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Manifest Destiny Research Paper

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The idea of Manifest Destiny was a powerful belief that changed American history. Manifest Destiny was the idea of destiny and duty of the United States to expand westward across the North American continent. The expansion was used to spread democracy, capitalism, and Protestantism, and assert American dominance over the land. Manifest Destiny fueled westward expansion, territorial races, and conflicts with indigenous peoples and other nations, leaving a lasting impact on the United States and the nations around it. The Manifest Destiny's idea stated that the United States was destined to expand its territory from coast to coast. This idea was also supported by the mindset of the American people and how they believed that the United States …show more content…

Conflict between settlers and Native American tribes was frequent and sometimes violent, as differing visions of land ownership and sovereignty often were argued over. Territorial acquisition is another key part of Manifest Destiny. The belief in the right of the United States to continue to expand its borders led to a series of land grabbing, treaties, and seizers that significantly expanded the United States territory. From the Louisiana Purchase to the addition of Texas and the Oregon Territory, the United States steadily gained land and domain, often at the expense of other groups of people such as Mexico and Native American tribes who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands. The ideology of Manifest Destiny also played a significant role in shaping America's foreign policy during the 19th century. The belief in the inevitability of westward expansion fueled ambition and conflicts with neighboring nations, most notably Mexico. The Mexican American War, fought from 1846 to 1848, was a direct result of Americans wanting to expand and reflected the values of Manifest Destiny and the desire to acquire more

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