James K. Polk's Manifest Destiny

In the 19th century there was a popular doctrine or belief that the westward expansion of the United States not only could happen, but that it was destined to stretch from coast to coast. For awhile, the nation’s leaders were unable to resolve the divisive issue of slavery. This belief was called Manifest Destiny and it eventually provided a larger stage for the growing conflict over slavery in America.

Manifest Destiny is a term coined by John L. Sullivan in 1845 when talking about the annexation of Texas. He believed, along with other expansionists, that it’s inevitable that the US population would spread across North America because the land is given by Providence to the United States and that it’s natural that the land should be part of the country [Doc 1]. The idea of westward expansion and Manifest Destiny had positive and negative effects on the politics, society and the economics of the United States and

Manifest Destiny is the belief during the 19th century, that the United States of America not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. The idea of Manifest Destiny helped to fuel the war with Mexico and the removal of Indians from the United States. The American people and government lived by this belief. Manifest Destiny had many good results like the expansion of the American territory. It also had many poor results like the killing of Indians who were "in the way" of the belief of Manifest Destiny. The president that followed through with the belief of Manifest Destiny the most is that of James K. Polk. His war with Mexico and strong stand against the British about the Oregon territory solidified Manifest Destiny.

James K. Polk was born on November 2, 1795 in North Carolina, but quickly moved to Tennessee soon after. This is where Polk entered the world of politics by being elected into the Tennessee House of Representatives as a democrat, in 1823. Polk also became Governor of Tennessee in 1839, but that only lasted for one term, even though he ran for reelection in both 1841 and 1843. Suddenly, in 1844 Polk became the “compromise candidate” (History.com Staff) for the Democratic Party during the 1845 election. This was due to Polk seeming to appear at the top of the nominee list out if nowhere and since he was not well known in the states to begin with, he became known as “The Dark Horse Candidate” (History.com Staff)1. During the election Polk ended

Industrialization of the United States was in full swing by the 1840s. Which evidenced that the continued expansion of the states was an issue and the idea of a Manifest Destiny was of major importance. John L. O’Sullivan once stated, “Our Manifest Destiny is to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions” (America: A Narrative History). The idea of a Manifest Destiny originated in the 1840s by the Anglo-Saxon Colonists to expand their ideal civilization and institutions across North America to become a super nation. There were conflicts during this expansion, but they only led to major successes that molded the states into the superior country it is today. The Manifest

By the time James Polk became president in 1845, an idea called Manifest Destiny had taken root among the American people. The belief that the U.S. had a God-given right to occupy and expand gained favor as more Americans settled to the west. Manifest Destiny was

The new inventions allowed for the belief of Manifest Destiny to fill the heads of Americans. Manifest Destiny was a phrase used by leaders and politicians in the 1840s to explain continental expansion by the United States that revitalized a sense of "mission" or national destiny for Americans. (PBS Organization n.d.) This idea established a great deal of Nationalism within the Americans. It created the feeling that, together, Americans would expand and build up America out West.

Around this time period many Americans believed in Manifest Destiny, which was a belief, it stated America was destined to stretch from coast to coast because God had meant for it to be that way. James K. Polk was one

Polk was raised in Tennessee where he was often sickly as a child. He later attended college at the University of North Carolina and graduated with honors. After graduation he travelled to Memphis, Tennessee where he began his law career under the guidance of renowned attorney Felix Grundy. The law career eventually gave way to a political career and with the support of Grundy, Polk was elected clerk for the Tennessee State senate. Polk served in this office until 1822 when he resigned and made a successful bid for the Tennessee State Legislature as the age of twenty seven. A few years later in 1825 he ran for the House of Representatives. Although many though him too young at the age of 29 he once again came out successful. It is during this time that Polk became a champion of the Jacksonian style politics and earned the nickname of “Young Hickory”. He went on to be elected to the House six more times and in 1835 was elected Speaker of the House. In 1838 he left the House to run for Governor of Tennessee which he won. However, he did lose the bid for reelection which prompted his focus to return to national politics (Haynes

James Knox Polk was born in Pennsville, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and November 2, 1795. He graduated with a law degree from North Carolina University, he left his law degree behind, and served in the Tennessee legislature, where he met Andrew Jackson and became friends with him. Polk moved from the Tennessee legislature to the United States House of Representative he served from 1825 to 1839, also served as speaker of the House from 1835 to 1839. He left his congressional post to become governor of Tennessee.

James Polk is mostly famous for his involvement in the Oregon dispute and The Texas independence dispute. Polk was just barely elected and was very much for fighting to keep Oregon. He was very bold and pushed Americans to begin to develop the western part of the United States. He also was able to purchase New Mexico and Arizona and eventually gain control of Texas. Polk used his power to push the expansion of America and state their authority to Britain and the rest of the world. Pushing Great Britain into another war over Oregon gave him the upper hand and eventually the rest of Oregon.

Write your introduction here James k polk was the 11th president. He was born november 2 1795 in Mecklenburg county north carolina. HIs political party affiliation was democrat .

Under James Knox Polk, the United States grew by more than a million square miles, adding territory that now composes the states of Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, much of New Mexico, and portions of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado. Much of the United States is owed to the expansion planned by Former President John K Polk. His actions would lead to the annexation of Texas and purchase of California and New Mexico from Mexico. In the mid 1840’s John L. O’Sullivan editor of the United States magazine and democratic Review used the phrase “Manifest Destiny”. To him these words seemed to be an appropriate label for the spirit of expansionism that boosted from the presidency of John K Polk and his extension of pre-civil war united states.

The Manifest Destiny is an important part of history in the United States. In order for one to understand the Manifest Destiny, the requirement of knowledge of the etymology of the word and the word’s significance to Americans. The Manifest Destiny happened in the nineteenth century, where during this time Americans were determined to move westward. The Americans desired to witness the expansion of the United States, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. When the Americans detected open land in the west, deep within the Americans felt the land signified opportunity and wealth.

Manifest Destiny was the idea that it was the United States’ destiny to take over all of North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Most of the public was in favor of territorial expansion, though some politicians felt it contradicted the constitution.