Manifest Destiny: The American Dream or an Ecological Crisis?
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Title
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Manifest Destiny: The American Dream or an Ecological Crisis?
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Description
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This chapter from the student-written book "Emerging Perspectives on Religion and Environmental Values in America" explores the history of colonial expansion and the concept of manifest destiny in the US. It examines the environmental impacts as well as the religious motivations behind this course of action. Below is the first paragraph of the chapter to introduce the discussion.
"A quintessential part of the “American dream” is freedom. Whether it be freedom of religion, freedom of speech, or simply freedom to pursue one’s own dreams, Americans have always idolized the United States as a sort of utopia for individual freedom. 'Manifest destiny' is a mindset that embodies this belief. A staple term in every elementary, middle, and high school student’s American history textbook, it might be considered the epitome of what it meant to be American at the start of American imperialism. The idea of manifest destiny gained popularity in the mid-19th century and was built upon the notion of freedom. Advocates for manifest destiny believed that Americans were free, even bound by fate, to conquer the North American continent and expand the realm of democratic republicanism and Christianity. Under the guise of religious, political, and economic motivations, manifest destiny allowed Americans to pursue the 'American dream' and subdue the 'wild west.' The environmental and humanitarian implications of manifest destiny were frequently overlooked or not considered, resulting in ideology that still today seeps into our behaviors and perceptions regarding domination and superiority."
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Date Created
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03/02/2021
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Creator(s)
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Georgia McLachlan
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Audience
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All audiences/General public
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Rights
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This photo and article were accessed on 06/07/2023 at https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/enr3470studentbook/chapter/manifest-destiny-the-american-dream-or-an-ecological-crisis/.
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Issues
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Consumerism
