What is Manifest Destiny?
Manifest Destiny was a belief and ideological movement in 19th-century America that asserted the right and destiny of the United States to expand westward across the North American continent. It emerged as a widespread concept in the 1840s and was fueled by ideas of American exceptionalism, the belief in the nation's divine and inherent superiority, and the desire to spread American values, institutions, and way of life.
Supporters of Manifest Destiny believed that it was the natural and God-given right of the United States to control the entire North American continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. They saw it as the country's duty to spread democracy, Christianity, and civilization to the native peoples and territories they encountered.
The idea of Manifest Destiny influenced various development projects, such as westward expansion, including the Oregon Trail and the California Gold Rush, as well as the acquisition of new territories through purchases, treaties, and military conquests. This expansion led to the incorporation of vast territories like Texas, Oregon, California, and the southwestern states into the United States.
However, Manifest Destiny also had detrimental effects as it justified the displacement, subjugation, and mistreatment of Native American tribes, as well as conflicts with Mexico, such as the Mexican-American War. The ideology was eventually criticized as imperialistic and expansionist, particularly in its disregard for the rights and cultures of indigenous peoples and the impact it had on other nations.