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Manifest Destiny

Focus:
This lesson will focus on the vision of Manifest Destiny, which took place in the United States in the midnineteenth century. John L. OSullivan first coined the phrase in 1839 in an article written in The United
States Democratic Review. Sullivan argued that America was Gods chosen nation and its people were
destined for supremacy and greatness. This could be achieved, according to Sullivan, by expanding
westward and spreading democracy along the way. This concept marked a very influential moment for
our countrys development and growth. Therefore, it is vital to examine its causes and effects on the
nation at the time of westward expansion and in the years to follow. Todays lesson will accommodate
several learning styles because it will involve visual, auditory, and written learning. The vital theme and
narrative that applies to the lesson is Human interaction with the environment. Americans were
discovering new land to the west and establishing themselves there. There was much interaction with the
environment that led to economic prosperity and hardships, along with social and political developments.
The historical habit of mind that applies to this lesson is, perceive past events and issues as they were
experienced by people at the time, to develop historical empathy as opposed to present-mindedness. The
America in the mid-nineteenth century is very different from the America we know today. Slavery was
still very active and enforced in the south and some parts of the west. Moving was a much more difficult
and strenuous process for families, and often times took an agonizing toll on the health and well being of
some individuals. Other aspects, such as religion and communication, played a major role in this period
of our nations history. It is imperative to understand the timeframe of Manifest Destiny and how it
affected the people and society as a whole at that time. Much of todays lesson will be based around a
painting created in 1872 entitled, American Progress, by John Gast.
Vital Theme and Narrative:
Human interaction with the environment.
Historical Habit of Mind:
Perceive past events and issues as they were experienced by people at the time, to develop historical
empathy as opposed to present-mindedness.
NCSS Theme:
Time, continuity, and change.
Objectives:
The students will gain an understanding of the causes and motivation to move west, as well as
understanding the effects this settlement had on individuals and the country as a whole.
The students will interpret history in their own view through the analysis of a painting.
Instructional:
Describe the means of travel in the late 1830s and 1840s.
Examine the motivation for Americans to move west.
Describe the influence advertising had on Manifest Destiny.
Expressive:
Interpret the message portrayed in Gasts painting.
What were the effects of this event in American history?
If you were alive during this time period, would you have moved west? Why or why not?
Learning Standard:

16.A.4a: Analyze and report historical events to determine cause-and-effect relationships.


Procedure:
Much of this lessons procedure will be completed in small groups. After which the class will
come together as a large group for a discussion.
Set Induction (5 minutes):
Discuss the following:
1. What can we learn from primary sources?
2. How can a picture explore events in our history?
Beginning (10 minutes):
Pass out and read aloud, the excerpt from the article by John L. OSullivan in, The United States
Democratic Review (see attached handout).
On the board, write down reasons why Americans should move west based off of the reading and
other knowledge acquired in previous lessons. Point out the main ideas from the reading.
Middle (20 minutes):
Pass out American Progress analysis guide (see attached handout), while bringing up the
picture on the projector.
Give students 5 minutes to answer the first three questions prior to the analysis of the picture.
Have students share their responses with a partner briefly
Discuss the first three questions as a large group
The students will complete the remaining seven questions on the analysis guide in their small
groups I will circulate around the room and answer any questions posed by students.
End (13 minutes):
Discuss the analysis guide answers as a large group by going around to each small group and
having them answer one of the seven questions.
If time permits, make a list on the board of how expansion westward would create more tension
in the United States and how this affected the country. Causes of Civil War.
Assessment:
Collect the analysis guides from the students and grade their work based on effort and
thoroughness.
Sources:
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/osulliva.htm excerpt from Democratic Review.
Google Image search Painting of John Gasts, American Progress to show on overhead
projector. ***I will have a transparency of this painting prepared in the event that technology
fails in the classroom.
Classroom textbook - McDougal Littell, The Americans, (Illinois, 2007).
Materials:
Students will need their notebooks to take notes reasons for westward expansion and effects of
Manifest Destiny.
Computer access with projection or transparency with overhead projector displaying the
painting.
Accommodations:
Accommodations will be made for students with special needs by placing the stronger students in
the same groups as those students who may struggle with the assignment.
During the beginning of the lesson, I will pose questions and provide clarification in regards to
the excerpt by John L. OSullivan (highlight main ideas).

Have seating available in the front of the classroom for those students that may struggle to see the
picture clearly from the projector.

