8TH GRADE U.S. HISTORY CONCEPT CLARIFICATION LESSON: Manifest Destiny PASS STANDARD: U.S. History 9:1 The student will evaluate and explain the westward expansion of the United States from
1801 to 1877: Examine and discuss Manifest Destiny as a motivation and justification
for westward expansion, the lure of the West, and the reality of life on the frontier
NCSS STANDARD: Time, Continuity, and Change RATIONALE: The lesson discusses the concept that led to the expansion of the United States territory from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. The United States acquired the territory of what is now Oklahoma under this philosophy. This westward expansion also had huge implications on the Native American and Mexican populations that were previously in the territories. GOAL: Students will gain further understanding of the concept of exploration and expansion as well as the specific philosophy of Manifest Destiny in American history. OBJECTIVE: Given the opportunity, students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the philosophy of Manifest Destiny. Students will work in groups to list, present and defend their arguments to the class in a discussion. MATERIALS: Projector, Microsoft Word dictionary.com, http://www.csub.edu/~gsantos/img0061.html, The American Vision (teacher materials) KEY ATTRIBUTES: Manifest Destiny is a philosophy of westward expansion. It justifies the expansion as the divinely inspired right of Americans to increase their territory and spread republican democracy from coast to coast. Broken down, manifest-­‐ apparent or obvious and destiny-­‐ something that is predetermined or inevitable. PROCEDURE: 1. The teacher will show the students the John Gast painting “American Progress” and ask students to name physical features from the painting and what the painting is portraying. a. Native Americans, American settlers, farmers, clouds, sunny skies, animals, trains, power lines, angelic figure carrying a school book b. Movement from right to left, pushing Native Americans off land, she brings education and liberty (star on her forehead) 2. Using their knowledge of the Louisiana Purchase and the almost constant westward expansion of the Americans, the teacher will ask the students to infer from the painting the artist’s opinion on Manifest Destiny and westward expansion. 3. The teacher will provide some feedback on the painting, including the quote by George Crofutt. 4. Students will then break up into predetermined groups. They will receive a handout with main ideas and events of westward expansion and some quotes related to Manifest Destiny. 5. Working in their groups (approximate size: 3), students will discuss the quotes and the philosophy behind westward expansion. They will answer the following questions: a. Is all American expansion a form of Manifest Destiny? b. Does Manifest Destiny still exist? c. Aside from the actual land acquisition, what are some lasting implications of this expansionist philosophy? 6. Each student will record for him or herself the group’s answers and arguments to turn in at the end of the lesson. Each student should be prepared to discuss the group’s answers with the class. 7. The teacher will be available for questions and will monitor the groups to ensure they are staying on task. 8. After 10+ minutes, the teacher will ask a member of each group to present their group’s thought on the actions of a particular tribe. 9. To end, the class will review the philosophy of Manifest Destiny and the elements of the painting. 10. Students will turn in their in-­‐class assignment. ANTICIPATED DIFFICULTIES: Students may get off task during group time or refuse to participate or generate information during class discussion. This lesson can be amended for individual work if a particular class does not perform well with group work. EVALUATION: Group participation and contributions to the class discussion will serve as the assessment for the understanding of the lesson. In addition, each student will turn in his or her notebook paper with the information from the group discussion. Manifest Destiny
Definitions:
Manifest- readily perceived by the eye or the understanding; evident; obvious; apparent;
plain
Destiny- something that is bound to happen or has happened to a particular person or
thing; lot or fortune; the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events
Westward Expansion:
By 1783- United States has all the territory east of the Mississippi except for the Florida
Territory (U.S. will acquire this land from Spain in 1819)
1803- purchases Louisiana Territory from France more than doubling the size of the U.S.,
Lewis and Clark are commissioned to explore the territory
Under presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams Native Americans are
allowed to stay on their territory so long as there is peace. Jefferson advocated a peaceful
coexistence.
1821- Mexico gives Moses Austin permission to settle 300 families in Texas.
1830- President Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, the Choctaw are the first to
travel the Trail of Tears in 1831
1834- First missionaries arrive in Oregon territory
1835- Battle of the Alamo takes place “Remember the Alamo” becomes the battle cry for
Texas independence
1838-Cherokee tribe forced off land at gunpoint, travel Trail of Tears to Indian Territory
1845- Texas becomes a state
1846- Receive Oregon from Great Britain, U.S. goes to war with Mexico over the border
of Texas, Henry David Thoreau goes to jail for refusing to pay his poll tax as a protest to
the war with Mexico
1848- the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the war with Mexico—increasing the U.S.
territory by about 30%
1848- John Marshall discovers gold in California and thousands of people (including
people from Latin America and China) flock to the area in the Gold Rush
1850- Irish immigrants working from the east meet with Chinese immigrants working
from the west to complete the first transcontinental railroad, California is admitted to the
union
Important Quotes:
John O’Sullivan:
“And the claim is by the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the
whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great
experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us.”
John Quincy Adams (in a letter to his father):
“The whole continent of North America appears to be destined by Divine Providence to
be peopled by one nation, speaking one language, professing one general system of
religious and political principles, and accustomed to one general tenor of social usages
and customs. For the common happiness of them all, for their peace and prosperity, I
believe it is indispensable that they should be associated in one federal Union.”
Herman Melville quote:
“We Americans are the peculiar, chosen people—the Israel of our time; we bear the ark
of the liberties of the world.”
American Progress
John Gast
What do you see in the painting?
How does this painting portray westward expansion?
Is it positive or negative in its portrayal?
In John Gast’s “American Progress,” a diaphanously and precarious clad America floats
westward thru the air with the “Star of Empire” on her forehead. She has left the cities of
the east behind and the wide Mississippi, and still her course is westward. In her right
hand she carries a schoolbook—testimonial of the national enlightenment, while with her
left she trails the slender wires of the telegraph that will bind the nation. Fleeing her
approach are Indians, buffalo, wild horses, bears and other game, disappearing into the
storm and waves of the Pacific Coast. They flee the wondrous vision—the star is too
much for them.” George Crofutt (he wrote travel guides and used engravings of this
paintings in his works)