Chapter 17: Manifest Destiny & Westward Expansion - Nick Wittwer, Period 6

In the mid-1800's, Americans were eager to continue to move westward. They felt that God had said America had the right to expand and control everything between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, even though much of the western land was occupied by Native Americans.

Leading up to the Manifest Destiny, there were a few other documents that helped pave the way for America's hunger for land. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson purchase the Louisiana territory, which included all the land from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains. This purchase doubled the amount of territory under control of the U.S. at the time, and was an important event for the motivation of the conquest of the west.

Then in 1823, the Discovery Doctrine was a result of the Johnson v. M'Intosh case. This law talked about the Christian faith as believing in the idea that God wanted the Americans to expand westward, but its main purpose was to deny land rights to the Natives. While this idea had been around since even before the 15th century, this was the first time it was considered a law in the U.S. Ironically, the law was passed without any involvement of Native American representatives.

Chief Justice John Marshall originally claimed that during the "Age of Discovery", Christian European countries had gained control over western lands. However, after America's independence, U.S. inherited these lands from Great Britain. He also said that the Natives did not have any rights as independent nations, but instead they were considered no more than tenants or residents of U.S. land. Laws and actions like these foreshadowed the Trail of Tears for the Native American nation.

Another reason Americans were so determined to move west was the opportunity for wealth and prosperity and to share the government and freedom that the American dream stood for.

Besides the few European countries that believed they were the ones who should gain control of the west, Native Americans still inhabited much of the land. This problem was addressed with the Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears. Our interactions with the natives are still an embarrassment for the United States government today.

Finally in 1845, John O'Sullivan -- a newspaper editor for the Democratic Review -- created the term Manifest Destiny. Like before, the followers believed that God himself blessed the growth of the American nation like it said in the Doctrine of Discovery, which was a European concept. However, it heavily focused on backing up the idea that America was chosen by God to rule the western land; not the Europeans.

".... 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… 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." 

After the manifest was created, it boosted the idea amongst Americans that they naturally had the right to expand and spread freedom and democracy. Unfortunately, this excluded Native and African Americans. But no matter what it was called, the principles of these documents, which is for Americans to control the continent, have been catastrophic for Native Americans, African Americans, and Mexicans to name the majority of those who lost their lives and land in order for American westward expansion to be successful. Historians believe that many were misled because of Christianity, which played a major role in the expansion, particularly with the Second Great Awakening.

In conclusion, the American obsession with land was really sparked in the early 19th century, and would negatively affect many races and cultures that had rightfully controlled the land

Works Cited

"The Doctrine of Discovery and U.S. Expansion." ADL: Fighting Anti-Semitism, Bigotry and Extremism. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://www.adl.org/education/curriculum_connections/Doctrine_of_Discovery.asp>.

Gonz&aacute;lez, Miguel &Aacute;ngel. "The U.S.-Mexican War . Prelude to War . Manifest Destiny Overview | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/manifest_destiny_overview.html>.

"Westward Expansion: The Louisiana Purchase [ushistory.org]." Ushistory.org. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/20c.asp>.