Description of Manifest Destiny

Description of Manifest Destiny Manifest DestinyThe idea of Manifest Destiny was based on the idea that America had a divine providence. It had a future that was destined by God to expand its borders, with no limit to area or country. All the traveling and expansion were part of the spirit of Manifest Destiny, a belief it was God's will for the white man to expand and civilize the North American Continent. A belief that is still arising in our day and age.The years 1840 to 1890 were a period of great growth for the United States. It was during this time period that the United states came to the conclusion that it had a manifest destiny, that it was commanded by god to someday occupy the entire North American continent. The Americans felt that the United States had the right to whatever amount of territory it chose to, and in doing this the United States was actually doing a favor for the land it seized, by introducing it to the highly advanced culture and way of life of Americans.This image depicts the Territorial acquisitions of...In doing this the Americans seized Texas. This added a great amount of land to the United States, but more was to follow. The Oregon Territory became a part of the United States in 1846, followed by the Mexican Cession in 1848 and the Gadsden Purchase in 1853( Encarta "History of USA"). At this point the United States had accomplished its manifest destiny, it reached from east to west, from sea to shining sea. Now that the lands it so desired were finally there, the United States faced a new problem, how to get its people to settle these lands so they would actually be worth having. Realistically, it is great to have a lot of land, but if the land is...