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Manifest Destiny - American Territorial Expansion

            Manifest Destiny: American Territorial Expansion - Houston Holdren.
             Manifest Destiny was an ideology that United States expansion into new territories was inevitable and predestined. Some even described it as being God's will. However, starting in the 1800s, there were several issues concerning United States territorial expansion and the inequality of minority groups. These complications dealt with race, religion, and gender. Racial disputes largely involved Native Americans, African Americans, and Mexicans, while religious disagreements involved mostly Catholic discrimination and the ideas of strict Protestantism. Gender controversy was another issue, in that women started promoting domesticity and began believing in their vital role of contributing to Manifest Destiny. By examining the issues such as race, religion, and gender between minority groups, one can better understand the history of United States territorial expansion.
             A key aspect contributing to the concept of Manifest Destiny was the shared perception of American exceptionalism. This new concept influenced Americans to start believing they were the only race fit to live and govern the nation of the United States, and this created somewhat of racial discrimination between settlers, African Americans, Native Americans, and Mexicans. It was clear that Americans justified taking away Indian land, and they continuously pushed Native Americans westward in order to extend and expand United States boundaries. One example of settler encroachment took place in 1832 when Sac and Fox Indians decided to make an attempt in taking back their land in northwestern Illinois. They believed some of the earlier treaties signed with the United States were invalid or unjust (Document 11). White Americans ceaselessly pursued west, taking land with which they had no legal right. White settlers frequently invaded Native American hunting grounds and took advantage of their boundaries, confusing the legal ownership of land such as western Iowa and the borders of Nebraska (Document 15).


Essays Related to Manifest Destiny - American Territorial Expansion

1. Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion

Manifest Destiny is an event and philosophy that changed how the United States expanded from thirteen colonies into what it is today. The term "Manifest Destiny," was first used in 1845 by John O'Sullivan, to give explanation for the United States' right of expansion. ... It is right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of its principle and destiny of growth." The principle behind Manifest Destiny has been around since Christopher Columbus first discovered the Caribbean. ... Before the Spanish American War, there was the Indian Re...

  • Word Count: 2207
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Manifest Destiny

The ideas behind Manifest Destiny played an important role in the development of the United States by allowing the territorial expansion of the 1800s. Without the expansion of the era, America would not have most of the western part of the country it does now. ... O"Sullivan in 1845 (Manifest Destiny). ... Without the expansion of the era when Manifest Destiny reigned supreme, America would not have most of the western lands it does now. ... The victory for America further expanded America and helped bring the United States closer to its Manifest Destiny. ...

  • Word Count: 1287
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. Late Nineteenth Century American Expansionism

While the basic motivations for the United States expansion of desire for land and power, and manifest destiny remained, the means for acting on these motivations and the location of expansion changed drastically in the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century. ... Previous territorial acquisitions in the late 1700s and early 1800s (Treaty of Paris, Louisiana Purchase, etc) stemmed from expansionist desire based on power and land gain, the same motivations that governed later expansionism. ... Manifest Destiny as a driving force behind American expansion is an element seen thro...

  • Word Count: 613
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. How do you account for the huge territorial expansion of the

One of the major reasons for territorial expansion was the American's will to conquer what ever they could. This confidence came from the ideal of "Manifest destiny." ... Territorial expansion was a must for defence of the nation and to prevent any European involvement in North America. ... Upon James Polk's election in 1844 the idea of Manifest Destiny had sparked a renewed interest (after Louisiana purchase there was interest also) in the expansion of the United States. ... Backed by the popular belief of Manifest Destiny the American people's greed came into effect in ...

  • Word Count: 1062
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5. Westward Expansion

Finally, we have to bear in mind that the American territorial expansion was the physical response to the doctrine of "Manifest Destiny". ***** ***** ***** To begin with, America's territorial expansion is a consequence of its dramatic growth. ... Indeed, "virgin land was the magnet that drew American steadily westward." ***** ***** ***** This territorial expansion can also be considered as the result of a desire for military security and commerce. ... Indeed, in an attempt to explain America's thirst for expansion, he wrote in the New York Morning News, in a...

  • Word Count: 1989
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

6. Territorial Expansion

rom 1800 to 1850 territorial expansion tore the United States apart. Territorial expansion itself was not a debated issue. Spurred by the concept of Manifest Destiny, almost everyone believed that America should extend from sea to shining sea and maybe even farther. ... The first real crisis over territorial expansion took place in 1819-1821 over the admission of the state of Missouri. ... From 1800 to 1850 America saw a growth in territorial expansion. ...

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7. The United State's Manifest Destiny

In 1845, political journalist John O'Sullivan had merged American's nationalism and needed to expand westward to devise the term "manifest destiny". ... In order to fulfill their manifest destiny, Americans believed they had the right to resist and retaliate against any foreign power that stood in their way of westward expansion. ... Although the outcome of our nation's manifest destiny expanded the United States drastically, it left American's blind to the injustice of it. ... American's territorial conquest of Texas, Oregon, and the Mexican war were all p...

  • Word Count: 993
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Effects of territorial expansion

Expansionist Tension From 1800 to 1850 territorial expansion tore the United States apart. Territorial expansion itself was not a debated issue. Spurred by the concept of Manifest Destiny, almost everyone believed that America should extend from sea to shining sea and maybe even farther. ... The first real crisis over territorial expansion took place in 1819-1821 over the admission of the state of Missouri. ... From 1800 to 1850 America saw a growth in territorial expansion. ...

  • Word Count: 769
  • Approx Pages: 3

9. expansionism

American Expansion During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the United States pursued an aggressive policy of expansionism, extending its political and economic influence around the globe. ... Each episode of expansion created an intellectual friction between those that supported territorial growth and those in opposition. ... Regardless of the historical event, an underlying belief in manifest destiny, our nation's fate and duty to settle our North American lands coast to coast, underscored each territorial acquisition. It seems certain most Americans believed in a ...

  • Word Count: 1625
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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