Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the name given in the1840s to an "upsurge of emotion" that crested in the 1844 campaign, a "crusade" involving expansion, slavery, trade, politics, religion, as "Young America" made the "eagle scream" and "buffalo bellow" in antebellum America. John Quincy Adams believed in "westward the course of empire" but boundaries should be first defined by treaty.
1. Paths of Empire
- Thomas Hart Benton, Mo. Sen. 1821-51, Agrarian Democrat with
L. Cass of MI, S. Douglas and J. McClernand of IL, J. Bright of IN
- graduation 1824, pre-emption 1830, NO mint 1835 by "Old Bullion"
- Wm. Becknell opened Santa Fe Trail 1821 - 800 mi. "path of empire"
- Old Spanish Trail to LA 1829 and James Pattie's Gila Trail to SD
- Jedediah Smith opened South Pass to Snake R. 1824, Oregon Trail
- Jim Bridger, Wm Sublette, Kit Carson, Wm Wolfskill
- California Trail from Fort Bridger, Mormon Trail 1847 to Salt Lake
- Jesse Benton m. John C. Fremont 1841, "Pathfinder"
- Corps of Topographical Engineers 1838 with 36 Army officers
- 1842 expedition to survey Oregon Trail - flag on highest Rocky Mt.
- 1843 report published, no "Great Desert" in West, read by Mormons
- 1844 expedition to Sutters Fort, importance of Mexican California
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