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How manifest destiny applied to westward expansion
Causes and effects of manifest destiny
Causes and effects of manifest destiny
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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.
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.
The Manifest Destiny was the 1800s belief that Americans should expand westward. The Manifest Destiny benefited the country and the people of the United States. For example, the United States doubled in size through the Louisiana Purchase (A Growing Nation Notes). All of the different purchases at this time made the US the size that it is now. In result of the United States growing, more people came to the country for a new beginning so it was beneficial to the people in the country.
Manifest Destiny is a term used to describe a particular ideology and belief that white European-Americans were inherently superior than that of natives and other ethnic groups and were destined by God to secure claim expand their territories across America from "sea to shining sea. " Under the guise of religion and racist ideologies white European- Americans used extreme measures to wipe the native inhabitants from their land in order to reach this goal. Independence had been won, the war of 1812 had been conquered, and American settlers wanted to create a more homogenous society with more territory and preservation of their religion and racial superiority. In order to achieve to actualize their vision U.S. policy makers justified their reactions
Manifest Destiny: the early American settlers believed in moving, the American settlers believed it was their birthright, their god given right to move to The West. Many wanted to go to The West, to start new lives, to get rich or just to start over. President Polk the President of the United States at the time of the dispute with Mexico. Polk wanted the land that is now Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.
Manifest Destiny was a big stepping point in America. When American settlers wanted more land, they decided to take Natives land, so they could expand their own land. This caused them to retaliate causing the Civil War. This made the Native Americans and Americans relationship to be worse. It made the Native American population decrease drastically.
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 concept of the manifest destiny was to make and have America be just one big continent with overtaking Mexico and Canada but as we can see now it did not happen. The causes and effects of Cherokee Nation being removed was when they had them move many died, from traveling they would die of hunger, thirst, and ambush them why they would be traveling. Another cause and effect was with the removal of the Native Americans they would force them to have to completely leave some people left each other, or got lost with all the chaos on wanting to quickly leave. Basically, America came in and took over Indian Territory George Washington did not discover America because America had already belonged to the Native Americans so, America came in and
Manifest Destiny was the 19th-century doctrine or belief that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable. Of course there were already Native Americans living in the area. The new people in the U.S. wanted to push the Native Americans out and make room for their new settlements. Not all of the Native Americans were very happy about being pushed out of their homes. The Native Americans were affected greatly by Manifest Destiny.
Throughout history there have been many wars, most of which, in some way or another, have had to do with expansion and the gain of land or territory. During the era of Manifest Destiny there were many reasons for expansion such as; better agricultural resources and other events that erupted exploitation and manipulation of the Indians and indigenous people. These show how the Manifest Destiny era expansions were similar to many other expansions before and after this era, however, the biggest difference is how, before, they would purchase land or legally obtain it, when after, the United States would go to war over land rather than legally buy it. Before Manifest Destiny, during colonial days, Britain established the Proclamation of 1763,
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.
Manifest destiny was the belief that colonist were destined to expand across North America and that it was their god given right. Although Native Americans were indigenous the the land, colonist felt that it was their destiny to redeem and colonize the rest of the land. They felt that Native Americans were not making right use of the land and letting it go to waste. In result, Native Americans were not seen as anything more as an obstacle in the pursuit of Manifest Destiny. During the Indian Removal Act of 1830, Indian groups who were still inhabiting the south east would be moved across the Mississippi to designated Indian territory, which is now known as Oklahoma.
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.
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.
The time of Manifest Destiny was a time of true American brotherhood and comradeship. With Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk being the leading presidents of the cause during this time, it not only led to continental expansion but homicide as well. While the Americans believed they were expanding into free land, Native Americans had already settled the land centuries earlier. This led to the dark side of Manifest Destiny. Native Americans were forced to pick up their homes and resettle in areas that were less than sufficient to meet their basic needs.
