ipl-logo

Manifest Destiny Research Paper

771 Words4 Pages

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. Polk spread the rumor that it was their “manifest destiny” to extend America’s territory to the Pacific Ocean. Historians today ask the question: Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico? The United States was not justified, because the United States were greedy for land, “manifest destiny” is weak excuse, and because of the human cost. The United States had its eye on expand its territory and started with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Then, Mexico gained its independence from Spain in the year of 1821. As a new country, Mexico’s government realized that there was an unacceptably small population in Northern Mexico. Therefore, Mexican officials decided to invite Americans to Texas by offering non-taxed land in the hope of increasing the population. Americans could only move to Texas if they became Mexican citizens, joined the Catholic church, and bring no slaves. (Roden, 317) …show more content…

“Polk was a strong supporter of Manifest Destiny. He believed that it was God’s plan that America extend its territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean.” (Roden, 317) That would be like saying, “It’s my ‘manifest destiny’ to rob a bank and get away with it.” “Manifest destiny would never stand in court. The US used “manifest destiny” as a lame excuse to go to war. “...the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence (God) for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.” (O 'Sullivan,

Show More
Related

  • The Mexican-American War

    1174 Words  | 5 Pages

    But despite this fear, some parts of Manifest Destiny did win. Ultimately, California was given to the United States by Mexico. America spanned from coast to coast, so part of Polk’s reason for beginning this war was fulfilled. But it can certainly not be said that this war was successful, many died, and the true nature of many Americans was revealed. Through the brutal murders and rapes commited by some of the highest class American men on Mexican citizens, and the racist reasons the American public wanted to end the Mexican Americans War, the true xenophobic nature of many Americans at that time can be

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny Dbq Essay

    658 Words  | 3 Pages

    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).

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny Research Paper

    161 Words  | 1 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny Dbq

    671 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Manifest Destiny” is a phrase that perfectly sums up the American experience in the early 19th century. During this time, Americans were moving west with the idea that they had the god given right to do so and this idea didn’t stop there. Continuing into the American imperialism ages of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the United States never abandoned the “justification” given to them by God and used this to drive their expansion into foreign nations and beyond, as stated in Document B. It could be argued that the expansion of the late 1800s and early 1900s is a continuation of the previous westward expansion, but many aspects of expansion changed during this time as well. Obviously, the expansion of the early 19th century and

    Read More

  • Lewis And Clark Essay

    918 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on a voyage to explore the western portion of America that was conducted by American President Thomas Jefferson. The Lewis and Clark expedition contributed to what is now known as Manifest Destiny. It was of President Jefferson’s best interest for American military to explore the west, as well as the men appointed to join in the voyage felt honor to be part of such a historical event. The knowledge and skill set that was acquired due to the expedition was used as the upper hand when expansion towards the west took place. As we know, Manifest Destiney played out in the 19th century and was seen as a justified right for the U.S. to expand its “empire”.

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny Research Paper

    811 Words  | 4 Pages

    Kyle Matteson English 101 9-26-16 Essay 1 Draft Manifest Destiny; the great purpose of the United States. To push the reaches of civilization into the frontier and wilderness and bring it all to heel and under the “control” of civilization and the new country. Americans by the thousands flocked to the Midwest and the West Coast to make their fortune and try to carve out a life in these unbridled lands. They left all that they knew to go off into The Wilderness and bring it into subjugation of their will. But what exactly is The Wilderness and why is man so emphatic and intent of controlling it?

    Read More

  • President James K. Polk's Manifest Destiny

    308 Words  | 2 Pages

    President James K. Polk went to war with Mexico for one simple reason, and that was the basis of his so-called, “Manifest Destiny”. Since the beginning of President Polk’s campaign for Presidency, his main objective was for the expansion of the nation. He sit his eyes on the prize, which were Neuvo Mexico and the California territories, which included parts of the present-day states of New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. (1) He also placed great emphasis in the re-annexation of Texas, which undoubtedly brought great discontent with Mexican and United states governments. President Polk initially attempted to buy Neuvo Mexico and the Californias but the Mexican government turned it down.

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny In The 1840s

    312 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Manifest Destiny And American Territorial Expansion

    1622 Words  | 7 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Manifest Destiny

    257 Words  | 2 Pages

    Manifest destiny is something that went down in the early 19000ths. It was an expansion on the U.S To basically expand the states of the U.S.American continents was both justified and inevitable. It started in 1840. But it was mostly recognized in the 19000ths. It made states like california join the union.

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny Essay

    469 Words  | 2 Pages

    Wars were fought and won, and President after President had a different perspective on how Manifest Destiny was to be implemented. The expansion of the West brought with it other qualms: the meaning of slavery and states’ rights. While Manifest Destiny can be viewed as ending with the final state added to the lower forty-eight, Arizona in 1912 brought an end to Western expansion; the rise of industrialization can be seen as another part of Manifest Destiny, though, that mainly deals with the Eastern parts of the US. California is a key part of Manifest Destiny, the argument of slavery, the gold rush, the US War with Mexico in the 1840’s being key examples of American expansion. Not to be forgotten is the acquisition of the Oregon territories as well, they were purchased from England with little ramifications, though symbolically it spoke volumes about how precocious the US was/is.

    Read More

  • How Is Manifest Destiny Justified

    512 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mexico had invited Americans to settle the area, but Americans quickly outnumbered mexican settlers. Then Mexico wanted to abolish slavery but Truman didn't want this to get in the way of the elections which he won so he took over other states to push them Back. This was somewhat part of Manifest destiny, Justified, sort of, successful, yes. Manifest Destiny was a political slogan used to unite the country behind an expansionist doctrine.

    Read More

  • Was The Mexican War Justified Essay

    568 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Manifest Destiny was fulfilled. Polk was a strong supporter of the Manifest Destiny. (Roden 317) The president convinced us. This evidence shows the US was justified in going in war because it was the Manifest Destiny.

    Read More

  • Manifest Destiny: The Negative Event In The History Of America

    966 Words  | 4 Pages

    Alexander Hamilton, one of the United State’s own founding fathers approached Manifest Destiny negatively, in an article in the newspaper,“New York Evening Post” titled: “Purchase of Louisiana” in July 1803. He states that the third president, Thomas Jefferson equipped this land by, “lucky coincidences and unexpected circumstances,” and claims that, “We can honestly say that this purchase

    Read More

  • Essay On Manifest Destiny

    774 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Manifest Destiny was a belief formulated by Americans that our nation should expand from coast to coast. The idea was formulated because of Americans pride and nationalism made them believe it was their destiny to expand the United States to the western coast. The Louisiana Purchase was the first act that started to fuel the idea of the Manifest Destiny, followed by Westward Migration, and the eventual wars that would take place in the new westward regions. The expansion of the United States, although at the time was aggressive in nature, would help to create the nation we see today. The Louisiana Purchase started the expansion of the United States westward into what is now known as the Midwest.

    Read More

More about Manifest Destiny Research Paper

Open Document