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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:
Have seating available in the front of the classroom for those students that may struggle to see the
picture clearly from the projector.
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
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?
4. What does she have in her hands and on her forehead? What do they symbolize?
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?
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.