WESTWARD EXPANSION

        The expression « Manifest Destiny » was first used by John O'Sullivan in 1845 to promote the annexation of Texas and the Oregon Country to the United States. By using « Manifest Destiny » America say that this is a divine mission gave by God. It consists in spreading their democratic values on their territories but also overseas, they have to set the example. Westward Expansion was a real progress for the America. In fact, the conquest started a long time ago, with the Pilgrim Fathers, who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. We are going to ask ourselves if Westward Exapansion was a real progress for Human being ? First, we are going to see the positive aspect of the conquest, then we will see the negative aspect.

        The first document is a painting of John Gast entitled American Progres. We can see on the middle plan a woman who embodies American Progress and the fact of Manifest Destiny. The East is brighten, it represents the development, the progress, the civilization and also the knowledge acquired thanks to the Manifest Destiny. Unlike the West which is dark and cloudy. It represents the wilderness, the danger, but also the lack of knowledge. In fact, the woman is called Columbia and her role is to enlighten the uncivilized West, but also to bring technological development, progress and knowledge there. John Gast is doing a propaganda in favour of Manifest Destiny, he has an idealize view of the conquest, he only focus on the positive elements and forget about the natives. In his poem entitled Pioneers ! Oh Pioneers !, Walt Whitman praises the conquering spirit of these men who made westward expansion possible. It is a paean to these men's virtues, bravery and self-sacrifices. The author yearn the pioneers to keep on moving West and not to give up their mission. « We must march, my darlings, we must bear the brunt of danger ». He also sides with the pioneers as he uses many times the pronoun « we » and shares their fate as they move westward. The settlers start to discover a new wolrd « newer, mightier world, varied world ». He refers to their labour « piercing deep the mines within » and talks about the hardships they had to face « the mountains steep […] the unknown ways ». He uses grandiloquent tone to praise the pioneers and express his admiration for them « O resistless restless race ! » O beloved race in all ! ». He also conveys the idea of Manifest Destiny in his poem when he refers to « the starry mistress » that may be Columbia in the painting of John Gast showing the way and leading the pioneers to the West. The settlers appear as the « chosen people » when he claims they are a « beloved race ». They were chosen by God for a divine mission, that is to say conquering the West. The ghosts of the former settlers are hovering over the pioneers « apparitions pressing ». At the end of the poem, he also addresses the pioneers' wives and daughters who should stand by their husbands and fathers during the conquest. As John Gast, Walt Whitman focus on the positive elements and idealize the Manifest Destiny.

        Howard Zinn is an historian, in the first chapter of his book A people's history of the United States he makes a link between human progress and the Idians. Zinn's view of the first settlers is radically different from the traditional accounts of the popular historical figure. In fact, many people consider westward expansion as a real progress but they forget to mention that millions of people were killed during this. Among those people, there were the Indians. The native people of American who saw their land being stolen by the American under the pretext that God gave them the mission to spread their democratic values and conquer their land. But it was just a justification. That's why Howard Zinn is talking about the Indians because during the conquest many of them have been massacred as it is said in his book « massacre of Indians », but he also talks about « genocide ». And he asks if the « sacrifices […] for human progress » is a real necessity. Indeed, Howard Zinn think that Westward Expansion is not a human progress because we can't kill people just because they are against the fact of Manifest Destiny, God never said that it is a possibility to the conquest. It is also the case in my personal document, I have chosen a picture of Christina Rose entitled Mass Grave at Wounded Knee. It depicts a great mass grave in which they are Indians people. In fact, on December 29th 1890, the U.S Army's 7th Cavalry surrounded a band of Ghost Dancers near Woundded Knee Creek and demanded they surrender their weapons. As that was happening, a fight broke out between an Indian and a U.S soldier and a shot was fired, although it's unclear from which side. A brutal massacre followed, in which it is estimated 150 Indians were killed, some historians put this number at twice as high, nearly half of them were women and children. The cavalry lost 25 men. The conflict was reffered to as a battle, but in reality it was a tragic and avoidable massacre.

...