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Native America, Discovered and Conquered: Manifest Destiny

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Man has always had the desire to expand, venture forth to develop greater wealth. With the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory and the prospects of future land acquisition, Americans used the idea of Manifest Destiny to justify their actions for moving westward and their treatment of Native Americans. The idea of Manifest Destiny was created directly by the European-used Doctrine of Discovery and industrialization; this direct correlation was proven to be true from the verdict of the court case Johnson v. M’Intosh. The term “Manifest Destiny” was never actually used until 1845, but the idea was always implied from the Doctrine of Discovery. Without understanding the Doctrine, it is impossible to understand the reasons and …show more content…

Johnson and Graham “inherited” the land from William Murray, who bought the land directly from the Native Americans who previously occupied the land. So, did Murray have the right to purchase land directly from the indians and in turn leave it to future generations, or was this act illegal and void? The court ruled in favor of M’Intosh by outlining key points in the Doctrine of Discovery. The courts Chief Justice, John Marshall, came to this conclusion based on how the English Crown had absolute title in Indian lands, which America inherited, and “discovery gave exclusive title to those who made it”(as cited in Miller 52-53). So even though the Indians still had the right to occupy and sell their lands, the nation that now ruled them could overturn their decisions because of their lack of sovereignty, all outlined in the Doctrine of Discovery. With these ideas instilled in the minds of Americans, Thomas Jefferson and Meriwether Lewis put their trust in technological advancements to aid in expansion. These advancements fueled the desire for expansion. One is the steamboat, which was first launched onto the Mississippi River and aided settlers in arriving to the area known as the Louisiana Purchase.The success of the steamboat fueled the want for further expansion, which manifested into railroads. These together aided in the “march of the United States via Manifest Destiny…to the Oregon country”(Miller 117). The Doctrine of Discovery became Manifest Destiny at this

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