OBJECTIVE
DO FIRST
• You will be analyze the causes
of Manifest Destiny and depict
the causes in a political cartoon
• The word “destiny” means
what is going to happen in the
future. Synonym: fate or
fortune.
• What do you think your
“destiny” is?
• During the 1800’s, what did
people think was America’s
destiny? (Look back at your
HW if you don’t remember!)
What is your Destiny?
• Teacher Example!
• Student Pair-Share
America’s Destiny: “Manifest Destiny”
• What was America’s “Manifest Destiny” in the 1800s?
• To preview what we will be learning in the next few weeks,
enjoy this rap on Manifest Destiny!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrjg9ulR-xo
• After we watch, be ready to answer:
▫ Who benefited from “Manifest Destiny”?
▫ Who suffered because of “Manifest Destiny”?
NOTES: What Caused Manifest Destiny?
• Fill in your guided notes as we discuss!
Defining Manifest Destiny
• No nation ever existed without
some sense of national destiny
or purpose. In the 1800’s,
Americans started to believe
that westward expansion
(settling land west of the
Mississippi River) was our
nation’s destiny.
• People started to use the
phrase “Manifest (obvious)
Destiny” as a way to describe
the desire to expand the U.S.
all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Check your Understanding: Key Term!
• According to Americans in the 1800’s, what was
our manifest destiny?
Geographic Cause for Manifest Destiny
• In 1803, Thomas Jefferson
expanded the geographic
territory of the United
States through the
Louisiana Purchase—
the territory west of the
Mississippi River, formerly
a French colonial region,
was now the property of
the United States. By the
mid-1800s, America’s
Manifest Destiny had been
fulfilled. See the map 
America Fulfills its Destiny
Political Cause of Manifest Destiny
• The people of the United States
felt it was their political mission,
their duty, to extend the
"boundaries of freedom" by
spreading civilization and
democracy across the continent.
• Americans believed that
democracy was the best form of
government. They also believed
that the innovations of the
Industrial Revolution had
improved their lives and the
wanted to spread that technology
into new parts of the nation.
Check your Understanding of Key Ideas!
• What was the Louisiana Purchase?
• What did Americans want to spread across the
continent? Why?
Economic Causes for Manifest Destiny
• Americans also had
economic interests in
spreading westward. For
many Americans, owning
land represented wealth,
independence, and
freedom.
• Expansion into the west
would bring opportunities
for white Americans to
improve their lives and
expand their wealth
through farming or by
finding gold.
The Pioneer Spirit
• America, Story of Us: Westward
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tArUrBBU
MV4
• 16:30 to 20:10
Economic Causes for Manifest Destiny
• American merchants
also wanted to settle the
west coast and build
new ports—this would
give them the
advantage of trading
across the Pacific with
countries in Asia!
Check your Understanding!
• In the boxes below, draw a visual image to
represent each of the economic causes for
Manifest Destiny.
Social Causes for
Manifest Destiny
• There were also social reasons
for westward expansion. The
Industrial Revolution had led
to rapid urbanization and a
huge growth in population.
• The U.S. population had
grown from 5 million, in
1800, to 23 million by 1850!
The overcrowded cities could
not accommodate the
exploding populations; so
many Americans sought their
fortunes by traveling west and
settling in the wide open land.
Check your Understanding!
• How did the Industrial Revolution encourage
Manifest Destiny?
Check yourself!
• As we go through the following questions, hold
up your A-D letter card to give your answer.
• Success points will be awarded to teams
demonstrating 100% participation and accuracy.
1. The Louisiana Purchase helped
Americans to…
a.
b.
c.
d.
Become allies with the French
Expand west of the Mississippi River
End the War of 1812
Improve their Industrial economy
CORRECT ANSWER:
1. The Louisiana Purchase helped
Americans to…
a.
b.
c.
d.
Become allies with the French
Expand west of the Mississippi River
End the War of 1812
Improve their Industrial economy
2. Which of the following was an
economic cause for Manifest Destiny?
a. The desire to spread democracy and
civilization
b. The Louisiana Purchase
c. Overcrowding in cities
d. The desire to own land and search for gold
CORRECT ANSWER:
2. Which of the following was an
economic cause for Manifest Destiny?
a. The desire to spread democracy and
civilization
b. The Louisiana Purchase
c. Overcrowding in cities
d. The desire to own land or search for
gold
3. Manifest Destiny is the belief that…
a. America is destined to be the most powerful
nation
b. America must expand westward toward the
Pacific Ocean
c. Native Americans should be expelled from
their territory
d. Slavery should expand to new states in the
west
CORRECT ANSWER:
3. Manifest Destiny is the belief that…
a. America is destined to be the most powerful
nation
b. America must expand westward toward
the Pacific Ocean
c. Native Americans should be expelled from
their territory
d. Slavery should expand to new states in the
west
4. Which innovation of the Industrial
Revolution encouraged westward
settlement?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The Cotton Gin
The Powered Loom
The Steamship
The Railways
CORRECT ANSWER:
4. Which innovation of the Industrial
Revolution encouraged westward
settlement?
a.
b.
c.
d.
The Cotton Gin
The Powered Loom
The Steamship
The Railways
Exit Ticket: Political Cartoon!
• Take 1 minute to silently read through the
directions for your exit ticket.
• Use what you learned today to meet the
expectations for each component of your
political cartoon exit ticket!