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The Search For National Identity
Nationalism is the attitude members of a nation have when they care about their national identity. Nationalism can also be the love of a country and the willingness to make sacrifices for it. Just as a person’s identity is affected by other people and the events in their life, a nation is affected the same way. There have been many people and events that have affected the national identity of America.
There were two Awakenings that spread different aspects of American thought. The first Awakening brought a change in the style of preaching. The new style that took hold was passionate and fiery, characterized by preachers giving detailed descriptions of the fate of those headed to eternal punishment in hell. …show more content…

(Berkin pg. 255) The term destiny displays the thinking that there was a divine plan for the spread of American thought (predominated by belief in the Gospel) across the continent. Thus, many missionaries were sent westward.
There were a few factors that influenced the push west. Many artists influenced Manifest Destiny. The Hudson River School was a group of artists founded by the popular artist, Thomas Cole. (Berkin pg. 238) The school painted beautiful works of art that depicted the wonderful landscape of the West. Since most people did not actually know what the West really looked like, they were influenced by the works of art by the Hudson River School. The art made the West look better than it actually was, and drew many unknowing people westward. The Oregon Trail was the path to get to Oregon. The Oregon Trail was a 2,500-mile stretch of land that settlers of the West traversed. The trail had branches that went to California and Utah. The trail was very rugged and the weather was not always good. So many people died along the Oregon Trail that a grave could have been placed every 80 yards.
The war with Mexico also expanded American territory. Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott were two army leaders during that war. Taylor led the defeat of Mexico’s Santa Anna at Buena Vista. ( Berkin pg. 262) The victory made Taylor a hero in the eyes of Americans and led to his eventual presidency. Scott was a leader of troops during the war with Mexico and the war of 1812. A

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