| The concept of Manifest Destiny in the United States helped to expand and strengthen America as a country. Manifest Destiny is the belief that all the land from coast to coast is meant to be America's. Manifest Destiny was a popular belief in the United States between the years 1803-1853, when the majority of this rapid expansion and spreading occurred. Manifest Destiny in the United States happened by the use of many different land acquisitions, such as cessions, like the case with Texas or Florida, or purchases such as in Louisiana and Gadsden. Nevertheless, Manifest Destiny in the US had many different ways of occurring, but all ways led to the same thing- expansion. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson was our President, and he wanted to purchase New Orleans from the French so that American farmers could pass goods through the port. Jefferson offered $10 million to Napoleon Bonaparte, the leader of France, for New Orleans. But, in Europe, Napoleon was losing a war and quickly falling into debt. He needed money fast. So he offered the entire Louisiana Territory to Jefferson for $15 million. Jefferson agreed, and, to make the purchase constitutional, made it into a treaty for Senate to sign. The US had now doubled in size with just it’s first step in Manifest Destiny, now owning all land east of the Rockies and west of the Mississippi River. But still, much more buying and expanding was yet to come. In the year 1819, General Andrew Jackson sent troops to Florida to stop Indian rebellions. He captured forts ad attempted to claim Florida for the US from Spain. Jackson was ready to go to war for Florida, because of his strong beliefs about Manifest Destiny. But, since Florida didn’t want to fight, the two countries signed the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819. East and West Florida were sold to the US, and the US gave Spain $5 million. Now, the US owned all land east of the Rockies and set out to capture the rest of the land all the way out to the Pacific. One of the last purchases the US made was to secure the land of Oregon County. This land was previously shared by Britain and America. Together, without much fighting or controversy, the US and Britain signed a treaty in which they agreed on joint occupation. All land south of the 49N mark became part of the US. The land above this line belonged to Britain and eventually became part of Canada. The land the US received in the Oregon Purchase is now present-day Washington, Idaho and Oregon, three very important states in our union. Manifest Destiny caused the US to more than double in size and become a stronger, more powerful nation. After 7 long land acquisitions, starting with the acquisition of our own land when the 13 colonies were acquired in 1783 from Britain, the US finally achieved Manifest Destiny in 1853. This dream of so many had been achieved. Manifest Destiny was a key part in the growing up the US experienced as a country, by physically expanding its boundaries. If we were a country today, without any of the land we acquired during Manifest Destiny, we would be a very different country. This proves Manifest Destiny a very successful belief. The proof is our country, still strong in 2002. |
| Marissa Frieder, Period 2 |