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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.
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.
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
Polk provoked the Mexican people knowing that they would go to war, James Polk wanted war, and
Manifest destiny also affected the relationship with Mexico. Several factors led to the Mexican- American War in 1846. The factors were that the U.S citizens were moving into California and Mexico. Since there were many revolutions happening in Mexico throughout this time period the Mexican government was not able to protect the U.S citizens in this region. Another factor was that Mexico was upset that Texas declared independence from them and then the U. S annexed Texas in 1845.
With Polk’s narrow victory, the Democrats immediately called to admit Texas as a state, but was only successful by using a joint resolution,which included admitting Oregon as a state to satisfy Northern expansionist desires and balancing the number of slave-owning and free soil states. Not satisfied with these states alone, Polk turned to Mexico’s northern provinces (such as California and New Mexico) and endeavored to start a revolution in California. Polk’s audacious move to incite a revolution in California--done by sending Thomas Oliver Larkin to influence famous Californios to seek independence, seizing San Francisco Bay, and employing John Slidell to try to buy California--was met with greater tensions between the U.S. and Mexico for a war. These acts led to Polk utilizing more aggressive tactics to expand U.S. territory; Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to occupy disputed territory and “provoke a fight” (Pg. 419 Henretta), and the war concluded with American triumph. The war had started with patriotic expansionism, but soon divided the nation: the Whigs, who were against the war and did not support “this wretched cant about a ‘manifest destiny’”
It was the time when Manifest Destiny concept, an idea in special role and destiny of the United States, was highly popular. The concept that consequently justified the expansionism and nationalism. Therefore, Polk’s expansionist impulse, though strong and quite successful, was a product of dominant thoughts that were circulating among Americans.
As mentioned earlier, Polk was a strong supporter of “manifest destiny”, but the concept was merely a belief that stemmed from religion. It wasn’t strong enough to act as a foundation of international decisions. In addition to its lack of strength, it increased the gap between the two nations because Mexico was Catholic and the US was Protestant. The religious and personal beliefs of Polk caused the US to become egoistic. To prove this point, John L. O’Sullivan stated, “Other nations have undertaken… hostile interference against us,… hampering our power, limiting our greatness and checking the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence (God)...”
The Mexican-America war was often viewed as an impactful event of the annexation of Texas. However, events during the Mexican-American war such as a disagreement over where the Mexican-American border should be located at, declining the unions incorporate, and the northern political were against of having a new slave state. Therefore, the actions during the Mexican-American war prove that Texas gained independence from Mexico, which was a positive effect for the United States because it gained land by winning the war. The Mexican-American war began of the idea if Manifest Destiny because they believe that god gave the United States the right to spread through the Pacific Ocean.
How do you think manifest destiny set the stage for American imperialism at the end of the century? – Manifest destiny set the stage for American imperialism because in believing that expansion of the United States was justified and inevitable, we believed that whatever we did to expand was justified. Even if it meant using force to take more land. What were the motivations for manifest destiny?
Manifest Destiny was the belief in the 19th century that the United States was destined to expand westward, from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast, in order to spread American values and institutions. This belief was used to justify the forced removal of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, as well as the annexation of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and the Oregon Treaty. One of the main arguments given by supporters of Manifest Destiny was that it was a God-given mission for the United States to expand westward and bring Christianity and "civilization" to the "savages" who lived in the western territories. Manifest Destiny provided a religious and cultural justification for American expansion across the continental United States, with the belief that the destiny of the United States was to spread democratic institutions "from sea to shining
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
President James K Polk massively believed in the Manifest Destiny, the belief that the American people had a duty to expand westward across North America. This idea sparked a fire that believe it or not most didn’t want. The result: The Mexican-America war. While the war gained America five different states and was one of the largest territorial expansions in United States history, many critics believed that America was headed down a bad path. That we were going to end up like most great conquerors in the world, dead or with innocent blood on our hands that God will never forgive us for.
President James Polk was pro manifest destiny. That means he believed that G-d wanted the Americans to spread throughout the whole continent. James Polk of course wanted to annex Texas. Doing this caused more problems for Mexico and America. Mexico’s borders were now screwed up and the issue of slaves came up.
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.
