American Progress by John Gast (1872)

Political People & the

Government War Treaties Courts/Laws Leaders Citizen

participation

Economic People and

Money/Trade Money/Labor

Systems Trade Gender and Slaves Technology Agriculture/Industry

Geography People &

Land/Resources Location Landforms Human Interaction Movement Spatial Diffusion

Social People & People

Religion Education Lifestyle/Dress Social Classes –

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Political•U.S. as leading the way (progress) – Star of the Empire on her forehead•Possible conflict with natives based on body language•Lady in white (goddess) – as leader• Bear represents CA beingtaken by the United States

Economic•Trade (ships and trains)•Industry in the city (North)•Agriculture in the rural parts of the country (South)•Technology: Railroads, telegraph lines, pony express, Yankee clipper, plow, stagecoach

Geographic

• List some geographic features: Mississippi River, Rocky Mountains, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Great Plains, East (Civilization-Light-Good)/West (Wild-Dark-Bad), North (Cities)/South (Agriculture)• Resources: Wild animals (buffalo, bear, deer), Water in the Northeast being used trade, land for farming, minerals (miners moving west for gold), Climate (stormy in the west and sunny in the east), Migration (west)

Social• Bringing education west (the book in her had says “School Book”)• Primitive vs. Civilized cultures• Gender relations – the east had a very male dominated society• Natives dancing in the back (culture)

Discussion Questions1. Define "manifest destiny." What forces contributed to

the commitment to American expansion?2. Did the artist John Gast portray Manifest Destiny is a

positive or negative light? Explain.3. Do you think this portrayal shows the perspective of

settlers or Native Americans. Why?4. Why did the United States go to war with Mexico?5. How does President Polk justify an American declaration

of war against Mexico? Do you find his explanation convincing?

6. Why did opponents oppose the war?7. What were the political consequences of the Mexican

War?

Discussion Questions

1. Define "manifest destiny." What forces contributed to the commitment to American expansion?• The long held belief that Americans had a God-given right to occupy the

entire North American continent• Manifest Destiny – the belief that Americans were destined to go from

coast pushed Americans west• Overcrowding in the east– the area east of the Appalachian Mountains

was becoming overcrowded and Americans were searching for more land to settle. There were millions of acres west of the Mississippi that could be used

2. Did the artist John Gast portray Manifest Destiny is a positive or negative light? Explain.

3. Do you think this portrayal shows the perspective of settlers or Native Americans. Why?

4. Why did the United States go to war with Mexico?• To help achieve their destiny of expanding to the Pacific Ocean• To obtain the western port of San Francisco for easier trade with eastern

Asia• http://www.historyonthenet.com/American_West/manifest_destiny.htm

5. How does President Polk justify an American declaration of war against Mexico? Do you find his explanation convincing?• Polk claimed that Mexican troops fired on American troops in American territory

when they crossed the Nueces River in Texas.

6. Why did opponents oppose the war?• Some believed that the American democratic government could only succeed if the

country remained relatively small and close to the seat of government (Washington D.C.)

• Northern states and abolitionists were worried that the land gained in the war would be admitted as slave states and upset the balance of power in the U.S. Congress in regards to slavery

• http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/prelude/md_an_ideal_or_a_justification.html

7. What were the political consequences of the Mexican War?• Mexico was forced to sell off the northern half of their country (which included the

port of San Francisco) for half of what the U.S. offered before the war ($15 million)

• Mexico had to recognize the Rio Grande as the border between TX/U.S. and Mexico

United States was ordained by God to spread across the continent is called Manifest Destiny.

http://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/printable/section.asp?id=6

Political People & the

Government War Treaties Courts/Laws Leaders Citizen participation

Economy People and

Money/Trade Money/Labor Systems Trade Gender and Slaves Technology Agriculture/Industry

Geography People &

Land/Resources Location Physical Human Interaction Movement Spatial Diffusion

Social People & People

Religion Education Lifestyle/Dress Social Classes –

Upper/Middle/Lower Gender Relations Language