Manifest Destiny can be described as a phenomen that created America's history, a movement that would embody American beliefs and American culture, it implied imperialistic expansion that the Americans believed was there right, this right led to hardships, several wars and hostilities between countries and also between people occupying the American land. Though this destiny also led to new lives, comradery and development it achieved the ultimate goal of possession. Manifest Destiny was the philosophy that created a nation.

In the year of 1800 the West to coin an old phrase was an 'unknown frontier' to the Americans who had settled upon the East Coast. The West was a mystery blocked by a French colony by the name of Louisiana. America was under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson who in the true spirit of

By the 1870's the West was no longer a frontier to be braved by explorers but a thriving centre of settlers, pioneers and towns. In the space of seventy years the United States had accomplished a centuries worth of achievements, and in the true spirit of 'Manifest Destiny' they had quadrupled their size by the means of purchase, war and exploration. This extension of territory or the opening up of the West came about largely to these factors, The Louisiana Purchase, Texan independence and then annexation, the Mexican-American Wars and the Oregon agreement. This opening up of the West allowed Americans to venture into their West in search of their American Dream, the enticement of cheap land, a new beginning, gold, a second chance and later free land allowed the dreams of many to be followed and attempted either in the heart of America or on it's Pacific Shoreline. A large factor which allowed the West to be settled was the vast numbers of foreign immigrants. Western Expansions setbacks were largely owed to the early years where established trails were hard to find and the threat of Indians was fierce also a setbacks occurred throughout the civil war days though in the post war days there was an increase in Westward migration. The West provided an opportunity to many and with the continual settlement and the development of railways it would be an opportunity that was available to many.

In 1807 the Embargo Act was passed which prohibited United States vessels from trading with European nations during the Napoleonic Wars, this embargo seriously threatened American livelihoods and stimulated a continuation of economic disruption. The war of 1812 is worth mentioning as it created a feeling of national pride and stopped the domination of America by European events, the decade in which followed has often been referred to as the 'Era of Good Feeling' but in fact it could be classified as the prelude to the strife and devastation and animosity that was destined to continue for four decades.

The American Civil War would have an enormous impact upon the United States it would pause if not halt Westward migration for its duration(1861-1865) as the South combated the North. Ultimately as Scarlet O'Hara so eloquently put it "the Yankees are comin", and the Yankees did come, the Union triumphed over the Confederacy in 1865 after four years of bloody wars and decisive battles resulting in the abolishment of slavery. The main impact the civil war imposed upon Western migration was the virtual halt of migration as mentioned before, the pausing of settlement which served as an enticement to the west and the detrimental effect of the loss/death of approximately 620 000 thousand men in a nation of 35 million people had upon migration.

Americans was interested in the west and the possibilities it offered. With this in mind he organised an expedition into the French owned territory, before this expedition could begin in 1803 French leader Napoleon Bonaparte offered to sell Louisiana to America for a price of fifteen million dollars and with this historic purchase the West was opened up to expansion and pioneers. America now possessed the 'heart of their continent'. Jefferson's planed expedition continued and under the leadership of Lewis and Clarke the exploration of the newly acquired West began, the expedition covered 4,000 miles and all lands beyond Louisiana to the Pacific were claimed for America. This expedition shattered dreams of Jefferson and exposed how hard the Rockies were to penetrate despite this, the extensive richness in the area and in the fur trade enticed trade, and the Rockies became the centre of American fur trade.

The animosity with the Mexicans finally came to

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Approximate Word count = 2495
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)