Origins of Manifest Destiny
This term was coined by journalist John L. O'Sullivan in 1845 to describe America's divine right to expand westward.
What is Manifest Destiny?
In 1803, the United States acquired this vast region from France, doubling the size of the country and sparking the idea of Manifest Destiny.
What is the Louisiana Purchase?
This 1846 conflict between the U.S. and Mexico was the military manifestation of Manifest Destiny, resulting in significant territorial gains.
What is the Mexican-American War?
the forced relocation of thousands of Native Americans to this desolate region
what is the Trail of Tears.
Manifest Destiny was influenced by this 19th-century ideology that promoted American exceptionalism and the belief in spreading democracy.
What is American Exceptionalism?
This 1846 treaty between the U.S. and Great Britain set the boundary at the 49th parallel, securing the Oregon Territory for the U.S.
What is the Oregon Treaty?
This 1849 event caused a massive migration to California, driven by the discovery of gold and the promise of prosperity.
What is the California Gold Rush?
This movement, driven by Manifest Destiny, resulted in the establishment of farming communities and the spread of U.S. culture across the West.
What is westward expansion?
This U.S. president, who was in office from 1845 to 1849, is most often associated with promoting Manifest Destiny.
Who is James K. Polk?
The U.S. annexed this independent republic in 1845, which was once part of Mexico.
What is Texas?
This act of 1862 provided land grants to individuals willing to settle and farm the western frontier, supporting the idea of westward expansion.
What is the Homestead Act?
Manifest Destiny helped cement the U.S. as a continental power but also contributed to the intensification of debates over this issue, leading to the Civil War.
What is slavery?
In the 1830s, this writer and philosopher argued for westward expansion and a "superior destiny" for Americans, influencing the ideas behind Manifest Destiny.
Who is Ralph Waldo Emerson?
This 1848 agreement ended the Mexican-American War and resulted in the U.S. gaining territories that would become California, Nevada, and others.
What is the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
This 1848 acquisition of California, Arizona, and other southwestern territories marked the final major territorial gain under Manifest Destiny.
What is the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
This group of Native Americans was famously displaced and relocated during the westward expansion, culminating in the Trail of Tears.
Who are the Cherokee?
The phrase "Manifest Destiny" refers to the belief that the U.S. had a divine obligation to expand to this ocean.
What is the Pacific Ocean?
The U.S. acquired this region from Mexico in 1853 for $10 million to facilitate a southern route for a transcontinental railroad.
What is the Gadsden Purchase?
The construction of this vital transportation project, completed in 1869, connected the eastern U.S. to the western territories and was a direct outcome of Manifest Destiny.
What is the Transcontinental Railroad?
In addition to Native Americans, this group was severely impacted by the westward expansion due to racial discrimination and violence.
Who are Mexican-Americans?