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Causes of westward expansion and manifest destiny
“Manifest Destiny ”, John O’Sullivan
What is Manifest Destiny? What role did this idea play in westward expansion quora
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In the nineteenth century, the Americans had to make the choice between continuing with slavery or expanding west to gather more territory. The Americans decided to explore out west in what is known as the westward expansion. The manifest destiny and the Louisiana purchase contributed to the western expansion and with the expansion, Lewis and Clark were able to explore the land. In 1845 John O’Sullivan, a journalist, stated that Manifest Destiny was what led to the America’s western expansion. The Democrats of the northern states were particularly in favor of the idea about expanding west because they wished to spread the American philosophies. The northerners wanted to spread their cheerfulness and decided to do that by expanding west. The
settlers from Europe want to try to make the New World as similar to Europe as they could make it so the settlers started to replicate everything that was being partaken in Europe. During Thomas Jefferson’s presidency in 1803, the U.S. gained the Louisiana Territory by purchasing it from France. With the purchase of the Louisiana territory, the U.S. was able to double in size. The Louisiana territory stretched from the Gulf of Mexico all the way up towards Canada’s border that is known today. With this purchase of land, it allowed the U.S. to double their size and be able to explore out west to discover new ideas. When Jefferson became the owner of all the land gathered in the Louisiana purchase Jefferson selected Lewis and Clark to be the first ones to explore the territory. On the way of exploring Lewis and Clark met Sacagawea. Sacagawea became their guide through the land out west. With the Manifest Destiny and the purchase of the Louisiana purchase, it allowed Lewis and Clark the land gathered for the western expansion. Without the purchase of land, the U.S. would not have been able to double in size and we would not be the country we are today.
Many Americans packed few belongings and headed west during the middle to the late nineteenth century. It was during this time period that the idea of manifest destiny became rooted in American customs and ideals. Manifest Destiny is the idea that supported and justified expansionist policies, it declared that expansion was both necessary and right. America’s expansionist attitudes were prominent during the debate over the territorial rights of the Oregon territory. America wanted to claim the Oregon territory as its own, but Great Britain would not allow that. Eventually the two nations came to an agreement and a compromise was reached, as seen in document B. The first major party of settlers that traveled to the west settled in Oregon.
...ion with the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803, and furthered it with the expedition. Some instant ramifications were present after the expedition: it led to the northern plains fur trade from 1806-1812 that came out of Lewis and Clark’s focus on improving trade. 33 In a broader sense, the expedition promoted further expansion goals for the United States as a whole later on in American history. The idea of manifest destiny later on in the 19th century reflects a continued goal of the United States to expand. Thus, the “land hungry” attitude that Jefferson himself exhibited went on to influence later American goals of expansion out west. Lewis and Clark’s expedition thus was only the beginning, as it was the first American expedition out last, but nevertheless was surely not the last based on the benefits that the United States reaped after its completion.
John Sullivan founded the manifest destiny movement (Doc A). This idea of God leading the U.S. westward into new territory spread, reaching the president, James K. Polk. He liked this idea, for he wanted to gain more land, especially from Mexico. James Polk was greedy for more territory, as he was a Democrat, who supported annexing Texas and Oregon. Using manifest destiny to obtain this land for the U.S. meant more Americans would support the westward expansion. Therefore, Polk was able to send Americans, particularly farmers, westward, which would soon cause great conflict with Mexico, leading to war. Polk sent multiple representatives to Mexico, wanting to make deals for land in Mexico’s possession (Doc E). One specific person Polk sent was WIlliam Emory. He went to offer a friendship with Mexico and to state reasoning for the U.S. invading Mexican territory. James Polk knew the Mexican Republic was angry at America for invading Texas. So, logically, he sent one of many “ambassadors” to create a peace treaty, and offer a friendship supplying benefits, such as protection for Mexico. Although, Mexico declared the U.S. as “invaders” and rejected the proposed treaties. Though it may seem former president James Polk was pro-manifest destiny, and genuinely wanted a national agreement of peace with Mexico, he was really eyeing their land, where he could obtain the territory, and
One of the central pillars of American history and idealism is the concept of manifest destiny. Which according to the Random House Dictionary is the nineteenth century belief and doctrine of the United States, that it was their God given destiny to expand its territory over North America, thereby enhancing their sovereignty and increasing their political, economic and social influence on the world stage. This term was not created until later in the century, post Lewis and Clark expedition. However it was most certainly one of the main goals of the expedition. Lewis and Clark were not the first group of white men to explore areas of the west, though none were quite as influential or as important to supporting manifest destiny. However these two explorers, Lewis and Clark not only supported manifest density, they also made significant contributions to scientific and cartographical knowledge of the western frontier. Their voyage across the United States stands out from other explorations of the west, due to the numerous journals that Lewis and Clark as well as their expedition team wrote in, almost every day. These journals represent first hand records of everything they encountered, thus preserving their journey for hundreds of years to come and allowing for their additions to the scientific community of the United States to be preserved.
From the years 1800-1850 the nation was full of battles and prosperity. Territorial expansion was a cause in most of the battles, but also gained prosperity for the nation. There were many impacts on national unity between those time periods, but the main impact was territorial expansion. This is true because of the Louisiana Purchase, the purchase of Oregon territory, and the Mexican War.
Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean; it has also been used to advocate for or justify other territorial acquisitions. Advocates of Manifest Destiny believed that expansion was not only good, but that it was obvious and certain. Originally a political catch phrase of the 19th century, "Manifest Destiny" eventually became a standard historical term, often used as a synonym for the expansion of the United States across the North American continent.In the early 1840s John L. O’Sullivan, editor of the Democratic Review, inaugurated the expression Manifest Destiny to depict American expansionism. O’Sullivan described the nation’s extension as inevitable and criticized those that delayed that progression "for the avowed object of thwarting our policy, limiting our greatness and checking the fulfillment of our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions."(Horsman 219) Horsman notes that even though O’Sullivan laid claim to the phrase manifest destiny, the idea was embedded in Anglo-Saxon heritage. In chapter one of Horsman the concept of ...