John L. O'Sullivan on Manifest Destiny, 1839


Excerpted from "The Great Nation of Futurity," The United States Democratic Review
The American people having derived their origin from many other nations, and the Declaration
of National Independence being entirely based on the great principle of human equality, these
facts demonstrate at once our disconnected position as regards any other nation; that we have, in
reality, but little connection with the past history of any of them, and still less with all antiquity,
its glories, or its crimes. On the contrary, our national birth was the beginning of a new history,
the formation and progress of an untried political system, which separates us from the past and
connects us with the future only; and so far as regards the entire development of the natural
rights of man, in moral, political, and national life, we may confidently assume that our country
is destined to be the great nation of futurity.
It is so destined, because the principle upon which a nation is organized fixes its destiny, and that
of equality is perfect, is universal. It presides in all the operations of the physical world, and it is
also the conscious law of the soul -- the self-evident dictates of morality, which accurately
defines the duty of man to man, and consequently man's rights as man. Besides, the truthful
annals of any nation furnish abundant evidence, that its happiness, its greatness, its duration,
were always proportionate to the democratic equality in its system of government. . . .
What friend of human liberty, civilization, and refinement, can cast his view over the past history
of the monarchies and aristocracies of antiquity, and not deplore that they ever existed? What
philanthropist can contemplate the oppressions, the cruelties, and injustice inflicted by them on
the masses of mankind, and not turn with moral horror from the retrospect?
America is destined for better deeds. It is our unparalleled glory that we have no reminiscences
of battle fields, but in defence of humanity, of the oppressed of all nations, of the rights of
conscience, the rights of personal enfranchisement. Our annals describe no scenes of horrid
carnage, where men were led on by hundreds of thousands to slay one another, dupes and victims
to emperors, kings, nobles, demons in the human form called heroes. We have had patriots to
defend our homes, our liberties, but no aspirants to crowns or thrones; nor have the American
people ever suffered themselves to be led on by wicked ambition to depopulate the land, to
spread desolation far and wide, that a human being might be placed on a seat of supremacy.
We have no interest in the scenes of antiquity, only as lessons of avoidance of nearly all their
examples. The expansive future is our arena, and for our history. We are entering on its
untrodden space, with the truths of God in our minds, beneficent objects in our hearts, and with a
clear conscience unsullied by the past. We are the nation of human progress, and who will, what
can, set limits to our onward march? Providence is with us, and no earthly power can. We point
to the everlasting truth on the first page of our national declaration, and we proclaim to the
millions of other lands, that "the gates of hell" -- the powers of aristocracy and monarchy -"shall not prevail against it."
The far-reaching, the boundless future will be the era of American greatness. In its magnificent
domain of space and time, the nation of many nations is destined to manifest to mankind the
excellence of divine principles; to establish on earth the noblest temple ever dedicated to the

worship of the Most High -- the Sacred and the True. Its floor shall be a hemisphere -- its roof
the firmament of the star-studded heavens, and its congregation an Union of many Republics,
comprising hundreds of happy millions, calling, owning no man master, but governed by God's
natural and moral law of equality, the law of brotherhood -- of "peace and good will amongst
men.". . .
Yes, we are the nation of progress, of individual freedom, of universal enfranchisement. Equality
of rights is the cynosure of our union of States, the grand exemplar of the correlative equality of
individuals; and while truth sheds its effulgence, we cannot retrograde, without dissolving the
one and subverting the other. We must onward to the fulfilment of our mission -- to the entire
development of the principle of our organization -- freedom of conscience, freedom of person,
freedom of trade and business pursuits, universality of freedom and equality. This is our high
destiny, and in nature's eternal, inevitable decree of cause and effect we must accomplish it. All
this will be our future history, to establish on earth the moral dignity and salvation of man -- the
immutable truth and beneficence of God. For this blessed mission to the nations of the world,
which are shut out from the life-giving light of truth, has America been chosen; and her high
example shall smite unto death the tyranny of kings, hierarchs, and oligarchs, and carry the glad
tidings of peace and good will where myriads now endure an existence scarcely more enviable
than that of beasts of the field. Who, then, can doubt that our country is destined to be the great
nation of futurity?

Source:
http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/texts/manifest_destiny.html

American Progress
Analysis of John Gasts 1872 painting

Questions to consider before analysis:


1. Why would Americans want to move west?

2. Describe the means of travel during this time period. Does this have an effect on the
decision to move west?

3. Explain the role of advertising during this time period. How is it similar and different
from todays advertisement techniques?

Analyzing American Progress:


1. John OSullivan coined the phrase Manifest Destiny and described America as being
Gods chosen nation. How does Gasts painting illustrate this belief?

