Expansion of westward settlements - Essay Example

Expansion of Westward Settlements Manifest Destiny is an ideology that was introduced to America in early 1840s to express thewish of the U.S to expand its territories across the American continent. However, the term was coined by O’Sullivan who used it in describing his dreams for America. Between July and August 1845, O’Sullivan expressed his support for America to acquire Texas through an essay referred to as “Annexation”. According to OSullivan, it was the responsibility of America to fulfill its manifest destiny so as to overspread the continent for the multiplying population (Mountjoy 9).

In late December of the same year, O’Sullivan employed the term ‘Manifest Destiny’ in explaining another issue related to the seizure of the western territory. In connection with this, O’Sullivan maintained that the United States had the right of occupying western territory. According to him, the claim was by the right of America’s manifest destiny not only to overspread, but also to possess the whole areas of the continent that Providence had ordained the U.S. However, O’Sullivan believed that the use of force was not essential for expanding the U.

S territory. It was as a result of this that he advocated gradual enlargement of the U.S. through use of settlement. O’Sullivan believed that the settlement of the American communities to the western territory will lead to establishment of institutions related to the American government. He further argued that the formed institutions would later want to enter into the Union. In tandem with this, the adoption of the term Manifest Destiny led to the acquisition of other territories like New Mexico and California.

Work CitedMountjoy, Shane. Manifest Destiny: Westward Expansion. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009.