The Pros And Cons Of Manifest Destiny

Due to the reaffirmation of American independence by the War of 1812 and a tenacious feeling of nationalism, the United States craved more land; therefore, after the acquisition of land from the Mexican Cession, many felt America’s Manifest Destiny had made a significant step toward complete fulfillment. The American desire to expand westward- known as Manifest Destiny- was at its height during the nineteenth century. This aspiration spurred many political debates such as the following: slavery, Native American territory, and land claims. The moral aspects of these aforementioned controversies were periodically obscure, yet more frequently were they a minor factor in political opinion. Many original ideals emerged during these debates, and

In 1819, lawmakers were forced to revisit the topic of slavery in deciding the fates of new territories gained in the Louisiana Purchase. The opinion of New York Senator Rufus King was such that Congress possessed the power to make all new states ones of freedom for those African Americans who had lived their lives in subjugation. Contrastingly, Georgia Senator Freeman Walker believed that Congress did not have the power to decide abolition. His viewpoint was as follows: slaves are property, and if the government restricts slavery then it has the right to restrict any property and means of working, such as determining exactly how a farmer is to cultivate their soil, which is overstepping the boundaries of the government set forth by the Constitution. Not only are the two viewpoints adversely different, but also they demonstrate the various extremes of opinions on slavery. Neither argument appeals to the depravity enacted by the institution of slavery itself, more so questioning the extent of Congress’ power; thus, the moral consideration in both perspectives is

In 1818, Great Britain and American had agreed to a joint ownership of the territory; however, in 1843, American immigration to the northwestern area escalated, and it became clear that a joint occupation was no longer viable. The debate of how to divide boundaries ensued between the two countries. The slogan “54 degrees 40 minutes or fight” emerged under the expansionist Presidency of James K. Polk. Finally it was agreed upon that 49th parallel be the dividing line of the territory. The moral atrocity within this debate lies in the simple fact of the United States’ greed and willingness to go to war over a debated territorial