Manifest Destiny Attitude Westward Expansion - 898 Words

Manifest Destiny: Attitude towards Westward Expansion Today America is one of the major superpowers in the world and it is all a product of centuries of wars and expansion. It all started in 1492, with Christopher Columbus discovering America to the Great American Revolution with Civil War and finally the election of the first black president. Expansion has always been a major part of American development and manifest destiny is what makes America what it is today despite the negative aspects of it. Manifest Destiny is one of the peculiar features of America in the 19th century since â€Å"all nations are defined by their shared myths, but only United States had Manifest Destiny† (Amy S. Greenberg 4). I am of two minds in describing it and partially concur with this elucidation of manifest destiny that â€Å"In the mid-nineteenth century, Americans had come to believe that it was their destiny to explore, settle and exploit the entire continent and to unify it into one nation,† but I also harmonize with the expression by G eorge Caitlin that manifest destiny became â€Å"an unrequited account of sin and injustice† and U.S. citizens became â€Å"cruel dispossessors.† There were various factors which affected this expansion in the 1940s. It started with the purchase of Louisiana territory from French by Jefferson in 1803 for $15million which was a bargain for America and nearly doubled the land. One of the major aspects of this purchase was also the acquisition of the New Orleans, which was oneShow MoreRelatedManifest Destiny Essay735 Words   |  3 PagesManifest Destiny affect on Modern United States During the mid 1800’s America was at a peak of nationalism, which involved their religious beliefs. Manifest destiny describes the attitude of a white man in America during the 19th century, involving their desire for evangelization, white supremacy, and westward expansion. To a majority of the Americans, manifest destiny was a proud accomplishment they would be faced with. Manifest destiny had a negative impact on the Native Americans, however, itRead MoreManifest Destiny, By John L. Sullivan1491 Words   |  6 PagesIt is hard to read anything about the history of the United States without coming across the term â€Å"Manifest Destiny†. Manifest Destiny is a term, which was first coined by John L. Sullivan in the summer 1845 issue of the Democratic Review. â€Å"Hence it was carried into the debate on the Oregon question in the House of Representatives and proved to be such a convenient summing up of the self-confident nationalist and expansionist sentiment of the t ime that it passed into the permanent national vocabularyRead MoreWestward Expansion Of The United States1477 Words   |  6 Pagesnation consisting of only thirteen states. Over time the leaders of this county recognized that in order to prosper the nation would need to expand beyond the current set borders. Westward Expansion was the only solution, to adopt such a large endeavor meant that the population had to have a reason to migrate west. Expansion had appeal to the Southern land owners for the fact that the Missouri Compromise did not affect territories that were not part of the Louisiana Purchase, while those who did notRead MoreManifest Destiny And Westward Expansion Essay1447 Words   |  6 Pages1) OUTLINE: I. 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Following the earlier Texas War of Independence from Mexico, tensions between the two largest independent nations on the North American continent grew as Texas eventually became a U.S. state. Disputes