Manifest Destiny: Triumph or Tragedy?

In the pursuit of Manifest Destiny, was the process and the result of expanding west an American triumph or tragedy?

Westward Expansion from 1801-1861

THINK about BOTH the process of Westward Expansion AND the result of Westward Expansion in order to answer the question.

Our Project Goal

For this unit, we will be focusing on the vast territorial expansion that occurred between 1801 and 1861 as restless Americans pushed westward across the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi River, and finally across the Rocky Mountains and on to the Pacific Ocean.

Westward expansion is controversial for many reasons, including:

  • the removal of many American Indian nations from their homelands

  • the process and acquisition of new territories

  • conflicts with various groups in the west

This project will divide the people involved in westward expansion into 3 groups: the land's native people, politicians, and pioneers (explorers, settlers, entrepreneurs). As you learn about each of these groups, you will try to answer this question:

In the pursuit of Manifest Destiny, was the process and the result of expanding west an American triumph or tragedy?



Introduction

PBS: Ken Burns - The West

Watch: Extraordinary Landscape (3 mins) and Exploring the West (3 mins)

1. Background Information

During the years 1800-1860, before the Civil War, the United States experienced:

  • A dramatic expansion of territory through wars, purchases and treaties

  • The arrival of immigrants - between 1830 and 1860 population grew from 12,866,000 to 31,443,000

  • Rapid economic growth, industrialization and innovation

  • An idea called Manifest Destiny

      • The belief that it was the white Europeans' right and destiny to expand the United States across all of the North American continent.

      • The belief that other races (Native Americans, Hispanics) were inferior and deserved a "better" culture and way of life.

      • The belief that is was God's plan for the settlers to impose their way of life on others.

    • GALE ARTICLE: Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion


2. Two Videos:

Growth of a Nation: Manifest Destiny (21:38 mins)

use school log in

BrainPop video about Westward Expansion

use school log in

"Pioneers! O Pioneers!"

by Walt Whitman

This is a poem called "Pioneers! O Pioneers!" by Walt Whitman, which can be found in his 1865 book, Leaves of Grass.

Whitman wrote the poem to commemorate the spirit of American westward expansion.

The poem is read aloud by Will Geer.

This project was created by: 8th Grade Social Studies Teachers (Debra Jones and Justin Tomczyk) and Librarians (Cheryl Beatty and Katherine Lee) at RLMS in Fairfield, CT. Changed and Updated 2022. By Nicki Callahan, Library Media Specialist, Roger Ludlowe Middle School, Fairfield, CT.
All images are either in the public domain or are copyright free and do not require attribution.http://www.publicdomainfiles.com/show_file.php?id=13981285211915
Standards for this Project