“Manifest
Destiny”
John Gast American Progress (c. 1872)
Who’s in this picture? What are they doing?
John Gast American Progress (c. 1872)
•This painting is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny.
–Here Columbia, intended as a personification of the United States, leads civilization westward with American settlers, stringing telegraph wire as
she travels; she holds a school book.
–The different economic activities of the pioneers are highlighted and, especially, the changing forms of transportation.
–The Native Americans and wild animals flee.
–Allegory-a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete
or material forms; figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another.
Manifest Destiny is a term for the
attitude prevalent during the 19th
century period of American
expansion that the United States
not only could, but was destined
to, stretch from coast to coast.
This attitude helped fuel western
settlement, Native American
removal and war with Mexico.
The phrase was first employed
by John L. O’Sullivan in an article
on the annexation of Texas
published in the July-August
1845 edition of the United States
Magazine and Democratic
Review, which he edited.
Definition
“The expansion of the United States
throughout the continent was both justifiable
and inevitable”
What motivated the United States to expand
is borders westward?
6.
National and border security on the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, as well as on the northern border with
Canada and southern border with Mexico
7.
Re-emergence of a second party system and more political democratization and the possibility of spreading
democracy.
8.
Increase in American nationalism and pride for the nation.
9.
Possibility of expanding land OPEN or CLOSED to slavery
10.
Possibility of admission of new states
John O’Sullivan’s “Manifest Destiny”
 Term first coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845.
 ".... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of
the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great
experiment of liberty and federaltive development of self-government entrusted to
us. 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."
John O’Sullivan was an influential columnist as a young
man, but is now generally remembered only for his use of
the phrase "Manifest Destiny" to advocate the annexation of
Texas and Oregon.
What is “Manifest Destiny?”
•Manifest Destiny was a term used in the
1840s to justify the United States'
westward expansion into such areas as
Texas, Oregon, and California.
•There was a widely held underlying belief
that Americans, the "chosen people," had
a divinely inspired mission to spread the
fruits of their democracy to the less
fortunate (usually meaning Native
Americans and other non-Europeans).
•The idea of an almost religious Manifest
Destiny was a common staple in the
speeches and newspaper articles of the
time.
•Most of the exponents of expansion were
Democrats, but some Whigs (and later
Republicans) were also supporters.
Who supported “Manifest Destiny?”
•Advocates of Manifest Destiny
believed that expansion was not
only good, but that it was obvious
("manifest") and certain ("destiny").
•Originally a political catch phrase
of the 19th century, "Manifest
Destiny" eventually became a
standard historical term,
sometimes used as a synonym for
the expansion of the United States
across the North American
continent which the belief inspired
or was used to justify.
Who opposed “Manifest Destiny?”
Critics of Manifest Destiny
rejected the idea that it was
God's will or even a good
thing for the country to
expand when it resulted in
warfare and the subjugation
and mistreatment of native
peoples.
Expansionists used the
concept to justify their cruel
treatment of those peoples,
critics asserted.
Critics grew particularly incensed when the
concept was used to justify wars of
expansion.
God would not destine a nation to kill and
subjugate people, they argued.
A small group of Whigs, mostly from the
New England states who saw expansion
as facilitating the spread of slavery. That
would only increase the tension between a
precariously balanced North and South,
they warned.
Who opposed “Manifest Destiny?”
Manifest Destiny, with its talk of the need
to "civilize" the "savages" who occupied
the west, was also blatantly racist, they
asserted.
Furthermore, critics asserted,
overexpansion was a threat to the
country; it risked spreading the nation's
institutions too thin, they warned.
Other critics argued the belief that the
U.S. already had enough land, and
should stop seeking more.
If the "war be right then Christianity is
wrong, a falsehood, a lie,"
Congregationalist minister Theodore
Parker asserted in opposition to the war
with Mexico.
Many in particular portrayed the MexicanAmerican War as a land grab, aimed at the
conquest of a vulnerable neighbor with little
ability to defend itself.
Critics argued that Manifest Destiny was
used to justify imperialism, and that the
U.S. would never have tolerated being
treated the way it was treating other
countries.
Who opposed “Manifest Destiny?”
Not only was Manifest Destiny
morally wrong, critics argued, but its
realization through territorial
expansion was unconstitutional.
Those critics, called "strict
constructionists," maintained that the
Constitution never expressly gave the
country a right to acquire new lands,
so the government did not have the
right to acquire territory.
That view had also been expressed
by opponents of the Louisiana
Purchase.
A small group of Whigs, mostly
from the New England states
who saw expansion as
facilitating the spread of slavery.
That would only increase the tension
between a precariously balanced
North and South, they warned.
In short, opponents questioned
both the ideal of Manifest
Destiny and its practical
consequences.
Manifest Destiny “Fever”
Americans believe that their movement westward
& southward was “destined and ordained by God.”
Americans believed that this destiny was manifest
or obvious.
Mexican
TEXAS
Texas Background
● Texas belonged to Mexico
● Mexico needed money to help pay war
debts after gaining independence from
Spain
● Mexico invited immigrants in
“The Old 300”
● First empresarial grant given to Stephen
F. Austin (1823)
● Brought 300 people with him
● Some of the first Americans to settle in
Mexican Texas
● Land was cheap in Texas
Rising Tensions
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Americans refused to be naturalized
Americans refused slave reforms
Immigrants had to pay taxes again
Tariffs on imported goods increased
Further immigration from USA prohibited
Texas
Revolution
Causes:
● Taxes
● Slavery
Important Events:
● Siege of Bejar
● The Alamo
● Battle of San Jacinto
Results and Implications
● Texas is an independent country
● “Americans” were able to take what they
wanted
● Manifest Destiny
● Mexico refuses to recognize Texas
sovereignty
Mexican American War
(1846-1848)
Background
● Texas was its own country for 10 years
● Mexico never officially recognized Texas
independence
● Texas owned slaves
● Texas agrees to be annexed by the United
States in 1845
● USA once again adds more land to itself
● Polk was very pro Manifest Destiny
Sovereignty
● Who “owns” Texas?
● The Texans? The Mexicans? The USA?
● Border Dispute
Surprise!
USA wins
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
●
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Ends the Mexican-American War
USA pays $15 million to Mexico
Rio Grande as the border for Texas
Gives the USA what would become New
Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts
of Wyoming and Colorado
How do the results of the Mexican-American
war relate to manifest destiny?
How would you feel as an American after this
war?