2. Who is the intended audience?

3. What does the female figure represent?

4. What does she have in her hands and on her forehead? What do they symbolize?

5. What group is being portrayed as inferior? How do you know this?

6. What group of people is completely left out of the painting? Why?

7. Describe the use of light and shading in this painting. What is its purpose?

American Progress
Analysis of John Gasts 1872 painting
Questions to consider before analysis:
1. Why would Americans want to move west?
Panic of 1837 avoid creditors and seek employment.
Claim cheap land for farming.
Locate harbors that could be used for possible trade depots with China.
Spread democracy.
Self-make achieve the American Dream.
2. Describe the means of travel during this time period. Does this have an effect on the
decision to move west?
Transcontinental RR was not completed until 1869.
Travel was through horse and buggy, carriage, and walking.
Long journeys that required reliance on nature and the land during the
move hunting, picking fruit, (Oregon Trail stuff).
Made decision to move west tough because of the immediate, but likely
permanent change in lifestlye.

3. Explain the role of advertising during this time period. How is it similar and different
from todays advertisement techniques?
George Crofutt engraved and distributed Gasts painting widely
Gasts painting was not created until 1872.
Attempted to encourage the expansion of the United States create a more
powerful nation with larger trading networks.
Similar exemplifies the positives, while leaving out negative side effects.
Different ability to spread the word/ideas in a fast and efficient fashion
Different racism evident Native Americans, African Americans.
Analyzing American Progress:
1. John OSullivan coined the phrase Manifest Destiny and described America as being
Gods chosen nation. How does Gasts painting illustrate this belief?
2. Who is the intended audience?
3. What does the female figure represent?
4. What does she have in her hands and on her forehead? What do they symbolize?
5. What group is being portrayed as inferior? How do you know this?

6. What group of people is completely left out of the painting? Why?


7. Describe the use of light and shading in this painting. What is its purpose?

SteveLesniak
HIS551/Dr.RobertJohnston
12/08/08

ManifestDestinyThroughtheEyesoftheBeholder

WhenhighschoolstudentsareaskedtoidentifysomekeymomentsinAmerican

History,theyusuallycanrehashtheconflictsthatournationhasencountered:the
RevolutionaryWar,theCivilWar,bothWorldWars,andperhapstheVietnamWar.These
eventsinournationshistoryhavebeenexaminedthoroughlyintheirprevioushistory
classes,andareoftenthebulkofdiscussioninmosttextbooks.Theyareundoubtedly
essentialtopicstograspthepoliticaltransformationsoftheUnitedStates.Onevital
lingeringquestionremainsforthesestudents.Howcanonefullycomprehendthe
magnitudeofthesegreatconflictswithoutfirstanalyzingtheirrootcauses?
ThebasisforwhichIhavechosenthetopicformylessonplanlookstoaddressthis
question.Inthiscase,IhavechosenManifestDestinytoexaminenotonlythecausesofthe
CivilWar,butalsothesocialtransformationsthataffectedsomany.Toomanystudents
makethefalseassumptionthattheCivilWarwassimplyfoughtoverslavery.Theyalso
maybelievethatallnorthernersbelievedslaverywasmorallywrong,whileallsoutherners
believedthattheAngloAmericanracewasfarsuperiortothatofAfricanAmericans.In
ordertorectifythismisunderstanding,studentsmustfirstbegiventheopportunityto
exploresourcesoutsideofthepoliticalrealm.Inconjunctionwiththis,studentsneedto
understandhowoursocietyinAmericafunctionstoday,andinordertodosowemust
examinethepasttoseehowAmericaevolvedtobewhatitistoday.
ManifestDestinyservesasanappropriatetopictoexaminewestwardexpansion
becauseitprovidestheopportunitytoanalyzethismonumentalperiodinhistorythrough

severaldifferentavenues.StudentswillbeabletoanalyzeJohnL.OSullivanspieceprinted
inTheUnitedStatesDemocraticReviewandunderstandtheroleofreligion,particularly
Christianity.IssuesofclassandraceareevidentthroughtheuseofJohnGastsAmerican
Progress.Bothoftheaforementionedresourcesprovidestudentswiththeopportunityto
examineprimarysourcesandmostimportantly,drawtheirownconclusions.
Furthermore,thisanalysisdigsdeeperthanjusttheissuesofpoliticsandkeyfigures,giving
studentsawellbalancedaccountofhistory.
IchoseManifestDestinyasthetopicformylessonbecauseIbelieveitservesasa
greatriteofpassagefordiscussiononthegrowthofAmerica.Growthnotonlyintheliteral
sense(obtainingnewlandsfromFrance,Mexico,andGreatBritain),butalsopoliticallyand
socially.Inhisbook,WhatHathGodWrought,DanielWalkerHoweexaminesthepolitical
andsocialtransformationsandcreditstheAntebellumEraasbeingaCommunications
RevolutionasopposedtoanAgeofJackson. 1 Thisgrowthfueledthetensionand
divisionbetweentheNorthandtheSouthandIthinkitisessentialforstudentstograsp
theseconceptsinordertobettercomprehendthechainofeventsinAmericanHistory.
Lastly,theideaofManifestDestinyisdirectedatthecommonperson,ratherthantheelite
class,providinganaturalbottomupapproach,whichhasbeenarefreshingwaytoexamine
history.ThisapproachisevidentinPatriciaClineCohensbook,TheMurderofHelen
Jewett,whichexplainedthesocialtransformationsinNewYorkthroughthelifeofa
prostitute.Additionally,throughitsanalysisstudentscanseethesocialstratificationthat
existedamongraces,particularlythroughGasts,AmericanProgress.

