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Manifest Destiny In The 1800's

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In the early 1800’s, the words “Manifest Destiny” were cleverly coined by John O’Sullivan to describe the speedily growing country. These words inspired many Americans to travel west. This simple phrase meaning obvious fate helped shape our nation and greatly affected how it is today. In this mind-set we fought a war with Mexico over its claims to much of the western territory in North America. Our country grew with the addition of new land when the war ended. At the time, many Americans felt it was their duty to move west. By 1848 the unbelievable had happened, the United States tripled in size from the original few eastern states with a total of about thirty states.

Many Americans felt that it was their right and duty to move west because

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