American expansionism and the missionary movement are closely associated. The progressive movement had energized social reformers in America, inspiring social justice, social change and moral responsibility. America was emerging as a proud, patriotic society and felt empowered by their democracy. Americans believed their nation was exceptional and that they had a “moral responsibility” to bring Christianity and democracy to the world. Encouraged by political leaders, this moral responsibility spurred the growth of missionary work around the globe. Missionaries were a contradiction, one that is not easily sorted. The goals and objectives of the missionary themselves were often purest of heart. Missionaries’ goals were to spread of the gospel, the convert heathens to Christianity and enrich the communities they work in by providing education and medical assistance. On the contrary missionaries were also often “agents of cultural change.” (Stipe p.1) They carried with them American ideals, democracy, individual rights, free enterprise, universal education, and delayed gratification. (Clifford Putney p.7) This aspect of cultural change made missionaries an ideal government tool for expansion and imperialism. The Franciscan missions had set an historic precedent for strategically using religion and missionaries to conquest native populations or oversee new territories. The American government and businesses viewed missionaries’ quests with self-interest. They saw missionaries as a way to spread American culture and ideals. Their subsequent goals for missionaries’ were for American expansion, domestic prosperity, and to ensure the world’s well being (or defending democracy). Korea is an interesting example of the missi... ... middle of paper ... ...ntrinsic motivation for democracy and the protect people. They seem to have both wanted to defend ‘weaker people’ against imperial empires and grant them rights for self-determination. Self- determination was one of Woodrow Wilson’s fourteen points for peace. The missionary expansion and their work within different nations is a dilemma of well intentions versus prosperity and power. Many missionaries remained out of politics and out of local culture and only served the communities for the better. They increased educational opportunities and provided medical care; most importantly they served to ensure the communities could actively participate in the international community. While the government and businesses reaped the rewards of increased prosperity and power, these rewards were in many ways not the purpose of missionary expansion but merely an outcome.
Throughout most of the nineteenth century, the United States expanded its territory westward through purchase and annexation. At the end of the century, however, expansion became imperialism, as America acquired several territories overseas. This policy shift from expansionism to imperialism came about as a result of American's experience in the Spanish American War and the Congressional debates that followed the American victory.
Manifest Destiny, defined by the letter written by John O'Sullivan in 1839, is "for this blessed mission to the nations of the world, which are shut out from the life-giving light of truth, has America been chosen; and her high example... where myriads now endure an existence scarcely more enviable than that of the beasts of the field". In this also shared what I believe is his view on the purpose of western expansion. He discusses the " beasts of the field", meaning the animals the Native Americans follow, are slightly less enviable than a large number of the people already residing in America. Therefore, the mission of the United States is to spread their ways and the word of God to those who live a "savage" lifestyle.
Arguments for and against overseas expansion raised a foreign policy debate in the late years of the 19th century to the early years of the 20th century. People favored overseas expansion because they wanted the American economy to grow. Missioners, who wanted to convert the inhabitants of the new lands, also propelled this new policy, and theories such as the Social Darwinism and the Manifest Destiny made people believed it was right for America to expand its frontiers and help the less fortune. But there were some who disagreed with overseas expansion because they looked at it as a hypocrisy act among Americans, or as a way of subjugating other nations just for America’s benefits. Some others were concerned that making contact with under-developed nations would eventually dilute their racial stock and the strength of America.
The Americans settled all over the United States and in the 1820s began showing interest in the West because of trade with Asia. Certain leaders were sent out on missions' to "help" better the lives of the Indians and Mexicans. When the white settlers first came to West they viewed the Indians and Mexicans as savages. They did not think of them as human because their lifestyle was unsuitable, or rather different then their own. The only way that they could tolerate them was to try and change their way of living. They attempted to convert them into the Christian religion, to change the way they ate, what they ate, how they ate it, the way they dressed, teach them English, etc. "The object of the missions is to convert as many of the wild Indians as possible, and to train them up within the walls of the establishment in the exercise of a good life, and of some trade, so that they may be able to provide for themselves and become useful members of civilized society."1
Throughout the history of mankind, numerous events such as the Crusades, have occurred in the name of religion and religious freedom. Sadly, the motivation for the early settlers coming to America wasn’t strictly about finding religious freedom. It was actually deeply rooted in the desire for economic growth and new trade opportunities. The New World presented itself as an opportunity for many to gain higher social economic status and growth in their business ventures. A number of known historical facts, including: hunger for new trade, poverty of many English inhabitants, and the rivalry between Spain and England, contributed and fostered the foundation and settling of the American Colonies.
New brands of distinctly American Christianity began developing early in the country’s history. Before the revolution, George Whitefield set the stage for American religious movements. The most important factor that helped launch these movements was the American Revolution. The country was ripe with conversation and action on a new understanding of freedom. The revolution “expanded the circle of people who considered themselves capable of thinking for themselves about issues of … equality, sovereignty, and representation” (6). The country was beginning to move toward an understanding of strength lying in the common people, and the people’s ability to make their own personal decisions on issues of leadership and authority. There was a common belief that class structure was the major societal problem. The revolution created the an open environment that pushed equality of the individual, allowing political and religious beliefs to flourish and grow without being held in check by authoritarian leaders.
