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I believe that Manifest Destiny was a bad thing. Don't get me wrong, I fully believe in the idea of God ordaining someone to do something. However, I do not feel as though this "Manifest Destiny" truly came from God. In my opinion, this idea of expanding westward, because God "destined" America to, came from man's greed.  In the end, it turned out decently for America, but many Indians were, yet again, forced off of their own land and many conflicts occurred as a result of expansion. I cannot agree with the justification that was given to expand.

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Part of the reason behind expansion of the west was a need for farming land. Since more farms were being created, more slaves to work the farms were necessary.  Other than the fact that slavery is awful, the expansion of west did not resolve the issue of slavery or aid in keeping the balance between slave and nonslave states.

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Background

As a result of the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American war the United States gained a large swath of land, what is now the southwest. The Mexican army was soundly defeated by the American forces and their victory was greatly celebrated. However, almost immediately after the war heated debate began on whether or not to extend slavery into these newly acquired territories. These territories had the potential to upset the careful balance between slave states and free states. The country was fractured along both partisan and sectional lines. The resulting compromise of 1850 only managed to delay the crises for another decade. The American acquisition of the southwest not only re-ignited the debate on slavery; it made conflict over it almost inevitable.

The national debate over the extension of slavery westward had been largely tabled by the Missouri Compromise in 1820, which prohibited slavery north of the 36-30 line. Politicians on the national stage were eager to prevent a debate over slavery because both political parties, the Democrats and the Whigs, depended on support from both the north and the south in order to win the presidency and congress. Presidential candidates would often either remain on the fence of avoid the issue all together. After 1820 the issue was pushed to the sidelines until further westward expansion re-ignited the debate.

In 1836 Texas had managed to win its independence from Mexico. Later that year they petitioned the US for statehood. Texas was a slave state and many northerners were concerned that annexation would upset the balance between the slave states and the free states. Additionally, Mexico had never recognized Texan independence and may declare war should the United States annex them. As a result, the measure failed to pass the senate.

However, several years later rumors of a possible attempt at re-conquest by Mexico cause Texas to again petition for statehood. This time not only was there the possibility of a Mexico taking back Texas, something which most Americans would have opposed, there were rumors that Great Britain was going to intervene on the Texans behalf. Allegedly the British were prepared to safeguard Texas's independence from Mexico if in return Texas would abolish slavery. The British Prime Minister denied this claim but nevertheless it infuriated not just the south because of abolition but the North as well due to their fears of British imperialism. Eventually Texas was annexed as a salve state, which of course strengthened the pro-slavery position by adding new congressmen and more Southern electoral votes.

A Divisive Peace

One year after the annexation of Texas, the United States found itself in a war with Mexico over a territorial dispute concerning the border between two nations. The war was one of the most unpopular in American history. Both the Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats opposed the conflict. The military victories during the war glossed over the controversy for a brief time. However, when the war was won, partisanship and sectarianism divided the country.

There was a major debate over what terms the United States should impose on Mexico. Some, the "All Mexico" movement, wanted total annexation. While others, the "No Territory" movement, wanted to annex nothing. In the end, the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ceded Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah, and Nevada. Almost immediately debate began over whether or not slavery would be permitted in the newly acquired territories.

The expansion of slavery was critical to both sides because the new territories had the potential to offset the existing balance between the slave and free states. About half the country was free and the other half slave. If the free states gain a majority it could threaten the future of slavery in the South. Likewise, if slavery were expanded westward it would give the slave holders dominance in the country and prevent any future attempt at abolition. The South was already threatening secession over the issue.

Slavery Dominates The Election

The expansion of slavery became the most important issue in the 1848 presidential election. The Whigs nominated war hero Zachary Taylor, a southern slaveholder. At the Democrats convention they nominated Lewis Cass, who although a northerner was suspected of being pro-slavery. This combined with the fact that the adopted platform was silent on the issue of slavery and its expansion resulted in the anti-slavery Democrats walking out of the convention.

