Manifest Destiny Summary

From all things that I have learned regarding the Manifest Destiny, it was a horrible thought for one people in particular, the Indians. The School House Rocks video entitled, Elbow Room – Manifest Destiny, gives us a very PG version of this concept of Manifest Destiny. Basically, with everyone settled in the East of the United States things were starting to get a little cramped. Most people saw their opportunity for growth, not only agricultural wise but also financially, in the West and began to journey that way. Americans saw in the west empty land that needed to be occupied and moving west would give them a chance to not only spread their government but also spread their religion as well. The new settlers felt that America, by God’s hand was destined for greatness.
The Americans saw all the new land in the West and felt it needed to be tamed; however the open land they seemingly was not occupied was actually extremely occupied! This was …show more content…
That quote from John Quincy Adams speaks to the heart of how the Americans truly felt about the new land; the land belonged to them and in their mind, it was theirs to do whatever they pleased. It was their divine duty given by God to spread democracy from the East all the way to the West. In addition to that, the Americans didn’t feel like they had to take the country by force; they actually believed once they settled and displayed their way of life (which was apparently far greater than the Native Americans) the Indians would join right in with all the fun. Were they really that