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Manifest Destiny and Western Expansion
Manifest Destiny is a term to describe Americans desire to explore and expand across the entire continent during the 19th century. Westward Expansion began in the United States following the end of the War of 1812. Between 1816 and 1821, six new states were added to the union, and pioneer families swept westward to fill these new lands. While westward expansion impoved the lives of many Americans, it displaced thousands of Native Americans.
658 Questions
How did manifest destiny impact America?
It displaced them and changed their lifestyle. Caused hardship and death and took no account of the indigenous populations needs and rights.
Was manifest destiny a valid excuse to acquire other territories?
No it was a stupid way to steal land from natives
What happened after manifest destiny was fulfilled?
America gained a lot of power and alot of land, and they felt like god has answered their prayers. It also gained freedom to the American citizens and America population grew crazy
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The above answer is based on the idea that a phrase coined by a journalist in 1845. It was not the reason that the United States, after the Mexican War or the previous purchase of the "Louisiana territory" from Napoleon, settled lands just north of Mexico and south of Canada.
The Canadians and British had extended that territory from coast to coast as well. There was no particular "philosophy" behind their expansion. Native American Tribes in Canada are on reservations.
Australia, the former prison colony, now runs "coast to coast". The Aborigine tribes people are a non factor in Australia.
The territory in what is the American southwest, along with California, was once part of the Spanish "New World" empire. It fell into Mexican hands when Spain, for all practical purposes bowed out of The Western Hemisphere. The Native Tribes that were part of Mexico's inheritance, had no claim any different than the USA's claim.
Expanding westward was no different than settling on Native American territory on the East coast. There was no "manifest destiny" claimed by the British Crown for owning the Eastern seaboard. The US Government became the owners of the lands west of the Mississippi, and they were "giving" it away. By doing so, the railroads had great "leasing deals" and people wanting to stake out a new life were encouraged by free grants of land from the US Government.
Taking a wider and deeper look back into history of "migrations", occurred because a stronger force moved against a weaker one.
Closer to home, the Inca Empire expanded at the cost of subjugating "lesser" tribes.
Bringing the discussion back to the 19th century, what would be expected of "American" settlers with a British heritage from not wanting to extend their sphere of influence to the next piece of land "next door". Especially when the only interference was a noble but Tribal American group of peoples divided up among separate peoples without the true means of defending the land that they were raised on?
Until the Spanish - American War, did any European power take any serious notice of the USA in world affairs? The Europeans had been colonizing the world since the beginning of the 16th century. Their wealth and power far surpassed the United States. While France, England, Russia, Portugal and even Japan were exploiting China, were they ever concerned with the USA?
So, when California had been settled and was a US State, did the average American believe that a higher power was responsible for American expansion? The earlier contributor claims the Americans "went crazy"....
And that Americans gained more freedom... this was not the case as previously, the well intended contributor makes a case for......
Except on paper, and in the minds of a few intellectuals, God had no hand in the expansion of the USA, that made it a coast to coast nation as Canada was. No excuses or slogans sparked the USA expansion. The expansion was the result of a people seeing "free land" that was available, and they marched westward.
Oregon in the Election of 1844.
The Conestoga wagon (not a generic term for a covered wagon) could transport loads up to 6 tons, and was drawn by horses, mules, or oxen. Usage of the Conestoga wagon was what started the custom of driving on the right side of the road.
How did Manifest Destiny benefit White Society more than Native American Society?
"Manifest Destiny" refers to the American belief that it was the nation's destiny to expand their borders from their position on the eastern coast of America to the Pacific Ocean; it is mentioned in the line, "from sea to shining sea" in the American National Anthem. The natives were already living in the west, and had been for hundreds and hundreds of years. Thus, Americans forced the natives into reservations and took their ancestors' land from them, resulting in the achievement of Manifest Destiny. Native Americans lost their homes, their food sources (buffalo and other plains animals), and even [some of] their lives while America gained said land, gold from California, and completed a task they'd dreamt of since the anthem was written - possibly before that. Not to mention the oil they later discovered there.
How might the idea of manifest destiny relate to slavery or the civil war?
As the US spread westward in fulfillment of manifest destiny, the question always arose about whether slavery would be permitted in each of the new territories/states. An uneasy truce was reached that effectively allowed one new slave state for each new free state but the compromise was unsustainable because the slave based economy was not particularly suitable for most of the western territories that were being settled. The tension over slavery (and other issues) as the power shifted in favor of the northern and western states/territories eventually boiled over into the civil war.
Americans belief that they were meant to occupy the country from coast to coast was called?
manifest destiny
How did the different ways the US acquired land during manifest destiny?
they bot stuff like land tretys and war
Which president is manifest destiny associated with?
James K. Polk the 11th President of the United States.
Was fulfilling our manifest destiny a glorious American achievement or an American tragedy?
It was most definitely an achievement! Most media will tell you manifest destiny means expanding America from sea to shining sea but there is so much more to it than that. When the founders talked about manifest destiny they were referring to the destiny to be "an example and a blessing to the entire human race." - Cleon Skousen, The 5000 Year Leap
America was meant to spread from sea to shining sea in order to be an example and a blessing. However, today America is no longer fulfilling it's destiny.
Asia and the Pacific
What was belief behind manifest destiny?
America could, and should, continue to expand westward at all costs.
What was the concept of the west?
The west for a long time has been considerd to be the more developed half of the world. When most people say the west most people think of America. Now the east with countries such as india and china is catching up with the west.
What problems do wagon trains face?
Ascending OR descending steep trails, the fording of deep, wide, or fast-moving rivers, broken axles, and getting stuck in ruts or mud or sand were all problems that individual wagons had to overcome on the great venture west. Wagon trains still had to be able to keep their accompanying livestock nearby while protecting them from wolves, mountain lions, bears, and the occasional wild, rogue native American raiding parties. Watering places for the animals and 'sticking together' were of prime importance. Traveling at the right time of year to avoid the mountain snow was an important lesson driven home by the horrible misfortunates of the doomed Donner Party (See the Related Link[s] listed below). Many wagon trains avoided the rigors of the Oregon Trail by taking the southern, Santa Fe Trail instead.
How did the idea of manifest destiny shape American attitudes regarding the Oregon Country?
The idea that this was our destiny some how gave the Americans the thought it was okay to kick the natives off their land.
