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Christopher Nicklin

5/8/10

History

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny is a very simple concept that is centered around the idea that

America must expand, because it is in its destiny. Within this Nebulous centered on the

idea of America’s expansion are also three main beliefs with in Manifest Destiny. One of

the biggest ones is that God ordained America’s expansion. Therefore America can do no

wrong because wants America to have this land. The next point within Manifest Destiny

is called free development. This basically means that because America expands outwards

so will freedom and democracy along with the propaganda that will influence other

countries. The third concept is that as the population grows so does the need to acquire

more land as well. This is because there was belief in the need of a huge amount of

natural resources. These three ideas are the cumulative that make up Manifest Destiny.

Manifest Destiny is just a rationalization to engage in western expansion. After all

people cannot just say that God ordained it. That line has been used for years. When the

crusades occurred the knights in the west said that God ordained the action of taking land

from the Muslims. That is the exact same thing that America was doing in the mid 1800s.

America had to make a rational for throwing Indians off their own land and from taking

land from Mexico with brute force. Manifest Destiny is only an excuse to expand power

and influence. After all, it is only talked about when America wants to expand and the

then it is forgotten again. This idea was used when America went to war with Mexico.
America rationalized that they need the land to expand, when that simply is not true. The

population was simply to small to be in dire need of that land.

Manifest Destiny is still in use as an excuse today. The main point used today

within Manifest Destiny is that America is suppose to spread freedom. The past two wars

that America has engaged in this concept were used. When America entered the war with

Iraq it has to take out Saddam Hussein and put in a democracy instead. Because there is

now a new democracy in place in Iraq, we have more influence in the Middle East. The

idea that America is ordained by God to spread democracy can also be seen in what the

current slogan of the Afghanistan war is, which is to help give democracy to an

uncivilized nation. At first America went to Afghanistan in order to capture Osama Bin

Ladin, but these days when ever Afghanistan is in the news it is always about how there

new democratic election was or something else about democracy. This propaganda in the

news constantly bombards Americas with the idea of how important democracy is and in

essence Manifest Destiny.

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