Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny is a phrase that expressed the belief that the United States had a divinely inspired mission to expand, to progress, and to spread its form of democracy and freedom. Originally a political catch phrase of the nineteenth century, Manifest Destiny eventually became a standard historical term, often used as a synonym for the territorial expansion of the United States across North America towards the Pacific Ocean.

Origin of the concept

Many American pioneers had a strong sense that the nation's freedoms and ideals were of far-reaching importance and needed to be brought to new lands by broadening the nation's reach and extending its borders. Two centuries earlier, John Winthrop, governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony had argued that his colony would be a City on a Hill, demonstrating to the rest of the world how a free, godly society could function. Extending this idea, many argued that it was divine imperative that the United States should stretch over the entire North American continent. The Young America movement encouraged by Franklin Pierce actively promoted this vision.

Related Topics:
John Winthrop - Massachusetts Bay Colony - City on a Hill - Young America movement - Franklin Pierce

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