From sea to shining sea, the United States of America stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. But how did this vast land come to be? "Manifest Destiny", a phrase coined in the mid-1800s to describe America's westward expansion, was a driving force behind American history, inspiring pioneers to expand the borders of the country. But the effects of "Manifest Destiny" were not all positive. The expansion brought the displacement of native peoples and the exploitation of resources.
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenFrom sea to shining sea, the United States of America stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. But how did this vast land come to be? "Manifest Destiny", a phrase coined in the mid-1800s to describe America's westward expansion, was a driving force behind American history, inspiring pioneers to expand the borders of the country. But the effects of "Manifest Destiny" were not all positive. The expansion brought the displacement of native peoples and the exploitation of resources.
It is time to explore the history, quotes, and effects of "Manifest Destiny." Who knows what we'll discover about this intriguing chapter in American history!
Manifest Destiny was the idea that fueled the notion that America was destined to stretch from "coast to coast" and beyond first appeared in media in 1845:
Americans' manifest destiny is to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.1
–John L. O'Sullivan (1845).
Manifest Destiny is the idea that God's plan was for Americans to take and settle new territory
The history of Manifest Destiny started in the early 1840s, when the United States was growing. The country needed to expand onto more land for farms, businesses, and families. Americans looked west for this. At this point, Americans viewed the west as a vast and wild piece of land awaiting people to settle.
People viewed its expansion to the West as America's manifest destiny. They believed that God wanted them to settle the land and spread democracy and capitalism to the Pacific Ocean. This idea contrasted sharply with the lifestyles of so many already living on the land and ultimately led to extreme measures designed to move or remove the indigenous people in the west.
It is important to note that the idea of manifest destiny is connected to the perceived racial superiority white Americans felt in regard to the native people living on American soil. It was the Americans' destiny to spread democracy, capitalism, and religion to the indigenous people. This gave Americans justification for conquering others' land and going to war with other nations.
The phrase manifest destiny was coined by John L. O'Sullivan in 1845.
James Polk, who served from 1845 to 1849, is the American president most associated with the idea of manifest destiny. As president, he resolved a boundary dispute regarding the Oregon Territory and led the United States to victory in the Mexican American war.
Taking control of the western land would most likely involve armed conflict with these groups. President Polk, an expansionist, was not concerned. He was ready to go to war to obtain the rights to the land. The native people in the area were viewed as an obstacle to be removed.
American missionaries were some of the first to travel west, blazing trails like the Oregon Trail, fueled by the idea that Native Americans needed to be converted to Christianity. Again, the idea that white Americans believe themselves superior to indigenous people is demonstrated in these actions.
There wasn't just war with Mexico and Great Britain. Americans began fighting amongst themselves, debating the premise of slavery in the new territories. As the Northerners prepared to fight slavery, the Southern States threatened to secede from the Union.
Money played a central part here, too. Southerners were looking for other places to extend their cotton-growing operations. The manifest destiny precept was attuned to the colonist ideology of the right to take for themselves. And thus, to the eyes of white Americans legitimized the right to impose their will on others.
The idea of manifest destiny can be seen in the early expansion to the West.
In the early 1880s (approximately 1806) Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the northern end of the Willamette Valley. Lewis and Clark were not the first Americans in the area as fur trappers had been working there for quite some time. Missionaries came to Oregon in the 1830s, and many began traveling toward Oregon in the 1840s. There was a previous agreement between the US and Britain which had allowed for pioneers from both countries to settle in the area. Missionaries, fur trappers, and farmers settled in Oregon. This is an example of American expansion into the west.
Propelled by the idea of Manifest Destiny, other pioneers headed to the Mexican providence of California. As Californian ranches became connected to the American economy, many began to hope for colonization and annexation.
Colonize:
To gain political control over an area while sending citizens there to settle.
Annex:
To forcibly gain control of a country near your own.
The pursuit of the idea of manifest destiny led to the acquisition of new land in the western part of the United States. What were some of the other effects of manifest destiny?
