Analyzing aspects of an American mindset: Manifest Destiny & White Man’s Burden
(1830s-1930s)
While your group works through the primary sources, record your thoughts on your own paper below:
DESTINY: Do you believe in Destiny? Are you destined to do great things? Are you destined to be a great parent?
Are you destined to be a loving partner? Are you destined to be a professional? Are you destined to be rich and famous?
Divine Providence: (After hearing the class examples, how do you now describe it?) ____________________
Group Activity: In your small group, you will further analyze the article written by John L. O’Sullivan, “A
Divine Destiny for America.” Choose a recorder to highlight on the group page, a presenter to present some
observations, a questioner to make sure everyone is involved, and a time-keeper to keep the group moving.
Step 1- Write your group’s definition for Manifest Destiny: _________________________________________
Step 2- According to O’Sullivan, what is America’s Destiny? Find words that he uses to describe that destiny
and underline them on the large group sheet. Pay particular attention to paragraph ___ as you will be
presenting from that paragraph.
Step 3- According to O’Sullivan, why is America destined to achieve the greatness? Find words that he uses to
describe why American is destined and circle them on the large group sheet. Once again, pay particular
attention to your group’s paragraph so that you will be ready to present.
Step 4- As a group, discus the following questions, and record your ideas on the large sheet of paper:
How might this mindset influence politicians of the time?
In what ways might this mindset positively impact American expansion?
What are the possible negative ramifications (impacts) of this mindset?
Step 5- Share a summary of your group’s findings while paying particular attention to your paragraph.
Step 6- Mr. Papatassos investigates a “White-Mans Burden.”
Step 7- Listen to the rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and follow along with the lyrics. Note any
characteristics of Manifest Destiny and White Mans Burden that appear in this primary source written
in 1814. Underline and label any references.
Why do you think this was chosen as the National Anthem by Congress in 1931?
Why is only the first stanza utilized?
In what ways does the anthem of your country have similar characteristics to the Star Spangled Banner?
Step 8- Homework: Follow-up
Using your textbooks (literature or history) and research tools…
a. …find two examples of Americans or events (between 1830-1930) that affirm that some Americans were driven by the
mindset of Manifest Destiny and/or White Man’s Burden. Summarize briefly what they did, or what happened, and
describe how they reflect the mindset. Make sure to site your source and page numbers.
b. ……find two examples of Americans or events (between 1830-1930 that show some Americans were opposed to the
mindset of Manifest Destiny and/or White Man’s Burden. Summarize briefly what they did, or what happened, and
describe how they reflect the mindset. Make sure to site your sources and page numbers.
c. Respond to the following: To what extent does this mindset exist today? Is it a positive or negative force of
influence? Explain and be specific.
d. BONUS CREDIT: Find other primary sources that confirm or negate the two articles. Find primary evidence and
bring them to class on disc.