John Louis O'Sullivan: Introduced the concept of Manifest Destiny.
Belief in the U.S. God-given mission to lead global democracy.
Advocated for annexing Texas.
Manifest Destiny: A quasi-religious belief in American expansion.
Ideals of spreading democracy and protecting American interests.
Criticized as imperialism; opposed by figures like Emerson and Lincoln.
Young America Movement: Emphasized national unity and expansion.
Antebellum Western Migration and Indian Removal
Post-War of 1812: Rapid settlement in the Great Lakes region.
Indian Removal: Driven by Manifest Destiny and federal policies.
Florida annexation highlighted U.S. expansionism.
Indian Removal Act of 1830: Authorized negotiation for Native relocation.
Cherokee Trail of Tears: Forced relocation with tragic outcomes.
Other tribes like the Comanche resisted removal.
Civilization Policy: Aimed to Americanize Native Americans.
Life and Culture in the West
Migration Patterns: Settlers moved as families, forming communal settlements.
Role of Women: Expected to uphold domestic norms, yet frontier allowed more opportunities.
Economic Growth: Boosted by roads, canals, and railroads.
Panic of 1819: Economic downturn affected settlers, pushing them further west.
Texas, Mexico, and the United States
Texas Revolution (1835-1836): Resulted in the Republic of Texas.
Tensions over slavery and Mexican central control.
Annexation of Texas: Controversial, feared to provoke war with Mexico.
U.S.-Mexican War (1846-1848): Resulted in vast territorial gains for the U.S.
Mexico lost half its territory.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war.
Manifest Destiny and the Gold Rush
California Gold Rush (1848): Sparked mass migration westward.
Rapid growth in cities like San Francisco.
Fueled calls for a transcontinental railroad.
Cultural and Economic Tensions: Diverse influx led to conflict and racial tensions.
The Monroe Doctrine and Manifest Destiny
Monroe Doctrine: Asserted U.S. opposition to European colonization in the Americas.
Aimed to expand U.S. influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Filibustering: Unofficial military expeditions to annex territories (e.g., Cuba).
Conclusion
Manifest Destiny: Highlighted America’s expansionist zeal and its impact on Native Americans and international relations.
Emphasized the U.S. as a beacon of democracy, but led to conflicts and ethical debates.
Set the stage for civil war by exacerbating tensions over slavery.
Primary Sources
Documents and narratives from the era, including petitions, speeches, and artistic depictions, illustrate the diverse perspectives on Manifest Destiny.