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From the early 1 sass and well into the latter half of the 19th century the ideals of expansion was brought forth following the nations affirmation and newfound resolution” which allowed the IIS to expand, annexing Texas and absorbing the Oregon territory and California into its sphere of influence and eventually into a fellow state. In both essays, the authors tries to validate the reasons that Manifest Destiny was necessary, Robert W.
Johansson, a history professor from university of Illinois, tries to paint the greatest expansion of the US into a positive light, calling the expansion a perchance to revivalist the economy as well as a stimulant for the growing population without creating a ;white slave” country that Britain exemplified. Thomas R. Whitetail, professor of history at Grinned College, however, portrays the story differently.
Whitetail starts the historical essay with qualifying his opponent’s point, to exclaim that expansion was not only necessary but vital for the growth of our country but later criticizes the approach in which the settler used, destroying and degrading the tradition many of the natives held dear. The two opposing viewpoints offers an engrossing introspection into the differing opinion held by historians and historical figures alike.
Economically, the idea of Manifest Destiny was easy and simple: the expansion of land would allow more trading posts and more mercantilism thereby stimulating the economy as well as creating more places where businesses can conduct their livelihood. In “The Meaning of Manifest Destiny’ Johansson is adamant that Manifest Destiny would further the economic status of the US by enlivening its drive for expansion and also its claim for more territory.
As a supposed “preordained, God-sanctioned mission” the forward moving development of the US territory came off as expected and people did not question its validity. Johansson also went on to say that Manifest Destiny was expected with the growth of advanced technology and the drastic rise of immigrants as well as an increase in transportation and the shortening of time it took to travel to places which allowed the citizens of the US to travel to their “preordained” destinations with much more ease than before.
The settlers that traveled Westward during this period of time was undoubtedly seeking economic opportunities that they felt existed in those areas or had more Of a chance to succeed in a new territory rather than the rowed industrialized cities of the East Coast. By using the various accounts of historical figures, Johansson allows his essay to have much more validity as well as offering many different viewpoints without being too convoluted by infusing too many opposing opinions.
In this regard, Johansson effectively demonstrates that the IIS was very bent on job opportunities and the expansion was not a sole territorial power grab but rather a necessity for the increasing population and a growing job demand amongst the general public. Not only were the lives of Americans changing rapidly and dramatically in a myriad of economic and social ways like the rise of an industrial establishment and the mass production of consumer good but also because the inducement Americans were reaching out beyond their borders to learn more of other lands and people.
In “This Splendid Juggernaut” Whitetail mentioned that the expansion was not solely for pure expansion just like Johansson mentioned but Whitetail demonstrates a darker intent for expansion. In a negative light, Whitetail recalls that many generals and officers, including future president Zachary Taylor, address the Mexicans as an inferior race that are lazy and unfit to tend to their land.
Therefore, it comes to the Americans, as their destiny to take the land from these infidels and cultivate it themselves because they are fit to own such land and would put it to much better use, when in reality this is an ever-growing effort for Americans to relinquish the “inferior race” from their land. In this regard, Whitetail induces a much stronger emotion, relaying the truth about the American sentiment without sugarcoating it like Johansson did. Whitetail allowed the reader to distinguish and decide upon the validity of his claims instead of throwing the claims upon the reader with the slew of historical figures.
It also does the people that were harmed by expansion and Manifest Destiny much more justice to see that they were the ones who were ultimately affected, to see like Catalina said “tears of grief sliding over his cheeks, clap his hand in silence over his mouth, and take the last look over his fair hunting grounds, and turn his face in sadness to the rising sun. ” Evoking such strong emotions the essay evokes a more human feeling afterwards than the hard facts that Johannes essay employed.
In terms of society’s response to both the removal of Native Americans and westward expansion, both of the essays offered very similar accounts of what happened: nothing. The idea of Yankee ingenuity that fueled the US allowed them is what allowed America to have such a high opinion of themselves in comparison to the natives. It was this same distaste that made the removal of Native Americans so swift and palatable because it provided a sanction for he explosive growth of the population during this time period.
The press also played a large role in this as Whitetail explains “By using propaganda which created an inferior image of colored people allowed for the swift removal of all colored people because they did not hold the same preordained destiny that white men had. ” As they both had described, Manifest Destiny was made possible with this propaganda because with its inaccurate retorts it made Mexicans and other aboriginals into a false image, into savages, even calling them “a rascally, perfidious race. No reliance can be placed in their most solemn compacts.
They are little better than a band of pirates and robbers. ” With such strong anti-sentiments, the Mexicans were promptly branded as inferior and even going as far as to say that what ever happened to the Native Americans would inevitably happen to the Mexican aboriginal race because American sentiments regarding Manifest Destiny is an unstoppable machine. The aboriginal race must give way before the advancing wave of civilization 01 become crushed under their boots and must ultimately become extinct by Orca of an invincible law which dictates that in order for one nation to rise, another must fall.
The anti-sentiments were much stronger in Whitetails essay because it provided clear verbatim recounts of what happened during the time period as well as distinct terms for their disdain towards the “inferior” race. This is the very reason that the US was so decisive in taking Mexico because the object that was desired was not peace with Mexico but rather a piece of it. Political drive was what ultimately set off the unstoppable force of expansion into all crooks of North America as Americans rushed to claim a piece of the pie that was newfound land.
Politicians, rather than worrying about the livelihood of the aboriginal were more concerned with global expansion. Combined with sentiments that Mexicans were all thieves and liars, filled with treachery, with bombastic attitudes it allowed the government to swiftly sway the citizens into relaying their ideas to wipe the original inhabitants out to make way for their “empire” In ‘The Meaning of Manifest Destiny’ Johansson used examples of peaceful negotiation in which the US throng-armed the opposing force to sign while only implying that the IIS had no inclination to avoid war on the quest for empire.
Salvation’s initial idea of Manifest Destiny was a sole reference to territorial expansion alone and not the slew Of economic and political expansion that occurred as a result Of said expansion. Salvation’s Manifest Destiny pertained to the idea that the IIS WA! Guided by a providential destiny, that the nation had a preordained, God- sanctioned mission to fulfill, reiterating that the LIST sanctioned territorial expansion was the effect of God’s destined expansion as part of God’s will.