What is Manifest destiny? Manifest destiny, a dominant political catchphrase of the 1800s, is a hard concept to grasp in today's world. The phrase was coined by influential Democratic Review editor John L. O'Sullivan during the time of great westward growth and expansion of the United States. "Manifest" means obvious and evident, and "destiny" implies an inevitable or undeniable course of events. The leaders and citizens of the United States during that time felt that it was their duty to impart their belief in the democratic system to all. Those who refused were considered a threat to that democratic idealism.
From Sea to Shining Sea
There was a belief that expanding the physical boundaries of the United States, along with expanding and sharing the ideals of freedom and democracy, was a divine mission, which could not be denied. Manifest destiny expansion grew, in part, from a belief that the United States had an obligation to control the North American landscape from the Atlantic coast clear across to the Pacific Ocean.
During the time between 1800 and 1850, the population of the United States grew from around 5 million people to more than 23 million people, due to a high birth rate and a huge number of immigrants coming into the country. Expanding westward, to new territories, became a necessity to accommodate the rapid growth of the population. The government strongly encouraged this expansion, and campaigned heavily to instill the idea of America Manifest Destiny into the hearts of the American people.
Another driving force in the westward expansion was a depressed economy. There were a couple of economic depressions during the 1800s, and these tough economic times drove many people west to seek new opportunites. Land in the West was inexpensive, even free in many cases, giving struggling families a chance at a better life. The influx of people moving west meant opportunities for more work and self-advancement, and many people seized that opportunity to find success on the frontier.
By the beginning of the 20th century, with the United States controlling land across North America, the term Manifest Destiny fell out of use. The American belief in the ideals of liberty and democracy continue to this day, and our goals of ending oppression and spreading democracy have a huge influence on our relationships with foreign nations.
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