Argument Against Manifest Destiny

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As a result of America’s need for more land, the idea of “Manifest Destiny” was conjured. Early America was met with lots of immigration. Manifest Destiny was the idea that it was a God-given right for white men to own all of North America, and some saw it as the fate of American to own all of North America. America felt that it should own the continent Pacific to Atlantic coasts. They would extend American liberty to new territories. Americans would expand North West, and it was mainly fur trappers. This led to new passages through the mountains. As a result, they found more fertile territories. The Americans that took their treks to the West would document their findings. Americans exaggerated their findings of their travels when advertising …show more content…
As a result of the recent Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. embraced Manifest Destiny. The Election of 1844 really defines the U.S. around Manifest Destiny. Henry Clay of Kentucky didn’t want the land, he felt that we didn’t need it. He feared Texas. Texas was trying to break from Mexico and join the U.S. Clay doesn’t want to fight for the land, he only agrees to let Texas join the Union if Mexico agrees. Clay’s opposition was James K. Polk. Polk supports Manifest Destiny. Polk though that Texas was “ours” anyway because he feels that it was acquired under the Louisiana Purchase. He says that the U.S. was basically “re-annexing” Texas. He’s willing to go to war for Texas. He doesn’t care if it’s Mexico or Great Britain. His slogan was “Fifty-four forty or fight.” Polk’s idea was that U.S. was to acquire Texas, California, and the entire Oregon territory. He defined the northern boundary of Oregon as the latitude line of 54 degrees, 40 minutes. Polk would win the Election. Before John Tyler would leave his presidency, he would arrange a “Joint-resolution” with Congress to get Texas in Union. This avoids the rule for Treaty because Tyler knew that the North wouldn’t sign the treaty. As a result, Polk gets Texas before he’s president, so he shifts to a focus on
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