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Manifest Destiny played an integral role in Westward expansion, assuring its settlers and pioneers of their divine right to conquer indigenous and foreign populations. The nation extended its power by exploration and land purchase which led to a mass migration to the Western half of the country. To make way for white settlers, Native Americans endured brutal treatment, forced assimilation, and death.
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The Louisiana Purchase was one of the first American examples of westward expansion. With one purchase, the United States effectively doubled its land mass and sphere of influence. While the term "manifest destiny" was still long from existence, the Louisiana Purchase spurred American greed for more. -
In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked on their transcontinental journey to the Pacific Coast. Eventually arriving in present-day Oregon, their expedition paved a pathway for western expansion. This led to crucial trade routes and many of the first American interactions with indigenous people. It was also integral in the American's belief that they were justified in taking this land as their own. -
Over the span from the winter of 1831 to 1836, tens of thousands of Native Americans were expelled from their homelands and forced to travel on foot to western territories in an attempted “Indian Removal.” The Trail of Tears was over 5,000 miles, covering harsh conditions and causing more than 4,000 deaths. This exemplifies the disregard of the US Government toward the “Indian Problem.” Most indigenous nations agreed to abandon their lands in hopes of protecting their identity and heritage. -
In 1845, Texas entered the Confederacy as a slave state, dividing the country further over the expansion of slavery into the West. The annexation of Texas marked the United States’ dedication to continuing westward expansion, despite the divisiveness that adding another slave state would cause. Additionally, Texas’ acceptance into the Union sparked the Mexican-American War. -
The term "Manifest Destiny" was first used by magazine editor John O'Sullivan in 1845. The greater context pertained to O'Sullivan arguing for the annexation of Texas. Manifest Destiny is the belief that Americans have god-given claims to land and riches for the purpose of cementing the United States as the preeminent global power. An expansionist mindset of supplanting "lesser" societies coincided with the use of this term. -
Between 1846 and 1848, the United States and Mexico fought over land disputes following the annexation of Texas. The United States, continuing with their expansionist mindset, desired a large portion of land previously owned by Mexico. The conflict eventually ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which granted the US over 500,000 square miles, stretching to the Pacific Ocean. -
The gold-mining hysteria led to a massive influx to California, as settlers wanted to get rich quickly and indulge in cheap land proprietorship. Mining towns arose around rivers and mines which tempted indigenous people to conduct raids. In turn, this sparked brutal counterattacks by white settlers. This led to the Indenture Act, legalizing the enslavement of Native people. The Gold Rush intensified the displacement of indigenous people as towns developed around the appeal of gold. -
While westward expansion was viewed favorably by the Union, it sparked controversy centered around the spread of slavery. Each time a new state was admitted, it entered the Union as either a slave state or a free state. Because free states and slave states made up the two voting blocks in D.C., this was an extremely contentious political issue. Eventually the division surrounding the expansion of slavery boiled over and was a main contributing factor to the start of the Civil War. -
The first Transcontinental Railroad was officially completed in 1869. Originally known as the "Pacific Railroad," it revolutionized the expansion of economic and social opportunities to the west. Transportation of goods and citizens became seamless, as the railroad connected the Mississippi River and the San Francisco Bay. -
The Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 was the systematic murder of over 300 indigenous people following the Battle of Little Bighorn. This event marked a definitive end to much of the indigenous resistance towards American soldiers. Renowned author L. Frank Baum wrote that "our safety depends upon the total extermination of the Indians." -
The Spanish-American War began when the United States intervened in Cuba’s war of independence against Spain. Ultimately the United States prevailed over Spain in the short 10-week war, thus cementing their influence in the Caribbean region. This war was an indicator of changing times as the United States was emerging as a credible world power, surpassing many European countries. The war also signified the United States’ pivot in manifest destiny from westward expansion to imperialism. -