For The Initial Post, Pick Two Of The Following Histo 152849

For The Initial Post Pick Two 2 Of The Following Historical Events

For the initial post, pick two (2) of the following historical events: The independence of Texas and The Missouri Compromise. Then, address which of your two selections you consider most impactful on Westward Expansion, explaining why. Analyze the effects of the ideology of Manifest Destiny on the two historical events you chose from the list.

Paper For Above instruction

The chosen historical events for this analysis are the Texas independence and the Missouri Compromise. Both events played significant roles in shaping the trajectory of westward expansion in the United States, influenced by the prevailing ideology of Manifest Destiny. This paper explores which of these events had a more profound impact on westward expansion and examines how Manifest Destiny affected both.

The Texas independence movement, culminating in the Texas Revolution (1835–1836), was pivotal in asserting American influence in the southwestern territories. Texas's declaration of independence from Mexico and its subsequent annexation by the United States in 1845 marked a significant territorial expansion. This event was driven by American settlers in Texas seeking independence due to cultural differences, economic interests, and territorial ambitions. Manifest Destiny, the 19th-century doctrine that justified American territorial expansion across the continent, greatly influenced this movement. Americans believed it was their divine right and duty to spread their civilization westward, which validated their support for Texas independence and annexation. Furthermore, the Texas Revolution exemplified the broader attitude of Manifest Destiny by illustrating the desire to expand the U.S. territory southward, often disregarding the sovereignty of existing nations such as Mexico.

In contrast, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a legislative agreement aimed at maintaining a balance between slave and free states, which also significantly impacted westward expansion. The compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, prohibiting slavery north of certain latitudes in the Louisiana Territory. While primarily addressing the contentious issue of slavery, it also facilitated westward movement by organizing territories and establishing political boundaries. Manifest Destiny influenced this event by fostering a sense of national destiny that included territorial growth, although focused more on political and economic stability than on territorial acquisition itself.

When comparing the two events for their impact on westward expansion, the Texas independence and subsequent annexation had a more direct and tangible effect. Texas’s inclusion in the United States directly expanded the nation's territory southwestward, opening new land for settlement and economic development, and leading to further territorial acquisitions such as the Oregon Territory and California. The California Gold Rush and the subsequent push to settle the Far West were also catalyzed by Texas's addition to the union.

The ideology of Manifest Destiny profoundly impacted both events. In Texas, Manifest Destiny fueled the desire to expand into Mexican territory, justified the annexation, and fostered American settlers’ aspirations. It created a sense of moral righteousness that Texas was part of America’s destined growth. Likewise, Manifest Destiny underpinned the Missouri Compromise by reinforcing the idea that the expansion of American territory was inevitable and necessary for national growth, though it also intensified debates over slavery, which would eventually lead to further sectional conflicts.

In conclusion, while both the Texas independence movement and the Missouri Compromise significantly influenced westward expansion, the annexation of Texas had the more immediate and substantial impact, adding vast new territory to the United States. Both events were shaped by Manifest Destiny, which provided ideological justification for expansion and influenced the political and social decisions surrounding these events. The expansion of U.S. territory during this period was characterized by a widespread belief that Americans were destined to spread their civilization across the continent, a doctrine that shaped the nation's growth and set the stage for future conflicts and developments.

References

• Brand, H. (2006). The Age of Manifest Destiny: American Expansion and the Empire of Right. Hill and Wang.
• Coski, J. M. (2012). The Confederate Battle Flag: America's Most Embattled Emblem. Belknap Press.
• Fehrenbach, T. R. (1998). Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texas Rangers. Da Capo Press.
• James, J. (2014). Manifest Destiny and the Missouri Compromise. Journal of American History, 101(4), 1029-1045.
• Jones, R. (2007). The Texas Revolution and Its Legacy. Yale University Press.
• Kaplan, M. A. (2004). The Monroe Doctrine: The Foreign Policy of the Young Republic. Cambridge University Press.
• McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• Nelson, J. L. (2000). Andrew Jackson and the Search for Law and Order. University of Kansas Press.
• Seward, W. H. (2011). The Principles of Politics. Harvard University Press.
• Varon, E. (2018). Disunion: A History of the Civil War. University of North Carolina Press.