In the eighteenth century, American history was the century of pioneering new land, fighting for independence, building a democratic government, and envisioning the nation’s fate. However, the nineteenth century ushered in a new era of our nation, an era of expansion. After the end of the Confederation, our nation became stable and wealthy, thus Americans looked out to the world, and they saw the Western wilderness. Being the most individualistic and prideful people on Earth, Americans determined the destiny of this great nation: expanding our nation. Behind this mission was an ideology called Manifest Destiny. By the time of Civil War, Manifest Destiny had been a dominant ideology in America. Every major event in this period was connected
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This ideology was a product of individualism, racism, and nationalism in America. Americans were the people of exploring and pioneering the new land, thus, they believed in liberty, self-independence, and self-determination. Therefore, individualism was a part of their consciousness, hence explaining why they chose democracy for their system of government instead of a monarchy. Being one of the few nations that employed democracy throughout the history of mankind, Americans were proud of their nation and values. Moreover, racism dominated America in the nineteenth century, thus they perceived other races as inferior. Therefore, with the sense of being superior, proud, and individualistic, Americans granted themselves the right of expanding their boundaries across the continent under the name of God. With the domination of this ideology in the nineteenth century, America witnessed the nation expanded our nation from the coast of Atlantic Ocean to the coast of Pacific …show more content…
The region was a shared territory between the United States and Britain, and citizens from both sides could access to the territory freely (Text 136). However, the number of Americans dominated the region, and they proposed the government to claim the territory (Text 136). The tension reached its peak in the 1840s, “Americans were demanding war, some using the slogan ’54-40 or fight,’ referring to the latitude of the northernmost point of the American claim” (Text 139). Finally, on June 15, 1846, Oregon country became the United States territory. The expansion of America to the northeast reflected that Manifest Destiny was heavily embedded in them. For Americans were eager to wage war to extend the
This ideology was a product of individualism, racism, and nationalism in America. Americans were the people of exploring and pioneering the new land, thus, they believed in liberty, self-independence, and self-determination. Therefore, individualism was a part of their consciousness, hence explaining why they chose democracy for their system of government instead of a monarchy. Being one of the few nations that employed democracy throughout the history of mankind, Americans were proud of their nation and values. Moreover, racism dominated America in the nineteenth century, thus they perceived other races as inferior. Therefore, with the sense of being superior, proud, and individualistic, Americans granted themselves the right of expanding their boundaries across the continent under the name of God. With the domination of this ideology in the nineteenth century, America witnessed the nation expanded our nation from the coast of Atlantic Ocean to the coast of Pacific …show more content…
The region was a shared territory between the United States and Britain, and citizens from both sides could access to the territory freely (Text 136). However, the number of Americans dominated the region, and they proposed the government to claim the territory (Text 136). The tension reached its peak in the 1840s, “Americans were demanding war, some using the slogan ’54-40 or fight,’ referring to the latitude of the northernmost point of the American claim” (Text 139). Finally, on June 15, 1846, Oregon country became the United States territory. The expansion of America to the northeast reflected that Manifest Destiny was heavily embedded in them. For Americans were eager to wage war to extend the