When Columbus arrived on the Caribbean island of San Salvador in 1492, one of the first things he and his crew did was kneel in thanks (Moore, 2006). Early Spanish explorations of the present day United States were not complete without a missionary element. Even the British colonists tried to convert the eastern Natives to Christianity. Almost from the New World’s discovery, religion procured a dominant role in its early history. As one of the three main factors that drove settlement of America, religion and religious freedom grew to hold an important place in colonial culture and the heart of nearly every American. All too often, however, in a study of colonial history, religion’s role is misconstrued (Bonomi, 2003). In Under the Cope of Heaven, author Patricia Bonomi clarifies the importance of colonial religion through several different arguments, including religion’s entertainment value, the role in the Great Awakening, and ultimately the Great Awakening’s part in the American Revolution.
From western expansion to foreign imperialism the United States has always been an expansionist country. Early America’s focus was to conquer the natives and obtain western land within North America, but in the latter of America’s history, specifically in the nineteenth and twentieth century, foreign imperialism became the new focus. America’s activity in foreign imperialism was a continuation and departure of the United States’ early expansionism. It was a continuation in terms of manifest destiny, the spread of Christianity, and by the concept of “the city on a hill” and a departure in terms of foreign involvement.
United States expansionism in the late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century is both a continuation and a departure of past United States expansionism. Expansionism in the United States has occurred for many reasons. Power (from land), religion, economics, and the ideas of imperialism and manifest destiny are just a few reasons why the U.S. decided to expand time and again throughout the course of its 231 year history. Expansionism has evolved throughout the years as the inhabitants of the country have progressed both socially (the Second Great Awakening, the women's suffrage movement, the populist party and the early 19th and 20th century social reformers) and economically (factories, better farms, more jobs, etc.) Expansion changed from non-interference policies to the democratic control of the government as the United States grew in both size and population. Through the use of the documents and events during two major-expansion time periods (1776-1880) and 1880-1914), I will display both the continuation and departure trends of United States expansionism.
For years the people of America had used economic gain as a reason to push west into territory that was both uncharted and fought over. (Acuna 255-256). However the religious revival, as well as O'sullivan's term, Manifest destiny breathed new purpose into the march westward. God himself had chosen Americans to hold the great responsibility of controlling all of the land from the west coast of America to the east coast and it was the people's destiny to spread out in conquest. Along with this destiny came the divine mission to spread the democratic ideals of the nation to those who did not have it, to civilize and make free the people who held the land of America long before the pilgrims reached the shores of North America. Though pushed by an increase in technology and the market economy many defended that the ideals of Manifest Destiny had nothing to do with the desire for wealth at all, but that they only expanded westward because God had chosen them to. (Foote 478-479). In John L. O'sullivan's article The Greatest Good of the Greatest Number he defends America's rights, writing "We feel safe under the banner of the democratic principle, which is borne onward by an unseen hand of providence, to lead our race toward the high destinies of which every human soul contains the
The missionaries believe in one supreme god. This god is the 'creator of all the world and all the men and women who inhabit the Earth'. They believe that all men go for judgement before him when they die, and that all men who worship `false gods of wood and stone' would be thrown into a fire `that burned like palm oil.' If the lord saves their soul from sin they will have eternal life in heaven with god, who is also eternal. They bury the body of the deceased in the ground, but believe their soul goes up to heaven if they have accepted the lord in their heart. The missionaries believe that Christianity is the only right religion, why else would they be so intent on conversion and spreading the word of Jesus Christ? This creates conflict with the tribe, as the Clan are content with their way of life and do not wish to change.
As the United States grew in power, so did her ideas of expansion. The foreign powers were beginning to move out of their continents and seek land in other countries. The United States soon followed. They followed in their founder’s footsteps and tried to occupy lands in the far seas. However, in the beginning, this need for more land was called Manifest Destiny. This idea claimed that God was forcing them to occupy the new western lands. The expansionism that occurred in the late 1800’s was not a result of Manifest Destiny, and thus this "new" idea of expansionism was different from the expansionism ideas of early America. For the most part, the United States’ need for more land was primarily to keep other nations (mainly European powers) out of the western hemisphere. However the United States began to see reason behind change towards the "new" expansionistic ideas.
In the 1400’s European countries had been thrusted into overseas expansion in the fever for land and gold. All throughout Europe, monarchies had sent explorers all over the world to conquer land for their country. Each country had conquered and colonized in various styles, but each had a specific goal that they wanted to achieve. During the European colonization of the Americas or the New World, both the Spanish and the French spread the idea of Catholicism throughout the Americas, however the Spanish believed in treating the Native Americans in a harsher way by enslaving them for labor whereas the French established trade relationships.
The after effects of Evangelicalism have moved in other directions. Because the Evangelicals were, from the outset, intent on expanding church membership, they managed to define the daily religious life of the United States in a way that no other movement had done before, or has done since. Ever since the Second Great Awakening, the power of Evangelicalism has derived from its practical character -- its ability to distribute its message, to help guide the religious lives of its adherents, to organize its members into cohesive groups. Modern Evangelical preachers follow in their predecessors footsteps by continuing to spread the word of God -- although now they have moved beyond rural camp meetings to take advantage of the power of television.
Missionaries had a job of being a teacher so they could teach children English and how to read. Mainly the bible was what the teachers taught children but I hated it because it's hard to believe what they're saying. When I go to school, they teach us English and Christianity beliefs but it's hard for me to understand what they are telling me and my classmates. Before the missionaries were teachers, the children did not know how to read so they didn’t know Christianity beliefs. Now that there's teachers, children learn how to read the bible and learn