Manifest Destiny
During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the United States saw many problems come and go. Some problems were more important than others, however all led to further division of American politics. The most divisive issue in American politics during this time frame was the idea of Manifest Destiny, or territorial expansion.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. Strict constructionists were against territorial expansion, while loose constructionists felt expansion was the United States' destiny. Strict constructionists centered their platform around the fact that the constitution never directly states that the federal government has the right to acquire land. Those that view the constitution liberally, or loose constructionists, counter that stand by claiming the right of e
xpansion falls under the government's implied powers. Loose constructionists and strict constructionists are the main divisive factor for the United States political parties: the democrats and the whigs. One of the supporters of Manifest Destiny was, democrat, James Polk who served as president from 1844 to 1848. The Mexico situation was different in that Polk did not have the fear of Mexico that he had of Great Britain. Polk felt a war with Mexico would only prove profitable for the United States, so he inticed the Mexicans to attack. Once Mexico attacked, Polk claimed he had to defend the United States, for Mexico had invaded American territory. Polk claimed, "The cup of forbearance had been exhausted... [Mexico] had passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon the American soil." (Tindall 587) Polk's unexpected election, slavery conflicts, and the Mexican war were all issues in American politics during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth cent
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Approximate Word count = 684
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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