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. On
He was a highly devoted man who entered the presidency with an unambiguous plan, setting out five main goals which he successfully executed in only one term in office (Bockert par. 13). Although the incessant pressure of American westward expansion had temporarily accumulated itself behind the Great Plains, it was now about to erupt with a deluge unlike any previous occurrence (Woodworth 59; "Expansion to the Mississippi"). A new start beyond the Western horizon would prove to be crucial to Americans so Polk became determined to use the concept of Manifest Destiny. This concept proved to prompt the American westward movement and lead to a flow of immigrants, and as portrayed in the figure above, to have a massive effect on the population of
From 1820-1860 Manifest Destiny played a major role in American Politics. Manifest Destiny was the expansion of American settlement onto Western land, and the belief that it is God-given land. Manifest Destiny impacted America politically because Americans felt they had a right to all Western land, so this resulted in the creation of the Missouri Compromise of 1820,and the Mexican American War of 1846. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 created a border line between free-soil states, and slave States in Western territories. The Mexican American War of 1846 was a war between the Mexicans, and Americans for Western land.
DBQ #5: Manifest Destiny When George Washington left office, he described American government as he wanted it to be. One of the four criteria he mentioned was his condemnation of partisan politics. However, few, if any, politicians headed this advice. Almost exclusively, bipartisan politics became a fact of American government; this placed yet another obstacle in the path of legislation that would allow the United States to progress socially, economically, and politically. An almost perfect example of the complexities caused by partisan politics is the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
James K. Polk, along with his Democrat counterparts, initiated an expansionist campaign that promised he would acquire Texas, Oregon, California, and New Mexico if he won the presidential Election of 1844. Similar to other Americans, Polk had been inspired and influenced by the Manifest Destiny of 1839 that described the United States to have a divine fate in westward expansion in order to spread ideas of democracy. Following the conclusion of the election and Polk’s inauguration, Texas entered the Union and the Oregon territory was claimed. However, Polk’s rapacity continued and led him to fight for every parallel of territory in order to continue the practice of ‘manifest destiny.’ The annexation of Texas and its unofficially declared boundaries
How do you think manifest destiny set the stage for American imperialism at the end of the century? – Manifest destiny set the stage for American imperialism because in believing that expansion of the United States was justified and inevitable, we believed that whatever we did to expand was justified. Even if it meant using force to take more land. What were the motivations for manifest destiny?
The phrase “manifest destiny” was in the air, exciting United State citizens. President James Polk declared that it was America’s right to expand to the Pacific Ocean. However, the land west from Texas was Mexican soil. As a result, the United States asked to buy the California territory. When Mexico declined their offer, President James Polk needed an excuse to go to war with Mexico to steal California right from underneath them.
Manifest Destiny is what the mindset of the American people where in the 19th century, where in they believed in the expansion of American territory from coast to coast and that time, to the West. Although even as the early 1800s, Andrew Jackson led an army of men during the Florida crisis and conquered forts and cities. He also punished Indians who supported Spanish troops. The expansion was not only focused on territory but also to achieve freedom and economic stability for the people. There was territorial expansion.
In the mid-1800s the United States continued to undergo prompt changes that had made the country distinguished since it formed. Primarily during this time, the U.S started to expand and grasp more of the idea of so called “manifest destiny” which meant belief that God intended the American nation to reach all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The Americans, now determined in the belief that it was their right as well as their fate to expand, supported the nation’s entitlements for new lands. Throughout most of the 1840s, the United States and Great Britain mutually managed Oregon, and Utah was part of Mexico. This did not stop Americans from settling in either area.
O’Sullivan, has introduced both the idea and coined the term Manifest Destiny. At the time when the article was written, many people supported the idea of territorial expansion, for they believed that they were destined to manifest under the will of God. According to John L. O’Sullivan, or at least it is understood that he has written the article, believed that the nation should arise above all other nations and create an excellence on divine principles and to establish on earth the noblest temple ever dedicated to worship the “Most High.”8 Six years later, John O’Sullivan has written “Annexation” where he officially coined the term, “Manifest Destiny.” In “Annexation,” the writer urged that all parties should unite, especially since other nations have intruded themselves between the U.S and the appropriate parties, have interfered and hampered over America’s power, and limited the greatness and checking the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny to overspread the continent by Providence for the free development of the
“Manifest Destiny,” written by John L. O’Sullivan, explains how expansion is needed for america and how it could better our nation. The painting “American Progress,”supports expansion by displaying what it looked like when the settlers moved in. The text, “Reporting to the President, September 23-December 31,1806,” by Stephen Ambrose, supports westward expansion by talking about how lewis and Clarke did good things to help westward expansion. What do you think about westward expansion?
Now, on to our business for the week. Only two more weeks and we will be finished with our course. As the course starts to wind down, America is just winding up!
“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.
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.
The Market Revolution generated a drastic change in the United States economy and altered gender barriers while at the same time accomplishing this in a provocative manner. This economic boom occurred around the first half of the 19th Century. The economic boom was achieved by inventions such as a transcontinental railroad system which resulted in a better transportation system which improved trade and the cotton gin which sped up the rate of removing seeds from cotton fiber. However like what the great Hugo said, “The brutalities of progress are called revolutions. When they are over we realize this: that the human race has been roughly handled, but that it has advanced”.
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.