The United States addition of new territory heightened the tensions between the abolitionists and slaveholders as they fiercely debated if the new states were to be free or slave states. There was already a fierce battle waging between the two groups, which only got worse when they had to decide if slavery would be allowed in the new states. This debate set the stage for the American Civil War.
The Plains Indians, like the Comanches, battled with the settlers in Texas. They were relocated to a reservation in Oklahoma in 1875. This is but one example of Americans forcing native tribes into reservations.
The main effects of Manifest Destiny were:
In the 1800s, the United States had access to a large amount of unexplored land, like the land from the Louisiana Purchase. Americans at the time not only believed that God had blessed their expansion, but also believed that it was their duty to spread democracy, capitalism, and religion to indigenous people.
The idea of Manifest Destiny had many effects on the United States. Americans explored and acquired more land. The new land increased tensions between slaveholders and abolitionists as they debated if new states should allow slavery.
The newly acquired land was not unoccupied land. They had been filled with various indigenous tribes, who had been eliminated with violent tactics. Those that survived were relocated to reservations.
In summary, the concept of Manifest Destiny played a crucial role in shaping the history of the United States, providing moral justification for the annexation of the new lands. The United States found itself needing more land for the exploding population and rapid development of farms and businesses.
Acquisition of new land began under President Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s and continued after that, especially with the United States under the direction of President James Polk (1845-1849). The term manifest destiny describes the idea that it was God's intention that Americans annex and colonize the western part of the United States. Manifest destiny ideology supported that it was the American's destiny to spread democracy and religion to the indigenous tribes.
The expansion was not without obstacles. Some armed tribes lived on the Great Plains. Other countries controlled parts of the Western land (for example, Great Britain controlled the Oregon territory). The debate around slavery extended to the newer additions to the United States. Native tribes were forcibly removed and relocated.
Manifest Destiny quotes provide insight into the philosophy and views of those who supported Manifest Destiny and the impact it has on American history until today.
"It is to the enterprise and perseverance of the hardy pioneers of the West, who penetrate the wilderness with their families, suffer the dangers, the privations, and hardships attending the settlement of a new country ... that we are in a great degree indebted for the rapid extension and aggrandizement of our country." 3 - James K. Polk, 1845
Context: James K. Polk was the 11th President of the United States and a supporter of Manifest Destiny. In his 1845 State of the Union address, he argued that American expansion was essential to maintaining American power.
Americans' manifest destiny is to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.1
–John L. O'Sullivan (1845).
"It is a truth that nature makes nothing in vain; and the bountiful earth was not created to be waste and unoccupied." - John L. O'Sullivan, 1853
Context: John L. O'Sullivan, a prominent journalist and writer, was a strong advocate of Manifest Destiny.
"In reaffirming our heritage as a free nation, we must remember that America has always been a frontier nation. Now we must embrace the next frontier, America’s manifest destiny in the stars" Donald Trump, 2020
Context: The quote comes from Remarks by President Trump in State of the Union Address in 20202 . Even though the quote goes beyond the original concept of Manifest Destiny, it shows that it continues to shape American ideas and ambitions.
Manifest Destiny is the idea that God's plan was for Americans to take and settle new territory.
The phrase "Manifest Destiny" was coined by John L. O'Sullivan in 1845.
The effects of the Manifest Destiny doctrine are:
Most Americans believed in manifest destiny. They believed God wanted them to settle the land that was available and spread their ideas of democracy and capitalism.
In the mid-1800s
Who coined the phrase manifest destiny?
John L. O'Sullivan
True or false: Americans believed that God wanted them to settle the land and spread democracy and capitalism all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
True
It was the Americans' destiny to spread ______, ______, and _____ to the indigenous people.
democracy
Which former president is most associated with the idea of manifest destiny?
James Polk
How were Native Americans affected by manifest desiny?
Their land was settled by pioneers and they were forced into reservations.
True or false: manifest destiny increased the debate around slavery as people argued over slavery being allowed in the new territories.
True
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