Expansionism in the late 19th/ Early 20th century Expansionism in America during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century shared many similarities and differences to that of previous American expansionist ideals. In both cases of American expansionism, the Americans believed that we must expand our borders in order to keep the country running upright. Also, the Americans believed that the United States was the strongest of nations, and that they could take any land they pleased. This is shown in the "manifest destiny" of the 1840's and the "Darwinism" of the late 1800's and early 1900's. Apart from the similarities, there were also several differences that included the American attempt to stretch their empire across the seas and into other parts of the world.
Between 1800 and 1850 the United States of America was an evolving nation in almost all possible ways including national unity. Many factors effected the change in national unity but none quite as much as territorial expansion. During this time period the United States more then doubled in size and by the end of its expansion reached from atlantic coast all the way to the pacific. When the nation first started to expand it brought with it the “era of good feeling”. With new states being created, the rapid growth of white settlement, and the economy expanding a rising spirit of nationalism was was consuming the United States in the years after the war of 1812. However, too much of anything, even something positive like territorial expansion, can bring negative effects. The first time the negative effects of territorial expansion became evident was during the panic of 1819. One of the next major events that showed clear evidence of decreased nationalism was attributed to the large amount of immigration in to America that took place between 1820-1840, this brought with it an rise in nativism. Lastly, during this booming immigration period, the United States also under went the industrial revolution which
John L. O’Sullivan, an editor, coined the term “Manifest Destiny” and gave the expansionist movement its name in 1845. The “Manifest Destiny” was the belief that Americans had the divine right to occupy North America. The Americans believed they were culturally and racially superior over other nations and other races such as the Native American Indians and Mexicans. The notion of the ‘Manifest Destiny’ was that the Americans were morally superior and therefore morally obligated to try to spread enlighten and civilization to the less civilized societies. According to World History Group, “The closest America came to making ‘Manifest Destiny’ an official policy was The Monroe Doctrine, adopted in 1823, it put European nations on notice that the U.S. would defend other nations of the Western Hemisphere from further colonization” (World History, 2015). This divine American mission caused Anglo-Saxon Americans to believe they had the natural right to move west and bring blessings of self-government and religion, more specifically-
How do you see progress, as a process that is beneficial or in contrast, that it´s a hurtful process that everyone at one point of their lives has to pass through it? At the time, progress was beneficial for the United States, but those benefits came with a cost, such cost that instead of advancements and developments being advantageous factors for humanity, it also became a harmful process in which numerous people were affected in many facets of life. This all means that progress is awsome to achieve, but when achieved, people have to realize the process they had to do to achieve it, which was stepping on other people to get there.
In The Frontier in American History (1893) written by historian Jackson Turner. Turner makes a captivating argument stating that westward expansion played an important role in shaping the American character. Manifest destiny was an important concept in American history and started in the nineteenth century. It was assumed that Americans can control land because it is their “god-given” right. Many of the ideals and themes in Manifest Destiny were already seen throughout the United States but became more prominent during this time. The development of an “American identity” was due to the expansion of America. The American culture was a big part of Manifest destiny because this was a basis of reason to continue expansion westward. Turner’s argument is accurate and certain themes support his view on Manifest destiny. These include the work, labor and economic development of that time, the roles of
O’ Sullivan. He was founder and editor of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review and editor of the New York Morning News. Most Americans believed that the superiority of their institutions and white culture bestowed on them a God-given right to spread across the continent. O’ Sullivan is credited with inventing the term “manifest destiny.” This term was created to justify white settlers taking the land they coveted. The independence of Texas was complete, therefore he believed that no obligation of duty toward Mexico tended in the least degree to restrain their right to effect the desired recovery of the fair provenance once their own. “She was released, rightfully and absolutely released, from all Mexican allegiance, or duty of cohesion to the Mexican political body, by the acts and fault of Mexico herself, and Mexico
In the 19th century, the U.S. experienced a major change. This change was the Manifest Destiny, an ideology first expressed in 1845 that the expansion of white settlement across the continent was inevitable and ordained by God, a means to spread protestant Christianity and Jacksonian Democracy to more people. It was this belief that fueled westward expansion, Native American removal, and war with Mexico. The U.S. reliance on Manifest Destiny permanently altered the geographical, social, and political visage of the nation.
Thus making the colonies crowded. With the population growing, there was less land available for the settlers, which raised the price of the land. In 1845, a New York newspaper editor named John L. O’Sullivan gave the spirit of expansion a name, calling it Manifest Destiny. He said, “Our manifest destiny is to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly, multiplying millions.” The perception of Manifest Destiny was quickly used by others and became a familiar idea throughout the United States. The Colonists understood that expanding west was the only way to make the country superior and stronger. The belief of Manifest destiny gave new hope to the Colonist. Manifest Destiny also had government backing, so it gave a lot of motivation to the early pioneers to move westward on the Oregon Trail. Thomas Jefferson once said “It is America's right to stretch from sea to shining sea. Not only do we have a responsibility to our citizens to gain valuable natural resources we also have a responsibility to civilize this beautiful
In history many things had happened that we are educated on till this day and each of those events are very important to our lives today and it is what makes us who we are as a country today. One of the events that is quite interesting is the Westward Expansion (1787- 1869) which happened before 1877. The Westward Expansion had its ups and downs throughout the years.