Introduction
The catchphrase manifest destiny is usually used to justify American expansionism as explicit predestination. It is the key concept of the religious and political doctrine of the God-chosen American nation, which is why it should occupy a leading position worldwide (Greenberg 5). Based on this concept, the United States is believed to be a true stronghold of Christian values. Due to insufficient relevant knowledge, a comprehensive study of this ideology and its origins is required. Manifest destiny is a belief in the American nation’s selectivity and the leading role of the United States, whose roots go back to the period of colonization of North America by Puritans.
Analysis
Primarily, manifest destiny is a religious and political cliche symbolizing the messianic role of the United States as a world political leader. The essence and nature of this system of conceptually designed ideas are reflected in the spiritual, political, and social spheres. In general, manifest destiny goes beyond Christianity and Protestantism, stimulating the development and spread of the civil religion as a unique phenomenon characterized by the sacralization and religious significance of national values, ideas, rituals, and symbols. In simple terms, manifest destiny is expressed in feeling a unique purpose given by God to tame the wilderness and civilize certain lands.
The history of manifest destiny goes back to the distant past, during early colonization, when the Puritans considered themselves messengers from God, capable of miracles and changing the world order. After the American Revolutionary War, manifest destiny was interpreted in the context of theological concepts. American Protestantism and Puritanism became the primary executor of the providential plan for spreading Christianity (Greenberg 4). The term first appeared in July 1845 in a magazine article, but its philosophy originated much earlier (Fei 33). John L. O’Sullivan, the article’s author, justified annexing Texas for the United States’ special purpose (Fei 33). He formed the basis of the theory, whose supporters believed capturing the lands adjacent to the U.S. was inevitable and fulfilled the mission from above.
The article certainly did not carry new information in its essence and content. Still, only at a deep level it explored the role and place of the United States in the international arena. Later, the idea of manifest destiny was mentioned during congressional debates. Moreover, it became the campaign slogan of President James Knox Polk concerning the Oregon lands and then acquired a broader sound. Appealing to the main aspects of manifest destiny, North Americans are the chosen people to whom fate has destined to turn the continent into a “space of freedom.” With the outbreak of the War with Mexico, the term was used to justify the inclusion of California and the territory of the modern state of New Mexico into the United States. Then it was remembered at the end of the century during the Spanish-American War and spread to the Pacific basin and even the world.
In this case, it seems reasonable to think about America’s divine nature and special destiny from the point of view of expansion with good intentions for the benefit of the future and the present. Many people, believing that God predetermined the fate of the United States, migrated to the country’s West. Missionaries and farmers who dreamed of fertile lands were optimistic. The conquest of new resources and strategic positions for commercial gain led to the desire for even greater benefits and the seizure of new territories.
It should be noted that manifest destiny was at the first stage in strategically integrating the entire American continent and then in establishing world domination. The leaders saw the fate of the United States in not passively participating in the general context of peripheral states but in taking a leading position in economic, strategic, and even ideological relations. Hence, manifest destiny was not just ideological support of American expansionism. Additionally, it set its goals and objectives above worldly laws and regulations, especially when considering “purchasing” Florida, developing the West, and annexing California. The ideology followers believed that uninhabited lands in western North America were waiting for their settlement and development by “civilized” people (McPherson 28). Notably, manifest destiny excluded and oppressed many, starting with Native Americans and ending with North Americans of African and Mexican descent.
Subsequently, the concept was used to justify the US’s claims to dominance in the Pacific region. In the 20th century, manifest destiny became interfaith and heavily politicized, acquiring an anti-communist character (Booth 1141). In a sense, manifest destiny was America’s duty to be a leader and a role model within the framework of the policy of neo-globalism and pan-Americanism. In recent periods, it has regained its lost religious character, although, in essence, its meaning is purely ideological. Indeed, the term has ceased to be widely used in politics. Still, in the journalistic literature, it continues to be widely used to refer to the American “mission” to promote democracy around the world.
Nevertheless, manifest destiny continues to influence the ideology of America’s ruling circles. Today, as in the old days, the great American idea is that there should be no obstacles to progress. However, some researchers argue that the ideology was controversial and poorly implemented between the Mexican-American War and the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant (Dipucchio 73). For instance, the central idea of the ideology is the superiority of the American nation over other people in terms of race and culture (Greenberg 5). Consequently, the darkest part of this doctrine relates to the concept that white people have the right to destroy or change everything that stands in their way.
Through the prism of this concept, American history is presented as a smooth spread of divine democracy. If this required annexing something, ignoring international treaties, provoking an armed uprising somewhere, overthrowing the legitimate government, or creating a state, then this is God’s providence. Recently, this idea has been given great importance in explaining “American exceptionalism,” considering this concept rather not as a political doctrine but as an essential component of American national identity, emphasizing its mythical nature and intertwining with the tradition of “civil religion” in the United States.
Conclusion
Summarizing the above, it is necessary to state that such an ideology as manifest destiny is based on the uniqueness of the American nation and the God-ordained fate of the United States as a country that will prosper due to the annexation of some regions. The concept originated in the 19th century, and later O’Sullivan studied it in the best way and gave it a name. According to manifest destiny, conquering and ennobling new lands and fighting against “barbarians” living there is an inevitable process that requires time and perseverance.
Works Cited
Greenberg, Amy S. Manifest Destiny and American Territorial Expansion: A Brief History with Documents. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011.
Booth, William A. “Rethinking Latin America’s Cold War.” The Historical Journal, vol. 64, no. 4, 2021, pp. 1128-1150, Web.
Dipucchio, Nicholas. “A Failed Vision of Empire: The Collapse of Manifest Destiny, 1845–1872 by Daniel J. Burge.” Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, vol. 120, no. 1, 2022, pp. 73-75, Web.
Fei, Xue. “The Impact of Manifest Destiny on American Foreign Policy.” International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science, vol. 7, no. 4, 2019, pp. 33-42, Web.
McPherson, Alan. “Progressivism Reclaimed: Despite a Long History of Intervention, US Policy Toward Latin America has Contained the Occasional Progressive Impulse. Recalling Those Moments of Illumination—and how Easily Imperial Interests and Nativist Fears Overshadowed them—will be Crucial to Reshaping Hemispheric Relations.” NACLA Report on the Americas, vol. 52, no. 1, 2020, pp. 26-32, Web.