After the successful succession of the original Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain the idea of Manifest Destiny became prevalent in America. Manifest Destiny is the American belief that they have the divine right to expand and push westward. Due to this belief, after the 19th century Americans would have acquired a vast majority of the land in the continent. However, before this could occur there would be negotiations, war, and dispute that took place throughout the 1800s-1850s. This period involved disputes including the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, conflict with other countries, The Annexation of Texas, and the settlement in Oregon. Throughout this period of the desire to expand there were advocates of expansion and those who criticized
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There were many people who were overjoyed with this purchase because they believed it was there duty to broaden their country. (Doc. E) Although it can be considered a victorious situation for some supporters of expansion, there were those who challenged the idea of gaining a vast amount of land from their enemy, France, and saw it as unconstitutional. James Elliot from Vermont, a Federalist who believed the Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional clearly explains that because the Constitution does not say Americans are allowed to acquire land, then the Louisiana Purchase is unconstitutional (Doc. A) There were also other opponents of the Louisiana Purchase that believed it was not beneficial to the U.S, due to the threat of the Spanish in the South. For example, Another Federalist, Samuel Thatcher believed, “No sir, Spain will border our southern frontier, and so long as Spain occupies the country we are not secure from the attempts of another nation more warlike and ambitious. (Doc. …show more content…
Many Americans who wanted to push the Indians off viewed them as inferior and did not take interest on their lives. Andrew Jackson was a forceful proponent of Indian removal that had a paternalistic view on the Indians. President Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act which authorized him to give unsettled land to the Native Americans in exchange for their lands in existing state borders. These unsettled lands were called Indian Reservations where Indian tribes such as the Cherokee, Seminoles, Creek, and Choctaw had to take long treacherous routes to reach. (Doc. D) The afflux of Americans onto Indian land was also advocated by Lewis Cass. He justified his reasoning by stating, “Existing for two centuries in contact with a civilized people, have resisted, and successfully too, to meliorate their situation or introduce among them the most common arts of life. Their moral and their intellectual condition have been equally stationary and in the whole of their existence, it would be difficult to point to a single advantage which they have derived from their acquaintance the Europeans. All this without a parallel in history of the world…” (Doc. C) Evidently this quote depicts how some people’s viewpoint of the Indians was that they were vacuous, barbarous
There were many people who were overjoyed with this purchase because they believed it was there duty to broaden their country. (Doc. E) Although it can be considered a victorious situation for some supporters of expansion, there were those who challenged the idea of gaining a vast amount of land from their enemy, France, and saw it as unconstitutional. James Elliot from Vermont, a Federalist who believed the Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional clearly explains that because the Constitution does not say Americans are allowed to acquire land, then the Louisiana Purchase is unconstitutional (Doc. A) There were also other opponents of the Louisiana Purchase that believed it was not beneficial to the U.S, due to the threat of the Spanish in the South. For example, Another Federalist, Samuel Thatcher believed, “No sir, Spain will border our southern frontier, and so long as Spain occupies the country we are not secure from the attempts of another nation more warlike and ambitious. (Doc. …show more content…
Many Americans who wanted to push the Indians off viewed them as inferior and did not take interest on their lives. Andrew Jackson was a forceful proponent of Indian removal that had a paternalistic view on the Indians. President Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act which authorized him to give unsettled land to the Native Americans in exchange for their lands in existing state borders. These unsettled lands were called Indian Reservations where Indian tribes such as the Cherokee, Seminoles, Creek, and Choctaw had to take long treacherous routes to reach. (Doc. D) The afflux of Americans onto Indian land was also advocated by Lewis Cass. He justified his reasoning by stating, “Existing for two centuries in contact with a civilized people, have resisted, and successfully too, to meliorate their situation or introduce among them the most common arts of life. Their moral and their intellectual condition have been equally stationary and in the whole of their existence, it would be difficult to point to a single advantage which they have derived from their acquaintance the Europeans. All this without a parallel in history of the world…” (Doc. C) Evidently this quote depicts how some people’s viewpoint of the Indians was that they were vacuous, barbarous