Manifest Destiny

America at the time was envisioning a nationwide version of John Gast’s painting “Manifest Idea,” where the American spirit of expansion was driven by God and the U.

S. State to bring intelligence, democracy, trade, and technology across the country. The Manifest Destiny was built primarily on the white notion that it was the U.S.’s God-given duty and birthright to expand and spread its U.S.

stamp on every beneficial territory with a “Diving Rule.” Conversely, in the expansionist desire for more territory the already transitioned Native Americans had to be further pushed out of their territory, which would later become a dominant problem with dwindling areas lands that were to be available. Racial perspective was also a large reason for this rationalization, as the loudest voice in the U.S. government was that of the rich, male white ones who had the power and money to demonstrate their superiority to the humbler classes and minorities. However, in America’s territorial expansionist vision of the Future, it was blinded to the consequences to which other minorities were subjected, ignoring and often supporting the harsh brutality to which some, Native Americans, were pushed out of their homes, and others, slaves, were supposed to support the labor needed to build these financial ideals.

The primary definition of the 19th century Manifest Destiny was to expand and spread U.S. economic, social, ad political viewpoints and influences, to which it was done.