The Louisiana Purchase and Westward Expansion

The Louisiana Purchase and Westward Expansion — page 1
INTRODUCTION In the mid-1800s there arose in the United States a political and philosophical belief that it was the country’s divinely assigned mission to expand westward across North America In the process it would spread democratic and Protestant ideals This belief was called Manifest Destiny John O’Sullivan a journalist used the phrase in an 1845 editorial about the annexation of Texas in which he spoke of America’s manifest destiny to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our multiplying millions This was probably the first use of the phrase manifest destiny but the roots of the concept can be traced much further back to the colonial period One of the grievances that led to the American Revolution was the attempt by Britain to prevent colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains As soon as the Revolution had been won the new government of the United States started making plans for the addition of new states The American frontier moved in stages After the Revolution pioneers gradually crossed the Appalachians and went into the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys Then in the mid-1800s they ventured across the Mississippi River and into the West 6