Manifest Destiny

             The phrase Manifest Destiny was first used in 1845, although the concept has existed since the early days of American history. Before the term was coined other words were used to describe the expansion; such as explorers, settlers, or idealism. The concept developed out of the idea that the United States had the God given rights to acquire all land between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This philosophy became increasingly popular during the first half of the 19th century, especially under the administration of President Polk.
             The fundamental want and need to explore and conquer new lands and establish new borders is the important concept behind Manifest Destiny. This concept was very popular with the political leaders of the time and because of this it became generally accepted by the public as a whole. The Manifest Destiny was a driving force behind several wars that succeeded in gaining new territory for the United States such as the Mexican War and the Indian Wars. For example in 1818 Andrew Jackson led military forces into Florida to punish the Seminal Indians which led to winning Florida from the Spanish (Hietala). Also in 1846 the United States defeated Mexico and won what is now the southwestern United States. These aggressive acts that are part of Manifest Destiny continued the Americans drive to control all the land they desired.
             Even at this time some Americans had moral doubts because the Manifest Destiny was infringing on the rights of the people already living in these territories. Generally their feelings of remorse were alleviated because of the popular public opinion that the Manifest Destiny was good for the nation. The westward expansion forced many Native Americans nations to sign unfair treaties with the United States that caused them to leave their homelands and move farther west. Many Native Americans died during this forced immigration. This eventually led to several wars and to the Native ...

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Manifest Destiny. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 22:24, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/22889.html