War. Economically, Manifest Destiny was fueled by the desire for territorial expansion to secure new resources, trade routes, and markets. The acquisition of Oregon Country was driven by the …show more content…
Expansion was seen to strengthen the United States as a global power and ensure its security. The notion of "American exceptionalism" played a role, with the belief that the United States had a unique mission to fulfill in spreading democracy and civilization. The acquisition of new territories was viewed as a means to extend the influence of the American political system, maintain a balance of power, and prevent potential European enrichment on the continent. Furthermore Religious factors also played an essential role in Manifest Destiny, for some Manifest destiny was a sense of divine providence and the belief that God had ordained the expansion of the United States. The idea of a chosen nation and a "city upon a hill" resonated strongly with religious Americans, who viewed westward expansion as a necessary mission. Religious leaders and preachers often supported and justified Manifest Destiny, emphasizing the spread of Christianity and the moral duty to civilize and convert Native American
The Christians saw America as a new promised land. Their attitude, therefore, was primarily biblical, to establish God 's law, and to live under his triune dominion. Biblically, 'Manifest Destiny ' brought in humility, the virtue of humble service into public
The Manifest Destiny is a movement that justified American expansion with a sense of mission and purpose. The American expansion led to the adding of Texas and Oregon to the union, but also created wars with Mexico. As Americans moved west, many of the Indians did not appreciate the expansion and were either forced to leave or fight for their area leading to many massacres and wars. More specifically, Americans wanted to grow from "shining sea to shining sea" and take control of the entirety of North America. They would also fight any force that would attempt to stop them.
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.
In the 1800’s Manifest Destiny became a widely-held belief among settlers, their mentality was that they were destined to expand across North America pushing the natives out of their land. This attitude among western settlers fueled the removal of Native Americans and war with Mexico. The thinking of some of these settlers was both inevitable and justified by their God to expand and take more land with no limit. Geographically speaking, modern day America is the result of this “Manifest Destiny”. This was also happening around the time the United States experienced its second “Great Awakening”, which was another protestant religious revival movement happening in the early 19th century.
Sam Foust Professor Grisham HIST 157 1/18/23 Manifest Destiny was a term coined in the mid-19th century to describe the belief that it was the divine right and duty of the United States to expand its territory and spread its principles of freedom, religion, democracy, and opportunity across the entire North American continent. However, manifest destiny had lasting impacts and was not liked by all. This construct that was a huge part of Americas history is a very controversial topic with lasting benefits. There are arguments to be made for both the negative and positive side of Manifest Destiny.
If you are like me you do not know what manifest destiny but after this essay you will know just like I do. Manifest Destiny is a nineteenth century American belief that people had the right to expand throughout the american continent. An example of Manifest Destiny is the belief by President Polk's administration that the U.S. should expand throughout the continent. Many English Americans of various ethnics agreed with O'Sullivan's view. O’Sullivan said in 1845 in to a new york newspaper reporter that it was a God given destiny for the united states to spread all over North America.
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 one of the most significant concepts in U.S. history. It was the belief that the U.S.’s national birth was the start of new history and that it was destined by God for everyone to follow American culture and expand their land from “Sea to shining sea.” They wanted to carry on this idea into a reality until they grew to their full potential as a nation. They wanted to spread to and gain all the land they possibly could, and take control of everything. Although there were many positives like gaining more land and resources, the negatives outweigh the positives drastically.
Timothy Diyanov 6/12/23 Social Studies/English Language Arts Ms.Cordell / Mr.Van Zweeden Manifest Destiny Manifest Destiny… you probably thought you were reading a fantasy novella, but actually, Manifest Destiny was a very important and positive point in American History. It acted like bedrock and a springboard for American society as a whole and effectively brought us to our current greatness. Manifest Destiny (also known as Westward Expansion) was a belief that it was the destiny of the United States to have control over the entire continent, not only the eastern shore, and it all began in 1803 with the Louisiana purchase, and after some time, ended with the civil war. Even
“Manifest Destiny,” a term invented by reporter John O’ Sullivan, was a popular belief of many nineteenth century Americans in the United States. This was the belief of the people that it was the United States’ “destiny” to expand its boundaries further out west coast. The Manifest Destiny was a belief that was used to justify and rationalize the enlargement of the States westward. It was immensely beneficial to the States, but harmed the Native tribes and were forcefully removed from their rightfully owned land. It was a violent act that was justified by many Americans with immoral values.
Manifest Destiny The concept of Manifest Destiny originated in the United States in the 19th century, when Americans believed that it was their divine mission, their manifest destiny, to expand their territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This belief, which was rooted in notions of American exceptionalism and a sense of cultural and religious superiority, played a significant role in shaping the American policy and the territorial expansion of the US. First of all we need to know what manifest destiny is. In an article written by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica it says: “Manifest Destiny, in U.S. history is, the supposed inevitability of the continued territorial expansion of the boundaries of the United States westward
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
In the 19th Century, there were strong supporters of the ideology of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was basically the belief of expansion by settlers expanding all over America because god supposedly destined the Americans for expansions by their resources. This resulted for the Americans to find a modern mode of transportation that would make traveling from the east to the west coast easier. This resulted in a mega construction known as the Transcontinental Railroad. The railroad not only helps with transportation but with trading.
The citizens of the United States felt they had the best form of government and culture and felt the obligation to expand it across the nation. Manifest Destiny had both positive and negative effects on social and political values during this time. Americans felt because they were experiencing such growth that God was blessing them and that by incorporating others into their culture they would be blessed too. However, greed eventually took over and the belief that the white man could destroy anyone or anything that got in the way of its progress led to many wars and lives lost over the acquisition of much needed land.
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.