Enduring Image and Causes Manifest Destiny Enduring Image and Causes

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Political Roots The US expanded greatly after the American Revolution. New territories were acquired either through purchases, annexation, treaties, or war. The idea of “Manifest Destiny” became popular in the mid-1800s and led Americans to believe that they needed territorial buffers to protect the nation from outside invaders. While the Northwest Ordinance outlined how a new state would gain admission, adding new states would cause conflict due to the issue of the expansion of slavery The Mexican-American War was caused by boundary disputes between Mexico and the United States. The end result was the annexation of Mexican territory into the United States. “… our manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.” John O’Sullivan, 1845

Economic Roots The idea of “Manifest Destiny” led many Americans to believe they needed new territories for economic opportunities. Newly developed areas in the US that were not part of the “Original 13” became known as the frontier and/or the West. Many people began to move west as the nation expanded to find new opportunities. Many of these pioneers took trails such as the California Trail, the Oregon Trail, and the Mormon Trail

Social Roots The idea of “Manifest Destiny” became popular in the mid-1800s and put forth the idea that America was destined to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was believed this expansion was ordained by God. Immigrants from other countries, such as Germany and Ireland, began to migrate in larger numbers to the US to take advantage of cheap land and new opportunities.

Exit Ticket Compete the sentence stem to identify what YOU think was a greater motivator for America’s expansion west. I think political/economic/social reasons were the greatest motivator for America’s expansion west because…