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Manifest Destiny Research Paper

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The Manifest Destiny was a movement with the purpose to expand the United States starting in the 1840's. John O’Sullivan, who was a democratic leader, named the movement in 1845. Manifest Destiny meant that westward expansion was America's destiny. The land that was added to the U.S. after 1840 which was the start of Manifest Destiny included the Texas Annexation in 1845, the Oregon Country in 1846, the Mexican Cession in 1848, and the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. Even though this movement would take many years to fully accomplish, things started changing before we even knew it. America had a divine responsibility to stretch the boundaries of their nation to reach the Pacific Ocean. After winning our independence in the Revolution it was reaffirmed in the War of 1812. The attitude of the Jacksonian Era fueled this optimism.

The idea of Manifest Destiny, didn’t really divide the nation. However it did cause problems, when combined with the issue of slavery. The belief in Manifest Destiny caused the United States to expand. For example, it brought about the war with Mexico that got the entire Southwest for the US. This caused problems because it led North and South to disagree over whether the new territory should be free states or slave states. This disagreement …show more content…

By 1850 the U.S. had control of lands from the Atlantic to the Pacific, covering almost all of today's United States. The expansion of the United States’ boundaries was a cultural war as well. The desire of southerners to find more lands suitable for farming would eventually spread slavery to these regions. In the north, many citizens were concerned about adding any more slave states. Manifest destiny touched on issues of religion, money, race, and patriotism. These clashed in the 1840s as an avoidable regional conflict began to unfold.

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