They staged a convention of their own in New York and with several abolitionists and anti-Taylor Whigs formed the Free Soil Party. Former President Martin van Buren was nominated as their candidate. The party took a staunch stance against extending slavery westward. They only finished with 10 percent of the popular vote; however they did manage to come in second in New York, where anti-slavery sentiments were the strongest. They did however; manage to elect several members to congress and expose, and perhaps deepen the cracks in the political system over slavery.

Taylor was victorious but his party lacked control over congress. There was no outright majority in the House of Representatives, and it was the Democrats that held the most seats. 12 Free Soilers and 1 anti-immigration nativist prevented either party from having control. After dozens of failed ballots to select a speaker the House finally agreed to accept a plurality rather than a majority to choose one. In doing so they managed to select a Democratic speaker but the political divisions only deepened.

The Compromise

The issue of what to do with the western territories was far more complex than simply whether or not they would be slave or free. Texas had a territorial dispute with New Mexico. The South sided with Texas as it was already a slave state. The North opposed them fearing further expansion of slavery. Furthermore, Texas had a great deal of debt leftover from their days as a republic that they were struggling to pay off. Complicating things further was Utah, which had been settled by the Mormons after they were driven out of Illinois where their founder was murdered. Their new leader, Brigham Young, wanted the admission of the state of Deseret, a Mormon state that would have included all of present day Utah and Nevada as well as most of Arizona. Additionally, the discovery of gold brought tens of thousands of immigrants to California. A vast majority of these settlers were from the free states and as a result, any constitution they drafted would likely outlaw slavery.

James Polk, before he left office proposed extending the Missouri Compromise westward to include the newly acquired lands but it was dead on arrival at congress. President Taylor, his successor, was eager to solve the issue of the western territories before it could tear the nation apart. He saw himself as a Washingtonesque figure who could mediate the two sides of the issue. He proposed admitting both California and New Mexico as free states. Once New Mexico was admitted its dispute with Texas could be settled by the courts. This was met with a great deal of opposition on congress. Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois proposed the idea of "popular sovereignty" a potential compromise whereby the territories choose for themselves whether to be slave or free. As the debate raged on sectarian divisions grew deeper. The Southerners held a convention in Nashville to consider secession if slavery was not extended westward.

A deal was eventually brokered, which came to be known as the Compromise of 1850, by Henry Clay, Douglas, and several other congressmen. The terms were; California was admitted as a free state, New Mexico and Utah were set up as territories and to decide the slavery issue for themselves, both territories ended up permitting it. Also, Texas abandoned its claims on New Mexico in exchange for federal assumption of Texas' state debt. The slave trade in DC was outlawed but slavery was still permitted, and fugitive slave laws were strengthened. Taylor opposed the compromise but his untimely death led to Millard Fillmore's ascension to the Presidency. Fillmore was in favor of the proposal and signed it into law. The compromise failed to end the debate over slavery in America. It only delayed the conflict for another decade.

The annexation of Texas and the territorial gains from the Mexican-American war threatened to upset the balance of power between the slave states and the free states. Tensions over the issue reached a new high and the country became polarized as never before. A conflict over the issue became almost inevitable. The eventual settlement in 1850 only delayed the problem for another 10 years.

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As a result of the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American war the United States gained a large swath of land, what is now the southwest. The Mexican army was soundly defeated by the American forces and their victory was greatly celebrated.

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The taking of land from Mexico led to conflicts between Mexico and the U.S. This led to the Mexican-American War.  (For more information, follow the website link and scroll down until the heading, "Conflicts and War," is seen.)

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Manifest Destiny is the term associated with the territorial expansion of the United States which was first used by John L. O'Sullivan and mentioned in an article published in the July-August 1845 edition of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review about the annexation of Texas. It was the American people's belief in the need to expand the boundaries of freedom. It was also motivated by their desire to impart idealism and push for self-government.

In 1818 and 1839, the United States suffered two major depressions. These also drive the Americans to desire to live in frontier areas and seek for fortune and brighter future. Indeed, it opened doors for aspiring settlers. Despite the benefits that come with Manifest Destiny, however, there were also setbacks associated with the colonial expansion of the U.S.