1DanielWalkerHowe,WhatHathGodWrought:TheTransformationofAmerica,18151848,
(NewYork,2007),5.

Thereareseveralprimarysourcestochoosefromtostudythistimeperiod.Ichose
anexcerptbyJohnL.OSullivanspiecefromTheUnitedStatesDemocraticReview,because
thiswillserveasanexcellentsetinductiontogetstudentstostartthinkingaboutwhy
peoplewouldmovewest.ThissourcealsotiesinwiththeroleofChristianitybecauseof
thereferencetoAmericabeingGodschosennation.Iliketoraisetheissueofreligionin
classwhileanalyzingthisdocumentbecausemanystudentsdonotunderstandhowmuch
religioninfluencedthelivesofordinarypeopleinthe19thcentury.Oftentimes,thiscan
initiatediscussionaboutreligionintheUnitedStatesandaroundtheWorldtoday.
Additionally,IposequestionstostudentsaboutwhyAmericanswouldmovewestandthis
allowsmetoassesswhatmystudentsalreadyknowaboutwestwardexpansion.
IchoseJohnGastspainting,AmericanProgressbecauseitoffersagreatopportunity
forstudentstodrawtheirownconclusionsandmakeinferences.Studentshaveatendency
tobelieveeverythingtheyread,whichcanleadtoamisleadingunderstandingofhistory.
Gastspaintingisanontraditionalprimarysource,inthatitisnotawrittendocument,but
ratherapainting.Manystudentshavethemisconceptionthatprimarysourcescanonlybe
writtendocuments,andthispaintingprovesthatbelieftobefalse.
Analyzingprimarysourcesiscrucialtoteachinghistorybecauseitallowsstudents
todrawtheirownconclusions.Ratherthanhavetheteachertellthestudentswhat
happened,Iwantstudentstooffertheirowninsightsintothesetopics.Iencouragethemto
takeachanceandmakeaboldstatement,whichmaybecontrarytopopularbelief,because
doingsoforcesthemtothinkcritically.Thistypeofanalysisismorebeneficialtostudents
thanrotememorizationbecauseitinvolvesahigherlevelofthinking.Furthermore,itis

simplymorefuntoteachthisway,asopposedtousingaPowerPointpresentationfor
studentstousetotakenotes.
Thisapproachcanhaveitssetbacks,especiallyforstudentsthataretakingU.S.
Historysimplybecauseitisagraduationrequirement.Thesestudentstendtobe
unmotivatedwhenitcomestoanalyzinganything,andtheymayaskthequestion,Why
shouldIcareaboutsomethingthathappenedsolongago?Thishasandwillcontinuetobe
aconstantstruggleformeasateacher,andthatiswhyItrytorelatethecontentandissues
tothestudentslivesandtheWorldtoday.Somestudentswillstrugglewiththereading,or
notfeelcomfortablesharinganswersbecausetheyfeeltheymaybewrong.Toalleviate
someoftheseproblems,Iwillputstudentsingroupsandcontinuallycirculatethe
classroom,ensuringthateveryoneisengagedintheassignment.Somestudentsaremore
comfortabletalkinginasmallergroupsetting,whileotherspreferthebigstage.My
intentwiththislessonistoaccommodateallofmystudentsandtheirvariouslearning
strengths.
Theassessmentinthislessonisrathersubjectivebecauseitrequiresthatstudents
interpretprimarysources.Thismethodallowsstudentstofeelliketheycanexpresstheir
opinionsaslongastheycanjustifyandsupporttheirclaimwithevidence.Oneofthe
biggeststrugglesforstudentsatElkGroveHighSchoolistheirlackofaccountability.This
assessmentputstheballintheircourtsotospeakandtakesawaythepressureof
selectingonecorrectanswer.Ratheritprovidesstudentswiththeopportunitytothink
criticallyandreceivecreditfortheirefforts,insteadofbasingitsolelyonretainingand
rehashingcontent.

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