The Spread Of Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny is the 19th century idea and belief that it was America’s destiny to spread all the way from the east coast to the west coast. Manifest Destiny, however, was not an objectively good idea. To many, such as Native Americans, Latin American Government Officials, and Northern Abolitionists, the idea was infuriating and seen as unjust, but Americans disregarded these sentiments and kept migrating west. When Andrew Jackson was president, there were about 250,000 Native Americans east of the Mississippi River, and about 2-3 million more Natives to the west of it. Old Hickory initially tried to assimilate Indians into civilized society as the US expanded westward, but the Native Americans did not like Americans …show more content…
The first Mexican land inhabited by Americans was known as Texas. Stephan Austin acquired this land legally under the condition that he bring 300 Roman Catholic families, ban slavery in the territory, and make everyone a Mexican citizen. In this territory, however, there were 30,000 people, only a few Roman Catholic families, and a couple of slaves. Tension between new Texans and Mexicans continued to grow, and the tension erupted into war. Texans fought in many battles only to lose, but at San Jacinto, Sam Huston defeated Santa Anna’s Mexican army. Houston forced Anna to sign papers declaring that Texas was independent, and that Texas’s southern border was the Rio Grande. After Santa Anna got back to safety, he reputed those signatures and did not recognize Texas as an independent nation. Texas, however, asked the US for statehood, but we said no in hope to avoid conflicts over Mexico. Texas was just the first territory sought out by Americans. California was another coveted area by the American people. Zachary Taylor was an American military hero who invaded northern Mexico from Texas. This general killed many Mexicans to reach his final destination. Winfield Scott’s conquests brought American victory in the Mexican War. These two American war heroes were then catapulted into the candidacy for the Whig Party in the presidential election of 1848. The second image called, …show more content…
John Brown was a radical northern abolitionist who attacked a federal arsenal, got guns, and planned on starting a revolution against slavery. John Brown and his sons moved into Kansas soon after the Kansas-Nebraska Act had opened it for the possible expansion of slavery. Proslavery forces sacked the “free state” town of Lawrence, and subsequently began to have success in guerilla warfare. The success of the proslavery forces made Brown resolve to murdering five proslavery settlers. Brown was eventually hanged for treason, but he is a staple in American history when discussing the abolitionist movement. The third image named, “Tragic Prelude,” portrays John Brown in-between the northern and southern forces with his foot on top of a proslavery soldier’s head. In the background there is a tornado and large heap of fire. These images symbolize the tempests of war that are brewing over the slavery conflict. John Brown would not be the John Brown he is today if Kansas had not been opened for settlement. He went on his rampage because of the dispute of whether or not Kansas was to be a pro or anti slavery state. Westward expansion was not a desire for a northern abolitionist, because if more territories arose, then there would also be more disputes over whether or not that territory would be proslavery or antislavery. If I were a passive