List of the Pros of Manifest Destiny

1. Territorial Expansion of the United States
Since frontier land was inexpensive that time and there were also land that was free, Manifest Destiny made it possible for the U.S. to acquire more land and in fact, its territory expanded to 60%. This played a major role in the power that the United States is enjoying today.

2. Answer to a Growing Population
During that time, the population of the U.S. was experiencing a rapid increase due to the increasing number of immigrants. With the purchase and acquisition of territories, it answered the problem of accommodating the continuous growth of the number of people.

3. Colonization
Another advantage of Manifest Destiny was the opportunity given to the American leaders and people to impart their ideals to other people and influence the lives of those who lived in the areas they colonized.

4. Wealth and Income
Land ownership was associated with wealth and self-sufficiency. With the land amassed by the Americans, they were able to open doors to developments and commerce. With the expansion of territories from coast to coast, trade and industry increased among countries and the economy became more stable.

5. Freedom
With Manifest Destiny, the United States was able to achieve its dream to extend their boundaries and let the people feel a sense of freedom. As expeditions grew, colonies were formed and these colonies were able to be self-sufficient and enjoy their freedom in other territories. This was also the time where there was a balance between slavery and freedom since there were those who were against slavery and pushed for against it during this period.

6. Fostered Friendships and Union Between Countries
During the acquisition of territories, the United States was also able to form allies like in the case of Britain when these two powers agreed on joint occupation of Oregon at a time when Russia and Spain were still holding to claims to the land. With the agreement of the U.S. and Britain, citizens of both countries were given equal access. This was good for the economy of both since Americans and Britons were handed opportunities to work and live in the territory.

7. Discoveries
As colonies increased and explorers made their expeditions, many plants, spices, herbs and animal species were also discovered and given names. These discoveries are still as useful today as they were useful centuries ago. This would not have been possible if the U.S. did not expand its territories.

List of the Cons of Manifest Destiny

1. Conflicts and War
With the rapid acquisition of land such as the Oregon Territory and the Old Mexican Southwest, conflict between the Americans and Mexicans was not prevented. The Mexican-American war was fought in foreign soil and the Americans won but this also led to the loss of lives and property. Despite the rationalization on Manifest Destiny, the fact still remains that there were wars surrounded with bloodshed and the death of American soldiers, Mexican soldiers and Indian natives, among others. And for critics, there are no winners in wars.

2. Displacement of Rightful Land Owners
The expansion of American territories brought about pain and hardship to the native Indians, Mexicans and other people who were displaced and even killed that time. Aside from the conflicts that resulted from the expansion, many native Indian tribes were fooled into selling their land lower than the actual value.

3. Slavery
In the mid-1830s, around 30,000 Americans went into farming and cotton-growing but had black slaves working for them. It was also during this period that slavery proliferated. For opponents, Manifest Destiny came to be not only to purchase more territories but to expand slavery. This made possible the creation of more slaveholding territories in the Caribbean and Central America.

4. Acquisitions Were Done with Violence
Despite what proponents say that the purchases of land were done peacefully and with full consent of the land owners, opponents say otherwise. According to them, it was the desire of the colonizers to acquire more land, they did not care if these were achieved with violence or not. In fact, it resulted to wars among countries and the suppression of the native tribes of the West.

5. Native American Oppression
Manifest Destiny entailed ethnic cleansing, that is, the Americans felt they need to regulate where the Native Indians should live. This resulted to the oppression of the native tribes. Native tribes were forced to give up their lands or get paid less than the real value of their lands.

6. God and Religion Used
People behind Manifest Destiny claimed that it was God's will for the United States to expand their territories and it was the destiny of the country to acquire these pieces of land, thus the term "Manifest Destiny". It used religion and God for people to rule over others and crave for power.

7. Manipulation
Manifest Destiny resulted to slavery, death, destruction and oppression. However, despite the truth, it was rationalized and presented to be something that is good. The deaths of people who were caught in between conflicts will never be justified but Manifest Destiny claims otherwise.

