Manifest Destiny

The philosophy behind Manifest Destiny was verbalized by journalist John Louis O’Sullivan, who stated that the U.S. possessed a divine right to expand throughout North America in order to sustain the country’s growth and acquire needed resources. This philosophy is evident in the westward expansion of the United States, including but not limited to the annexation of Texas and Oregon, the justification of the Mexican-American War, and the expansion of the railroad “from sea to shining sea.”