Manifest Destiny - Free Research Paper Sample

Introduction

Manifest Destiny and the ideology of the American Territorial Expansion are among the most discussed themes in the Americans' historical aspect. The justification of the doctrine is based on the need to expand the territorial backgrounds of America during the era of antebellum. The period of antebellum can be traced before 1789 of the civil war on completing the action (Greenberg7). Based on the American historian, Army Greenberg, Manifest Destiny can be projected in different ways, such as cultural, political, and social context. Greenberg is a renowned historian on the aspect of Manifest Destiny through various articulations and rationales in an attempt to understand the part of border expansion and its evolution from the colonial era (Mountjoy 6). Greenberg's notion follows the idea of diversifying the border of the country by seizing diverse lands from Cuba, Central America, Native Americans, and the Mexicans, which marked important dates of war between the Mexicans and the Native Americans.

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Historical Content

Based on the historical content, Manifest Destiny can be a justifiable concept based on the Americans' divine ordination and the expansion of its territorial borders across the world. The acquisition of these territories was achieved either concerning war or negotiations. It was a collective agreement on the removal decision of uprooting the Native Americans in mind of creating the room for the settlements and the transcontinental rail constructions linking the West and the East (Gross 70). Additionally, the Manifest Destiny ideology was rooted in the Americans' cultural, political, and social institutional beliefs and that they were programmed to be more superior compared to other countries.

Americans were more advanced than other countries, thus making them believe that they were knowledgeable to educate other countries across the diverse continents. Nonetheless, numerous arguments were discouraging the discussion on the ordination obligation of the Americans. That is because the said destiny was adversely affecting the livelihoods of the Native Americans, especially under the context of acquiring the land by participating in the war with the existing owners (Grytz 554). But a country could not continue expanding its borders while other nations are losing their territories. Moreover, the settlements' continuous expansion would be a great catalyst in weakening the border unity between the bordering countries.

Frequent War

According to Greenberg (5), Manifest Destiny is associated with the frequent war in the late 19th century. The relentless conflict was eventually leading to the perpetual displacement of the natives from their aboriginal dwelling places. For instance, three was a case of an aggressive conflict of 1846 against the Mexicans and the war on the nations like Cuba with the actions of the militaries and the filibusters in gaining the oversea colonies. The concept of Manifest Destiny was there before the aspect of exceptionalism in America, which was there even before America's existence as a country. Moreover, the White Americans in mind that they are the best, unique, and ordained by God for the desired destiny inaugurated the Manifest Destiny aspect into action (Gross 75).

At the beginning of 1846, General Zachary Tailor and his troop from America were sent by President Polk to guard the conflicting area between the two main rivers. Specifically, April 25, 1846, marked the period of war when the Mexican Calvary Unit consisting of more than 2000 men, went to the Rio Grande to attack the American unit, which had 70 men through the leadership of Captain Seth Thornton. The operation led to 16 men's deaths, with five people being injured, and 50 were held captive. Consequently, President Polk declared war against the Mexicans through the approval of Congress. Later (after a few days), on May 13, 1846, Congress agreed to declare war with Mexico (Kelly). The Native Americans realized a substantial advantage in terms of the settlements to present their power to the world. But Abraham Lincoln was against the war as it would undermine and elevate the power and state of the pro-slavery system.

May of 1846 was marked by General Taylor’s defense over the Rio Grande and the expansion towards the Monterrey of Mexico. General Taylor captured Monterrey's city in September of 1846, along with his 5000 troops and through the help of General Winfield Scott. General Santa Anna of Mexico launched an attack on the Native Americans on February 23, 1847, targeting the Buena Vista Ranch but retreated after two days of a fierce fight. The retrieve allowed General Winfield Scott to secure Veracruz of Mexico on March 9, 1847. Meanwhile, around August of 1846, the troops from the Native Americans led by General Stephen Kearny occupied a Mexican city's territories. Still, the Bear Flag Revolt showed some of the Natives living in Mexico to claim independence from the Mexicans with the name California Republic (Kelly).

The war between Mexico and the Native Americans ended around February 2, 1848, through the agreed treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty allowed the Mexicans to recognize Texas as an independent state alongside the southern border of Rio Grande. Moreover, the Mexicans' cession allowed the Native Americans to secure some of the lands such as Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, California, and Arizona – as they are known today. Manifest Destiny in America was completed in 1853 through the purchase of the Gadsden, which is currently holding Arizona and New Mexico for the idea of creating a transcontinental railroad (Kelly).

Conclusion

In conclusion, Manifest Destiny and its motive for acquiring new territorial borders created conflicts and tensions among the slaveholders and the abolitionists, thus increasing the war between the Native Americans and the white settlers. The fights were both on the two sides, the West and the Plains Indians. The Plains Indians were practically vicious in their struggle for their territorial backgrounds in Texas. The south and North were fighting to fight to have a free state without the act of slavery (Mountjoy 5). The justification of the ideology is based on the need to expand the territorial backgrounds of America during the era of antebellum. It was a collective agreement on the removal decision of uprooting the Native Americans in mind of creating the room for the settlements and the transcontinental rail constructions linking the West and the East.

Work Cited

Burge, Daniel. "Manifest Mirth: The Humorous Critique of Manifest Destiny, 1846–1858." The Western Historical Quarterly 47.3 (2016): 283-302.

Gross, Jeffrey. "Boyish Play and Manifest Destiny: The Transition from Civilizer to Killer in America and Abroad." South Atlantic Review 73.2 (2008): 59-80.

Greenberg, Amy S. “Manifest manhood and the antebellum American empire.” Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Greenberg, Amy S. “A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 US Invasion of Mexico.” Vintage, 2012.

Grytz, Gerhard. "Manifest Manhood and the Antebellum American Empire." Southwestern Historical Quarterly 110.4 (2007): 554-555.

Kelly, Martin. “The Mexican War and Manifest Destiny” History and Culture. June 18, 2018, https://www.thoughtco.com/mexican-war-and-manifest-destiny-105469#:~:text. Accessed September 22, 2008.

Mountjoy, Shane. “Manifest destiny: westward expansion.” Info-base Publishing, 2009.