The expansion of American territories brought power to the country and to the people who benefited from it. However, Manifest Destiny will remain to be a divisive topic. These pros and cons clearly show its influence on the lives not only of the Americans but also of people in the world.

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Pros and Cons of Manifest Destiny - Vision Launch

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Manifest Destiny is the term associated with the territorial expansion of the United States which was first used by John L. O'Sullivan and mentioned in an article published in the July-August 1845 edition of the United States Magazine and Democratic Review about the annexation of Texas.

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Indians were, once again, purged from their homes and forced to move to reservations.  Not only was this morally wrong, but the removal of the Natives and the usurpation of their land completely contradicts America's "democratic" principles.

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More and more settlers traveled west as more and more land was acquired, but it was a long, dangerous, and grueling process to travel such a large distance.  This led to the need for a faster mode of transportation: the transcontinental railroad. The creation of the railroad allowed for further expansion of the west.

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An immense amount of resources gained from acquiring the land greatly increased America's population and boosted its economy. More/new land was available to produce more crops, and an influx of people rushed settled in the new territories founded.

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All throughout the history of America, there has always been a philosophy, a phenomenon that has been considered to be instrumental to man's travels through time. This is Manifest Destiny, a movement that was an intangible part of American history, but nonetheless, an integral part.

What is Manifest Destiny?

This term was coined by the prominent newspaper editor John O'Sullivan in 1845. Manifest Destiny is what the mindset of the American people where in the 19th century, wherein they believed in the expansion of American territory from coast to coast and that time, to the West. Although even as the early 1800s, Andrew Jackson led an army of men during the Florida crisis and conquered forts and cities. He also punished Seminal Indians who supported Spanish troops. The expansion was not only focused on territory but also to achieve freedom and economic stability for the people.

The term was also considered to be related to America's territorial expansion which covered 1812 to 1860. It started at the end of the War in 1812 and the start of the American Civil War. Notable figures were behind the attempts of expansion, including John Quincy Adams, who was behind the Louisiana Purchase and the Polk administration in 1803 and 1840, respectively.

In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico and became a state of the United States after the Texas Revolution. This, however, did not take place without controversy because Texas added to the slave states of the Union. Manifest Destiny was what made America look beyond its borders and go as far as Asia and the Far East.

Components of Manifest Destiny

The movement or philosophy that was Manifest Destiny showed American Nationalism and the influence or at least belief of the people in Divine Providence. There were those who believed that it was God's will that the country should expand to different areas and that America was destined to do so. For others, it was more of a call or obligation to extend the liberty of America by domination over places from coast to coast.

Although Manifest Destiny was embraced by many, it was still a disputed philosophy with opposing views stemming out from Americans even in the 1800s. There are proponents and opponents stating their points of view.

List of Pros of Manifest Destiny

1. There was territorial expansion.
Generally, expansions mean improvement and progress. Proponents of the movement said that with Manifest Destiny, America became what it is today, one of the most powerful countries in the world. When our forefathers followed what was destined for America, the U.S. was able to acquire more properties as well as gold. This also made it possible for more immigrants to have chance to start new lives. Without this phenomenon, none of this will happen.

2. It brought more land for farming and improvement.
Those who were in favor of the movement said that with more land area acquired, there were more agriculture land made available which was good for the economy and for supply of food and vegetables for the people. The Manifest Destiny made it possible for the merchants and farmers to produce more crops to consume and sell.

3. It was good for trade and industry.
Proponents said that this opened new doors for trading to other countries. By acquiring lands from other places and even other countries, like Alaska which was bought from Russia, there will be more routes for trade and barter. Also, those who want to live somewhere else for economic purposes and greener pasture were given the opportunity to do so.

4. As it doubled the land area of the U.S., it also increased goods, services and wealth.
Some advocates said that not only did the movement increase the size of the country, expanding to other countries and not just states, but it also added to farm lands needed to produce products and poultry. Moreover, with the territorial expansion not only in Asia but also in Europe, more ports for trade were opened and all these added to the reserves of the country, thus, it brought about more wealth. The gold rush of 1849 is one of the significant events in American history and this happened within the period where Manifest Destiny evolved.

