American History

» woorama - America's Greatest Export

Origins Of Manifest Destiny

The original use of the term "Manifest Destiny", first used publically in a New York newspaper editorial in the 1800's, revealed a desire "to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions." This was tied up with notions of "God's will", and imperial assertions of the "White Man's Burden" kind.

Mining And Genocide

Manifest Destiny ideology shaped both public attitudes and government policy, and was constantly updated to suit whatever economic opportunities were available on Native land. For example, the discovery of gold in Georgia led to a barrage of Manifest Destiny propaganda calling for removal of Native peoples from the area. So in 1830 the U.S. Congress passed the "Indian Removal Act", and thus began the dispossession of the Cherokee people. This was legitimised under the Treaty of New Echota, which was signed by President Andrew. The result of this act was the Trail of Tears where Native Americans walked from Georgia to Oklahoma under very harsh conditions. Over 4,000 lives were lost on that forced march.

Manifest Destiny Today

Nothing has changed. As I write this, Six Nations warriors in Ontario are blockading part of their land that has been sold to "Henco Industries Ltd", who are subdividing the land for "development", and the U.S. military...

Read more at Manifest Destiny in Suite 101.

-- posted by woorama

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» Mary Trotter Kion - America's Greatest Export

In response to America's Greatest Export posted by woorama:

Dear Woorama,
You are absolutely correct. However, instead of President Andrew I think you mean President Jackson.
Thanks,
Mary Trotter Kion

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» JohnCrandall - America's Greatest Export

In response to America's Greatest Export posted by lastword:

Yes, Andrew Jackson was the great hero of the Age of Manifest Destiny. From a modern ideological perspective it is easy to judge Jackson and America in general to be in the wrong. However, from a realistic perspective nations with expanding populations tend to expand geographically, while nations with declining populations do the opposite. Also, nations with superior military technology tend to displace nations without such technology. The examples are innumerable, and the most obvious short discussion example would be the classical Empires of the Greeks and Romans, but axiomatically even today such a realistic rule is going to hold true. Should urbanization fail to contain the populations of the developed countries of the modern world they will expand either peacefuly, by assimilating nieghboring populations and cultures, or violently, by war or other military means. This is what men of the Enlightenment would have called an observable Natural Law, but one that we today generally reject on the basis of our belief that war is primarily for defense, and that all nations have an equal right to exist. And so, historically speaking Manifest Destiny was a justiication for an occurence that was to be expected, but it seems somehow wrong to us today. And although the Indians were often not fully aware of what they were signing they were generally divided, and unable to unite despite the efforts of men like Tecumseh. There is also the Indian incredulity as to the idea that anyone could "own" the land so that it often seemed to them that they were getting large quantities of goods or money without really giving up anything. I don't have time tonight to go any further on this, but I'll get to it in an article eventually. As for the title of this thread, I would argue that the Constitution was America's greatest export since it is the most often studied and emulated political document in the history of the world.

-- posted by JohnCrandall

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» pink101 - Expertise To Share

In response to America's Greatest Export posted by JohnCrandall:
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I'm happy to read your report here.
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I'm interested in these ideas, probably, as a result of the fact that my maternal ancestry was Jacksonian. They came into America through New England and by way of Philadelphia starting in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
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One went to the New York country at the end of the Erie Canal knowing that there was a fortune to be made there. They were Churchills and they were Rumseys. But, when the Rumseys hit Michigan, in the early 1820s, they were doing what had always come naturally to them. They didn't have the world view we share today. They didn't know what was over the next hill or beyond the next valley.
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I know they believed in the God given right to reach out into the wilderness. One of them co-founded Ann Arbor. And, their wander lusting probably accounts for their support of Andrew Jackson when he ascended to the presidency. Michigan was highly influenced by Jackson. Many baby boys were given the names Andrew and Jackson during those early middle nineteenth century years.
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It is interesting for me to trace my ancestry as it runs at the cutting edge of the expansion of America. Everyone should know their roots.
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I think it is great to visit sites where our national character is traced and discussed by participants with expertise to share.
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-- posted by pink101

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» woorama - Expertise To Share

In response to Expertise To Share posted by pink101:

well, don't know about expertise - but it's good to see different perspectives and points of view, to explore different subjectivities.

-- posted by woorama

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» pink101 - Information To Share

In response to Expertise To Share posted by woorama:
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My ancestor came to Detroit in the early 1820s.
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The population of Detroit was about 5,000. He wrote that there were many Native Americans gathering for their annual subsidy from the American government. Does anyone know anything about that?
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While he was in Detroit, he met a man named, John Allen from Virgina. The two of them also met and talked with Lewis Cass who was the provisional governor of Michigan which was a territorial possession at the time. He told them about an Oak Grove on the Huron River in Washtenaw County. My ancestor was Elisha Walker Rumsey and his wife was Anne Sprague. Allen's wife's name was also Ann. The two men purchased some 475 acres or so and named the place Anns' Arbor in honor of their wifes.
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Now you know the rest of the story.
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One of his grandson's was named, Andrew Jackson Rumsey.
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Michigan started out with a Jacksonian constitution. I think it was made a state in 1836.
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It's good to know your ancestor had a part in the founding of the country. THAT and $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee at different coffee shops. Some places they will want more money.
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-- posted by pink101

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