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Negative Effects Of Manifest Destiny

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Manifest Destiny was a critical doctrine in the history of the United States that molded the nation's outlook on territorial expansion during the mid-19th century. It was the belief that it was the divine duty and destiny of Americans to expand their nation across North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The concept was popularized by politicians and the media to justify the aggressive territorial expansion and American exceptionalism during the period. The implications were significant to the process of westward expansion, leading to issues such as conflicts with indigenous populations, border disputes, and territorial acquisition. It is essential to recognize both the positive and negative outcomes that shaped the development …show more content…

As westward expansion con- tinued, white settlers forced Native tribes off their land, resulting in the Trail of Tears and many other forced migrations. The result for Native countries was long-lasting and detrimental as their homes were lost, and cultural traditions were disrupted or lost. The consequences of Manifest Destiny's negative effects represented an unsustainable approach to westward expansion, with Native Americans paying the ultimate price. As historian Frederick Jackson Turner writes in his essay "The Significance of the Frontier in American History," “the most powerful agent in shaping the American character and American institutions” was the “struggle with the wilderness” that led to westward expansion. However, this progress came at a great expense to indigenous people, a cost that cannot be …show more content…

This essay was published in 1845, and it expresses O'Sullivan's views on the United States' annexation of Texas. In this essay, O'Sullivan argues that manifest destiny was the primary source of the United States' territorial expansion. He believed that it was America's God-given right to expand its borders, and any opposition to this expansion was futile. The essay highlights the prevalent sentiments among many Americans at the time that expansion was vital to the country's progress and prosperity. However, some historians argue that this same belief in manifest destiny fueled the ideology of white supremacy and encouraged the subjugation of indigenous peoples. Despite these conflicting views, historians recognize O'Sullivan's essay as a significant primary source that provided a compelling justification for the United States' territorial

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By expanding to the west coast, Oregon specifically, the United States hoped to begin trade with Asian countries. As tensions increased in Texas, mainly over what territory had control over Texas, war was becoming more and more likely. documents G and H both touch on the subject of the Mexican-American War, with Document G being created before the war was declared, and Document H being proposed after the war ended. Document G showed how the United State’s main goal in the impending Mexican-American War was the acquisition of new territory, Texas in particular. This acquisition was proposed in a positive light after it was stated that the territory of Texas was, “...free land of ours the means to spread the light of the Gospel… (Document G).”

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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.

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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.

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Influential figures such as Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson had “made their mark in politics after moving West”, and westward expansion engendered the establishment of technology such as canals and railroads (326). As America grew, however, so did the questions and issues surrounding the issue of slavery. Manifest Destiny was not just a catalyst for the expanse of slavery, but a hindrance as well, as the United States began to divide over this key issue in regard to whether a newly-acquired territory should be designated as free or slave. Though attempts were made at compromise, the spread of slavery through Manifest Destiny proved to be both the driving force for territorial expansion, as land was acquired in order to grow more, but also the challenge for it, as the continued growth of slavery and territory forced the United States to finally approach the issue and decide whether it would remain a divided country, or finally become united in its social, economic, and political

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We notice that in the expansion to the west coast there was conflict whilst trying to obtain simple objectives driven by the motive of Manifest Destiny. This book shows the simple facts of the ideas of wanting to achieve something can lead to more aggressive outcomes which leads to a bigger effect on future events and

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In the 1800’s Manifest Destiny became a widely-held belief among settlers, their mentality was that they were destined to expand across North America pushing the natives out of their land. This attitude among western settlers fueled the removal of Native Americans and war with Mexico. The thinking of some of these settlers was both inevitable and justified by their God to expand and take more land with no limit. Geographically speaking, modern day America is the result of this “Manifest Destiny”. This was also happening around the time the United States experienced its second “Great Awakening”, which was another protestant religious revival movement happening in the early 19th century.

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American foreign policy during the years 1845-1900 was Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny describes what most of the Americans believed in the 19th Century that, it was America’s responsibility to expand westward, and occupy the whole continental nation including Mexico and Canada. This foreign policy turned into American Imperialism, and how America acquired Hawaii, Alaska and led to Cuban Revolution 1953-1959. Manifest Destiny was first used by John O’Sullivan; he supported expansionist agenda of President James K. Polk from 1845-1849. President James K. Polk wanted to expand America westward, “He wanted to officially claim the southern part of Oregon Territory; annex the whole of the American Southwest from Mexico; and annex Texas” (Jones 1).

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Hampering our power, limiting our greatness an checking the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.” In this, O’Sullivan is saying that Texas is our all ready, we will not let Mexico take over what is

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The year 1890 was a pivotal point in American history. It was at this point that the American frontier was officially declared to be closed. The United States now occupied the land from Atlantic to Pacific. This also marked the end of Manifest Destiny on the North American continent, since Americans had already fulfilled God’s will to conquer the western territory and vanquish the “savages” who inhabited that land. This phenomenon is explored in further detail in Frederick Jackson Turner’s 1893 thesis, which was ironically given at the World’s Columbian Exposition, given on the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ trans-Atlantic voyage.

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Introduction When the United States began as the 13 colonies, the idea of Manifest Destiny began to spread rapidly throughout the country. The term Manifest Destiny refers to the nineteenth century idea that God had chosen the American people to expand westward across North America towards the Pacific Ocean. This idea was heavily favored by Americans and was desperate to be achieved. Many events that occurred throughout the nineteenth century in the United States helped shape Western America and contributed towards westward expansion.

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518 Words | 3 Pages

O’Sullivan was an American columnist whom was known for his use of the term, “manifest destiny,” which promoted the annexation of Texas to the United States. He argues that the adverse attitude toward Texas’ independence from Mexico needs to end. In this article, O’Sullivan also expands on the importance of the growth of the country throughout the continent. It further acknowledges the freedom of Texas as not a rebellion, but by abandonment from Mexico. John O’Sullivan sees the future of America expanding into California and Mexico becoming a country without a real government.

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930 Words | 4 Pages

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.

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2016 Words | 9 Pages

“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.

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As stated before, the US was justified in going to war with Mexico because of three reasons, Americans were killed, Texas was already annexed, and Manifest Destiny allows it. The United states had many superb reasons for going to war with Mexico. This essay is significant because it helps explain the United States’ choice to go to war with

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The pioneers who set out to claim land that wasn’t theirs would face many challenges. “Expansion westward seemed perfectly natural to many Americans in the mid-nineteenth century. Like the Massachusetts Puritans who hoped to build a "city upon a hill, "courageous pioneers believed that America had a divine obligation to stretch the boundaries of their noble republic to the Pacific Ocean,” (Manifest Destiny). These pioneers however were able to overcome those challenges making the United States what it is

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