5. It paved the way for Americans to share their culture.
When new territories were acquired, people who lived there were influenced with the way of life of Americans. With Manifest Destiny, American culture also expanded. Americans are known to be lovers of individuality and freedom. These are just few of the good traits to learn from the American culture and given this chance, many people will benefit from this. Believers asserted that this will be beneficial to the Indians and the people who were in the territories because they will learn about the democratic, religious and cultural ways of the Americans.

6. It offered the chance for exploration.
One of the benefits advocates for Manifest Destiny claimed was that Americans were given the chance to discover other places other than the community they grew up in. This was not only great for economic improvement but also for personal gain, spiritually, emotionally and socially. By given the chance to be settlers, Americans were able to maximize their potential, discover new ways of living and learn to be innovative. As a whole, this was able to bring more benefits than drawbacks to the American people.

List of Cons of Manifest Destiny

1. It brought about war and conflict.
Opponents of Manifest Destiny argued that this philosophy resulted to war between countries and even the civil war. As early as 1822, the U.S. was already in conflict with Great Britain over the division of Oregon. It also gave a reason for the U.S. to start a war with Mexico and Spain. These are not the only conflicts that took place. Critics also said that it had other names and one was imperialism which led to the taking over of the United States on other countries like Guam, Philippines and Puerto Rico.

2. It was a time of slavery.
One of the drawbacks of U.S. territorial expansion was the proliferation of slavery. Although the Americans made a promise that they will not be taking the land of other people, like the Native Americans, without their consent and other than through peaceful means, history showed that this did not really happen. Slavery of the Native Americans was at its peak during this time and many were killed and displaced during the so-called expansion. And although there were those who submitted themselves freely and perhaps from fear, there were also those who overtly showed defiance, which led to more bloodshed and conflict.

3. It led to the death and suffering of many people, particularly, the Indians.
Opponents claim that Manifest Destiny brought about suffering to the people whose land were taken from them without their consent. Along the way, many people were killed and there was mass destruction of tribes. Indians were brought to reservations as well. With the belief that expansion was a destiny, Americans were convinced they can just conquer and own any land they want to the point of annihilating the tribe of the Native Americans.

4. It used the name of God or the Divine Providence to manipulate other people.
Critics did not agree with the claim of some that Manifest Destiny came from the Divine Providence and that it is actually God who made this happen. For opponents, this is mere manipulation to gain personally. They brought up that in order to achieve the goal of this movement or belief, land was taken from people forcibly while inhabitants were made to suffer and abused.

5. It is unconstitutional.
Those who are not in favor of what the Manifest Destiny stood for said that what the Southerners did, which was spread slavery, was against the constitution and so is taking other territories that do not really belong to them. They also argued that those who pushed for territorial expansion already knew beforehand that the Native Americans will be uprooted to give way for white settlers and international railroad links and yet they still proceeded. For critics, this is clearly a violation of the rights of the people. Abolitionists said that the constitution did not give the country the right for acquisition of new land areas. They also added that by letting the people live in other places, population will be affected and this can be detrimental for the country in a way that there will be less people to protect the American institutions.

6. God will not allow for a territorial expansion that would lead to killings.
Opponents also argued that God has no hand in Manifest Destiny because He will not order for America or any nation, for that matter, to expand its territories by putting the lives and safety of other people in line. They said that although some areas were acquired, others were results of war and oftentimes, acts that were barbaric and unconstitutional.

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12 Impressive Pros and Cons of Manifest Destiny

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All throughout the history of America, there has always been a philosophy, a phenomenon that has been considered to be instrumental to man's travels through time. This is Manifest Destiny, a movement that was an intangible part of American history, but nonetheless, an integral part.

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As a result of Manifest Destiny, the size of the U.S. increased substantially.  This allowed for America to grow and become a world power.

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Manifest destiny is the American people's belief that God ordained them to expand westward.