Manifest Destiny - A Philosophy That Helped CreateA Nation

- Consider the following questions / prompts:

  • Summarize, what is Manifest Destiny?
  • What are the examples mentioned in the handout regarding historical examples of Manifest Destiny?
  • What ideas are presented in the painting “American Progress” (1872) by John Gast?
  • How does the Mexican Cession, and other territorial expansion for that matter, contribute to the national tensions that would lead to the Civil War?

Manifest Destiny was one of the majorideas that greatly changed American history, creating what we know today as the United States. American history is a chronological record of significant events, each event having a cause and effect. Historical events are presented as though being tangible, being tied to an exact date. Manifest Destiny, on the other hand, is a phenomenon, not an exact date. It cannot necessarily even be tied to a specific period of time in American history, although it is most commonly associated with the 1840’s and 50’s, the two decades before the American Civil War. Manifest Destiny, however, existed as a philosophy well before these decades, influencing America’s purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and influenced American imperialism during the 1890’s in its war with Spain called the Spanish-American War. In its simplest form, Manifest Destiny can be defined as "A Movement" that powered American life and American culture in an effort to expand the nation.

Coining the Phrase & What is it?

In 1845, an influential newspaper editor by the name of John L. O'Sullivan gave the movement its name. In an attempt to explain America's thirst of expansion for more land, and to present a defense for America's claim to new territories he wrote:

".... 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 … to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the yearly development of our multiplying millions.”

And, according to William Gilden, who said the following:

“The American realizes that progress is God. The destiny of the American people is to subdue the continent, to rush over this vast field to the Pacific Ocean, to change darkness into light and confirm the destiny of the human race.”

Manifest Destiny became the rallying cry throughout America, as it was publicized in the papers, advertised and argued by politicians throughout the nation, and promoted in artwork.

A Movement As Old As America Itself

The idea of Manifest Destiny is as old as America itself. The philosophy sailed with Christopher Columbus across the Atlantic. It resided in the spirits of the Jamestown colonists, and it landed at Plymouth Rock with the Pilgrims. Throughout history there are numerous examples of Manifest Destiny. American history books are filled with words such as, Explorers, Frontier, Territories, Expansionism, Settlers, Sectionalism, and Immigration. All of these terms are understood better when we understand “Manifest Destiny.” Without Manifest Destiny, phrases and terms such as "Beyond the Great American Desert," "The North West Passage," and "The Oregon Trail", would be just empty examples of white man's travels.

Although the movement was named in 1845, the philosophy behind Manifest Destiny always existed throughout American History. In 1803, although President Thomas Jefferson had reservations about purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France, as this power to purchase land was not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, the desire to expand the nation proved too great.

Also, in 1818 General Andrew Jackson (a future president) led U.S. military forces into Florida topunish the Seminoleand Creek Indians for taking up arms with the Spanish, eventually capturing many Native Americansand destroying theirvillages and forts. Americans had moral reservations about the rough tactics of Jackson, but Florida seemed destined to be part of American territory. It would not become part of the United States until the Adams-Onis Treaty (1819), but Florida, a Spanish Colony at the time, was seen by Americans as fertile land, which would be great for farming. So American farmers before 1819, without any political approval or permission,started settling land and planting crops in the Florida territory.

Again, the Texas Revolt (1835-36), which included the Battle of the Alamo, the annexation of Texas (1845) by the United States adding it to the country, and the Mexican-American War (1846-48) all were motivated by Manifest Destiny. The United States declared war on Mexico in 1846 and proceeded to win much of what is now the Southwestern United States, the modern states of Utah, Nevada, and Californiaand parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Growing National Tension

With this new territory added to the nation, the main questions now for the nation were, “Will this land be free or slave territory?” and “How does the nation maintain an equal balance of slave and free states?” These same questions were also asked with regards to the Louisiana and Missouri Territories being added to the nation. So “Manifest Destiny” contributed to the sectional divide in this country between North and South, because more land added to the nation increased the tension between the two sections, as both the North and South desired to win the competitive balance in order to gain the political advance over the other.