America’s Manifest Destiny

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The mid-1800s gave way to a remarkable yet, as time would have it, controversial concept: manifest destiny. Simply put, this idea claimed the Lord’s blessing on America’s westward expansion, making it a privilege and obligation in the minds of the United States and its people. This idea, created officially in 1845 by John L. O’Sullivan, basically stated that America should and, if possible, would expand across the continent and make great progress in the process because the “Anglo-Saxon” race had the blessing of God to do so as part of their divine duty. As far back as the American Revolution, citizens of the United States embraced the idea of having an empire and expanding worldwide because they considered themselves exceptional and were eager to explore the bounty of resources on this “New Frontier.” However, time and countless conflicts would prove that maybe this mindset wasn’t the perfect way after all. As writer Mark Twain said after observing the attempts at an international empire, specifically the Philippines, “I have seen that we do not intend to free but to subjugate the people of the Philippines. We have gone there to conquer, not to redeem.” Since its birth, America has been seen as a land of opportunity and big dreams. In the 1700s, the American Revolution began as a way to gain more westward land. Thomas Payne, author of an influential pamphlet, gave revolutionaries hope for their cause by stating that they were extraordinary people and it was their duty to go into action. This notion was furthered by John Winthrop’s “city on a hill” concept in which America was thought to be viewed by the world and superior to others. This mindset carried over into the 1800s when imperialism was the major focus of America. The Uni... ... middle of paper ... ...ties. By the 1900s, manifest destiny and imperialism had created some interesting and very gruesome historical events. The United States continually found itself at war and various disputes because of the urge for foreign expansion. It is safe to say that because of the prevailing opinions of superiority and divine rights, some actions were skewed in their executions. The ideals created, and perhaps still do create, a vicious cycle. Each generation of Americans has seen itself as the ones to conquer the globe. When others failed, they believed they could do it right, until they actually tried to. It simply goes to show that imperialism is not an easy habit to break and that global expansion is not perfect. Whether it is the Lord’s divine blessing or not, it is still debatable as to whether or not, as Mark Twain said, “we have gone there to conquer, not to redeem.”

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