List of Pros of Manifest Destiny
1. There was territorial expansion.
Generally, expansions mean improvement and progress. Proponents of the movement said that with Manifest Destiny, America became what it is today, one of the most powerful countries in the world. When our forefathers followed what was destined for America, the U.S. was able to acquire more properties as well as gold. This also made it possible for more immigrants to have chance to start new lives. Without this phenomenon, none of this will happen.
2. It brought more land for farming and improvement.
Those who were in favor of the movement said that with more land area acquired, there were more agriculture land made available which was good for the economy and for supply of
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By acquiring lands from other places and even other countries, like Alaska which was bought from Russia, there will be more routes for trade and barter. Also, those who want to live somewhere else for economic purposes and greener pasture were given the opportunity to do so.
4. As it doubled the land area of the U.S., it also increased goods, services and wealth.
Some advocates said that not only did the movement increase the size of the country, expanding to other countries and not just states, but it also added to farm lands needed to produce products and poultry. Moreover, with the territorial expansion not only in Asia but also in Europe, more ports for trade were opened and all these added to the reserves of the country, thus, it brought about more wealth. The gold rush of 1849 is one of the significant events in American history and this happened within the period where Manifest Destiny evolved.
5. It paved the way for Americans to share their
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It brought about war and conflict.
Opponents of Manifest Destiny argued that this philosophy resulted to war between countries and even the civil war. As early as 1822, the U.S. was already in conflict with Great Britain over the division of Oregon. It also gave a reason for the U.S. to start a war with Mexico and Spain. These are not the only conflicts that took place. Critics also said that it had other names and one was imperialism which led to the taking over of the United States on other countries like Guam, Philippines and Puerto Rico.
2. It was a time of slavery.
One of the drawbacks of U.S. territorial expansion was the proliferation of slavery. Although the Americans made a promise that they will not be taking the land of other people, like the Native Americans, without their consent and other than through peaceful means, history showed that this did not really happen. Slavery of the Native Americans was at its peak during this time and many were killed and displaced during the so-called expansion. And although there were those who submitted themselves freely and perhaps from fear, there were also those who overtly showed defiance, which led to more bloodshed and
Other reasons fueling the need to expand included the thought that land ownership meant someone was wealthy and could support him/herself. An easy way to achieve this reputation was to move west where land was easy to obtain. Land ownership could also signal political power which was very important. Another reason was "in 1818 and 1839 the United States suffered an economic depression" (Manifest Destiny). Instead of relying on the government in the crisis, citizens found life better on the frontier away from the depression. Trade was a very important part of the life in the nineteenth century so being able to live on the west coast would open a whole new window of trade opportunities. Ports on the west coast could also turn into large cities and prosper like the ones on the east coast and "promote new commerce" (Adams 332).
In 1845 John O’sullivan created the phrase Manifest Destiny. This was America's fate to settle land all the way to the Pacific to spread Democracy and Liberty. Once this this idea was brought up, people have been inspired to move west. In 1840 people felt they needed to take more land. Though some americans thought other people lived in these lands, the move to the west was still a success.This brought devastating affects to the Native Americans and Mexicans. Manifest Destiny affected the Native American tribes, Mexico, and the United States.
While Manifest Destiny and territorial expansion created conflict with foreign nations, including the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), and within the United States, it worked to unify the United States from 1830 to 1860 by strengthening the nation as a whole, creating economic opportunities for people from all different walks of life, and expanding the United States through the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of California from Mexico.
Manifest destiny and westward expansion was a tremendous key component to the growth of the nation economically because of the impact it had on native americans, women empowerment, and expanding the population of the country.
Westward expansion was a time of successes and failures, a time celebrations and grief, a time full of life and death but in the end it shaped how America is the way is today. Westward expansion was put in action because of the belief of Manifest Destiny, the belief that it is America fate to expand from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean. The economical, political and humanitarians impacts were necessary to achieve the goal of manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion.
However, there were many positive economic aspects for American citizens who were moving westward. The Homestead Act of 1862 was an incentive for people to move
In the 19th century the settlers in America believed they had a mandate from God to expand west, this is called the Manifest Destiny. This expansion would involve not merely territorial aggrandizement, but the progress of liberty and individual economic opportunity as well. The Manifest Destiny shaped America throughout the years. Three main things that revolve around the Manifest Destiny are the moon race with Russia, western expansion, and how we found more resources and advancements in technology.
The idea of manifest destiny changed the American landscape majorly. The manifest destiny helped America gain the status as a true nation in the world community and encouraged people to believe that the country was destined to grow. The United States had to go through a lot of obstacles to earn the landscape they have
Manifest Destiny means clear or obvious future or fate, therefore; the United States believed that it was their Manifest Destiny to expand Westward and to gain more land, this is how they came to war with Mexico. The expansion westward/ Manifest Destiny would change their standings economically, socially, and geographically. It changed them economically by making them money by working different jobs, mainly in factories, it changed them socially by having different views than Mexico; which made them develop new laws, and government it changed them geographically because of more and more land was being farmed, factories being built.
Manifest Destiny was one of the worst thing the United States have ever done. Manifest Destiny happened from 1825 to 1850. Manifest Destiny was something the Americans believed in. They basically said the God compels them to take over the land from coast to coast. The three things that contributed to Manifest Destiny were the treatment of the Native Americans by the United States government, the Texas revolution, and the Mexican American war.
The main ways the federal government gained land were through war, purchase, and stealing land from
Manifest Destiny pushed America into a new, positive light. Economics, along with the government and social classes were affected by Manifest Destiny.
Manifest destiny and territorial expansion unified the United States from 1830 to 1860 by the means of creating a sense of safety and peace, increasing the content on the American population, and aided the economy.
Westward expansion was a new thing and time in our country and had many impacts on the American people and ways of life. The government made it available to buy a lot more of land in the West. Our government gave opportunities for people to move west for a better life or more land in the west. The government gave opportunities like the homestead act where the government would give families 160 acres of land if they moved west at the time this deal was going on. This act was signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862. People moved west for any opportunity they could. People moved for a new life, more land, and more opportunities in
Manifest Destiny is a term that was first coined in 1845 by a journalist named John L. O’Sullivan, and was described as America’s destiny to expand, and that it was God’s will that America was to expand. According to Genovese, “The notion of westward expansion and domination of the white races struck a responsive chord in many Americans” (Genovese, 2017). The idea of expanding America’s territory was so popular that is was even later used in Congress to justify the claiming of Oregon’s territory. While the idea of expanding America seemed great to the Americans, it was not so great for those who were living on the land that the Americans would later claim. According to Hastedt, “The failure to assimilate and prosper was the fault of those receiving America’s goodness” (Hastedt, 2016). The Americans felt that they were superior to those whose lands they were trying to take, such as the Native Americans and Mexicans, and that they should be the ones to adopt American culture, even if they were there before the Americans claimed the land. The Americans even thought that those whose lands they were taking would be happy to convert to their way of living, as is stated by Hastedt, “The inherent superiority of American Values was sure to be recognized by those with whom they came in contact and would gladly be adopted” (Hastedt, 2016). This mindset would ultimately lead to the expansion of America, turning it into what we know today, but it would also ultimately result in conflict with those that the American’s were attempting to take the land from for the sake of expansion.