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Explain the philosophy of "Manifest Destiny." What forces created this concept? ...

Aug 31, 2023

*Question*Explain the philosophy of "Manifest Destiny." What forces created this concept? *Answer*“Manifest Destiny” is the belief that the U.S. was destined to secure territory from “sea to sea” (the Atlantic to the Pacific), which drove the acquisition of territory. Journalist John O'Sullivan in the New York Democratic Review in 1845 wrote in favor of the U.S. annexing Texas (was independent) and gave the movement its name.

Manifest Destiny was a widely held cultural belief in the 19th-century United States that American settlers were destined to expand across North America. There are three basic themes to manifest destiny: - The special virtues of the American people and their institutions - America's mission to redeem and remake the west in the image of agrarian America - An irresistible destiny to accomplish this essential duty The concept was created by a combination of factors including political, economic, and social forces. Politically, the idea of Manifest Destiny was used to justify the annexation of Texas, Oregon, and other western territories. Economically, the concept was driven by the desire for new land for farming and ranching, as well as for gold and other resources. Socially, the idea of Manifest Destiny was tied to the belief in the racial and cultural superiority of Anglo-Saxon Americans.

Grading Rubric

A successful short-answer response accomplishes all tasks set forth by the prompt. Each part of the prompt is worth 1 point, for a total of 3 possible points. (a) To earn the point, the response must accurately define the philosophy of "Manifest Destiny" and describe its three basic themes: the special virtues of the American people and their institutions, America's mission to redeem and remake the west in the image of agrarian America, and an irresistible destiny to accomplish this essential duty. (b) To earn the point, the response must identify and explain at least one political force that contributed to the creation of the concept of Manifest Destiny. This could include the desire for territorial expansion, the annexation of Texas and Oregon, or the use of the concept to justify American imperialism. (c) To earn the point, the response must identify and explain at least one economic or social force that contributed to the creation of the concept of Manifest Destiny. This could include the desire for new land for farming and ranching, the gold rush, or the belief in the racial and cultural superiority of Anglo-Saxon Americans. The student's answer would receive 1 out of 3 possible points. The student accurately defines the philosophy of "Manifest Destiny" and mentions the annexation of Texas as a political force that contributed to the creation of the concept (part b), earning 1 point. However, the student does not describe the three basic themes of Manifest Destiny (part a) or identify and explain at least one economic or social force that contributed to the creation of the concept (part c), so they do not earn points for these parts.