Comparing The Foundations Of Manifest Destiny And Social Darwinism

The foundations that were originated in American culture are Manifest Destiny and Social Darwinism. To Americans, Manifest Destiny meant gaining land from coast to coast. From the original 13 colonies, America's mission to expand was partially fulfilled with the Louisiana Purchase. The United States then expanded from North Atlantic coast to the South. In need of more land, high rates of immigration encouraged Americans to expand westward. With the influx of immigration along the Pacific coast, Oregon was annexed from Great Britain. The Mexican-American war which was won by the U.S. led to the annexation of Mexican territory. This allowed Americans to lay claim to land from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from coast to coast. To encourage

government, they used Social Darwinism as an excuse. Darwin stated that in natural selection the fittest are the ones that survive. This differentiated the strong from the weak. Darwin's ideas were applied politically and socially to the idea of acquiring more land. The U.S. government claimed that the reason that they were able to gain so much land in such rapid amount of time is that they were the stronger force. The U.S. government had rifles and cannons, had the stronger military force. If the British objected during the American Revolution, they were met with military force; their ships were sunk and their troops killed. The reason that the U.S. government was able to take such actions against the French, the Mexicans, and the British was due to their influence and ability to purchase and manufacture weaponry. Even during the Civil War, the U.S. government had more firepower and more

Manifest Destiny is still happens in our modern times. Though the states that make up the United States are secure, we have had additions. Alaska was purchased from Russia, and Hawaii was annexed to the U.S. for it's valuable sugarcane. The addition of both states did not require war. The display of force and the history of victory in itself might be enough for countries to forgo fighting for their land, and allow the U.S. to purchase. The U.S. military is one of the most powerful in the world. If the strong survive, according to Darwin's natural selection, the U.S. would be one of the most desirable countries to be a member of. The greatness of being an American, living in a country with a strong military is that I can travel to distant places and still be under American jurisdiction. I can go ice fishing in Alaska. I can live in the tropical paradise of Hawaii and still be protected under the U.S. government. I can travel to New York and go shopping without much hassle. I can go to Los Angeles and go to Disneyland. I can even go to Las Vegas and spend a weekend gambling. The reason why I have these freedoms is due to America's vast amount of land and resources, and to the American military that protects my