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QUESTION
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
- Textbook: Chapter 8 (section 8.3), 11
- Lesson
- Minimum of 1 scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)
Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, pick two (2) of the following historical events:
- The Lewis and Clark Expedition
- The Missouri Compromise
- Independence of Texas
- Mexican War of 1846-1848
- The California Gold Rush
Then, address the following for your selections:
- Which of your two selections do you consider most impactful on Westward Expansion during 1800-1848? Explain why.
- Analyze the effects of the ideology of Manifest Destiny on the two historical events that you chose from the list.
ANSWER
The Lewis and Clark Expedition versus the Independence of Texas
The Missouri Compromise was the most impactful to the westward expansion. The Lewis and Clark Expedition contributed to the westward expansion by strengthening the US’ legal claims of the land. The expedition’s main goal was to explore the tributaries of the Missouri River and map a river route Americans would use to access ports in China (Corbett et al., 2016, p.270). The river route would also increase America’s chances of acquiring part of the profitable fur trade and legitimatize their claims on lands owned by rival countries. These goals demonstrate that the expedition’s motives were business-related and not expansionist-driven. Corbett et al. (2016) stated that “Jefferson wanted to improve the ability of American merchants to access the ports of China. Establishing a river route from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean was crucial to capturing a portion of the fur trade” (p.271). This statement proves that the expedition’s main goal was not to facilitate westward expansion but increase American business opportunities.
Although the motives were business-related, the expedition also solidified the US’s legal claims to the territory. Lewis and Clark accurately mapped the region from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean, increasing the country’s knowledge of what was in the west. This knowledge solidified their territorial claims but did not result in an actual expansion. Corbett et al. (2016) state that the borders of the Louisiana Purchase remained challenged despite Lewis and Clark’s expedition (p.274). Because the boundaries of Louisiana Purchase remained contested after the expedition, it is logical to argue it did not significantly impact westward expansion.
On the other hand, the Independence of Texas significantly impacted Westward expansion. First, it encouraged a massive number of Americans to move to Texas. In the early 1800s, Texas was sparsely populated, and native tribes constantly threatened its residents. The Spanish government decided to recruit non-Native populations (Americans) to buffer against tribal attacks. By the 1830s, thousands of Americans had settled in Texas and outnumbered the Mexican residents.
Another way this event contributed to westward expansion was by changing the territory’s social and political structures. Due to their large numbers, American settlers expressed discontent with Texas’s culture, policies, and economic practices. They demanded the Mexican government grant them land titles, independence, institute an American-style judicial system, and increase their representation in the state legislature (Corbett et al., 2016, p.281). This struggle for independence led to violent rebellions (i.e., the Battle of San Jacinto) and drove the Mexican residents out of Texas. After Texas declared its independence, the Anglo-American population tripled. The ethnic cleansing instigated by the state’s second president further reduced the Mexican population in the region and increased America’s presence. The Independence of Texas also led to annexation, giving the United States legal authority over the land.
The Independence of Texas led to Texas annexation, ethnic cleansing of Native Americans and Mexicans, and tripled the population of Americans in Texas. These events allowed America to expand westward. In contrast, Lewis and Clark Expedition’s only strengthened US’s claim to the territory, but it did not result in actual expansion. Therefore, the Independence of Texas had a greater impact on US’s westward movement than the expedition
Analyze the effects of Manifest Destiny Ideology on the two historical events
Manifest Destiny ideology believed that it was the God-given right and duty for White Americans to expand and dominate the continent and spread their religion and democratic values. It resulted in racial superiority among White Americans. It also morally justified their actions, including slavery, racism, and ethnic cleansing. For example, Anglo-Americans in Texas regarded themselves as racially superior to Texans, explaining the ethnic cleansing and disregard for Texas Catholic beliefs.
Another study conducted by Isenberg and Richards (2017) revealed that the political union of the country was weak due to the disagreements over the westward expansion. However, the Manifest Destiny ideology helped replace this weakness by asserting nationalism and creating an illusion of strength and unity among Americans.
Independence of Texas versus the Missouri Compromise
The Independence of Texas impacted Westward Expansion more than the Missouri Compromise. The independence of Texas resulted in Texas annexation, increased American population in Texas, and displacement of native tribes and Mexicans. Due to the declaration of independence, Great Britain, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands recognized Texas as an independent state, legitimizing the expansion (Corbett et al., 2016, p.282). The increased Anglo-American population also changed the territory’s social and political structures, implemented an American judicial system, and re-legitimized slavery in Texas.
The Missouri Compromise did not directly contribute to the westward expansion because it mainly addressed slavery issues in new states. It resolved the conflicts on slavery issues in territories seeking statehood, but it did not advance westward movement. The United States had purchased Missouri territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase. However, by 1818, many settlers, most of whom owned tens of thousands of enslaved people, flocked to the territory and demanded statehood (Corbett et al., 2016, p.276). A conflict in the House of Representatives emerged as to whether slavery should be permitted in the new state. On one end, Northerners questioned the morality of slavery, arguing it should be abolished after Missouri achieved its statehood. On the other end, Southerners believed slavery was a necessary evil and benefitted the country. These party differences led to the Missouri compromise, which allowed Maine to be admitted as a Free State and Missouri as a slave state. The District of Maine’s creation was the Missouri Compromise’s primary outcome. Previously, Maine was part of Massachusetts, but the Missouri Compromise allowed it to be a free state. Another outcome of the compromise was the creation of a legal boundary that differentiated between free and slave states. To avoid similar conflicts when a territory petitioned for statehood, the US drew a borderline across the rest of the Louisiana Territory at latitude 36° 30′ (Corbett et al., 2016, p.277). Slavery was allowed south of this line but forbidden north of it.
This boundary and the admission of Maine and Missouri as independent states were the primary outcomes of the Missouri Compromise. Comparatively, the Independence of Texas expanded westward growth through ethnic cleansing, legitimizing American settlement in the region, and changing social and political structures. Therefore, it was the most important in US’s expansion.
Analyze the effects of Manifest Destiny Ideology on the two historical events
Manifest Destiny ideology proposed that God destined the United States to establish its dominion across the world and the west. The study conducted by Dobson (2013) attributes America’s quest for democracy, capitalism, and religion to Manifest Destiny. The author states, “Americans from their very earliest beginnings believed that God had bestowed upon them a mission to spread their supreme civilization, in particular, freedom, whether in religion, commerce, or race” (Dobson, 2013, p.23). The Anglo-American settlers in Texas were against Catholicism and the 1829 slavery abolition. Slavery apologists during the Missouri compromise stated, “Above all, the United States had a destiny … to create an empire of slavery throughout the Americas” (Corbett et al., 2016, p.276). They were reluctant to respect the Mexican Law because they believed they were racially superior and more entitled to ruling the territory than the Mexicans. These pro-slavery and racial superiority beliefs emanate from the ideology.
References
Corbett, P. S., Janseen, V., Lund, J., Pfannestiel, T., Vickery, P., & Waskiewicz, S. (2016). US History. OpenStax.
Dobson, D. (2013). Manifest Destiny and the environmental impacts of Westward expansion. Flinders Journal of History and Politics, 29, 41-69. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/81291419.pdf
Isenberg, A. C., & Richards Jr, T. (2017). Alternative wests: Rethinking manifest destiny. Pacific Historical Review, 86(1), 4-17. https://www.academia.edu/download/51410771/PHR_Intro_-_Isenberg_and_Richards_-_published_version.pdf
Madsen, D. L. (2010). The West and Manifest Destiny. A Concise Companion to American Studies, 369-386. https://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:87483/ATTACHMENT01
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