Sound Smart: Manifest Destiny | History

Summary

Historian Matthew Pinsker explains that 'Manifest Destiny', often associated with 19th-century U.S. expansionism, was not an official policy but a slogan coined by journalist John L. O'Sullivan in 1845. Initially controversial, it was more ridiculed than embraced, with critics viewing it as a pretext for slavery's spread. Advocates sought to expand U.S. influence across the continent. The phrase faded until the 1890s when it re-emerged during America's push for global power, notably during the Spanish-American War. Ironically, O'Sullivan, who had fallen into obscurity, wasn't recognized for his contribution until much later.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The term 'Manifest Destiny' is often associated with the 19th-century belief in America's divine right to expand its territory.
• 🗣️ The phrase 'Manifest Destiny' was coined by journalist John L. O'Sullivan in 1845, not by politicians, and was initially controversial.
• 🤔 The concept was used to promote the annexation of Texas and the Oregon Territory, and was seen by critics as a justification for the spread of slavery.
• 🗳️ Many Northerners opposed Manifest Destiny, viewing it as a cover for the expansion of slavery, while others saw it as a failure to achieve full continental expansion.
• 🌍 Advocates of Manifest Destiny envisioned a much larger American Republic, including all of Mexico and Canada.
• 📉 The phrase fell out of political use until the 1890s when it was revived to support America's emergence as a global power.
• 🔄 The term was used to justify expansion into the Caribbean and the Pacific, particularly during the Spanish-American War.
• 😔 The irony is that by the time Manifest Destiny became popular in the 1890s, its originator, John L. O'Sullivan, had died and was largely forgotten.
• 📚 It took historians decades to rediscover O'Sullivan's role in creating the phrase, highlighting the contested and controversial nature of Manifest Destiny.
• 👥 The script also briefly touches on the rise of the Red Guards in China, which were used to suppress political dissent during Mao's era.

Q & A

What is Manifest Destiny?

Manifest Destiny is a term that encapsulates the belief in the 19th century that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, often seen as a divinely sanctioned mission.

Who coined the term 'Manifest Destiny'?

The term 'Manifest Destiny' was coined by journalist John L. O'Sullivan in 1845.

In what context did John L. O'Sullivan first use the term 'Manifest Destiny'?

John L. O'Sullivan first used the term 'Manifest Destiny' in the context of writing editorials about the annexation of Texas and the boundary dispute with Britain over the Oregon Territory.

How was the term 'Manifest Destiny' initially received?

The term 'Manifest Destiny' was initially controversial and was used more by critics than supporters, often as a way to ridicule expansionism.

What did some Northerners believe 'Manifest Destiny' was a code for?

Some Northerners believed that 'Manifest Destiny' was a code for spreading slavery.

What were the aspirations of Manifest Destiny advocates?

Manifest Destiny advocates aspired for the United States to expand its territory to include all of Mexico, Canada, and the entire North American continent.

When did the term 'Manifest Destiny' re-emerge in American political discourse?

The term 'Manifest Destiny' re-emerged in the 1890s as part of the drive to make the United States a global power, particularly during the era of the Spanish-American War.

Why did the term 'Manifest Destiny' become popular again in the 1890s?

The term 'Manifest Destiny' became popular again in the 1890s due to discussions about expanding into the Caribbean or the Pacific, as part of the United States' ambition to become a global power.

What happened to John L. O'Sullivan after he coined the term 'Manifest Destiny'?

John L. O'Sullivan fell into obscurity and died in 1895. His obituaries did not mention his role as the author of the phrase 'Manifest Destiny'.

Why is Manifest Destiny still controversial today?

Manifest Destiny remains controversial today because it was a contested policy from its beginning, often associated with the expansion of slavery and the forced displacement of Native American populations.

What is the connection between Manifest Destiny and the red guards mentioned in the script?

There is no direct connection mentioned in the script between Manifest Destiny and the red guards. The red guards are mentioned in a separate context, referring to a different historical period and location, indicating a shift in the discussion.

Outlines

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🌐 Manifest Destiny: Origins and Controversies

Matthew Pinsker, a historian, explains that Manifest Destiny was not an official policy but a slogan coined by journalist John L. Sullivan in 1845. It was used to promote the idea of America's divine right to expand territorially, particularly in the context of the annexation of Texas and the Oregon boundary dispute with Britain. Contrary to popular belief, the phrase was controversial from the start, with critics using it to mock expansionist policies. Many Northerners saw it as a pretext for spreading slavery. Despite the ambitions of some advocates who wanted to expand the United States to include all of Mexico and Canada, the phrase fell out of favor until the 1890s. It was then resurrected to justify America's push towards becoming a global power, notably during the Spanish-American War. Ironically, by the time Manifest Destiny gained popularity again, Sullivan had passed away in obscurity, with his role in coining the phrase going largely unrecognized until historians rediscovered it.

Keywords

💡Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny refers to the 19th-century belief that the United States was destined by God to expand across the North American continent. It was a concept used to justify territorial expansion and was popularized by journalist John L. O'Sullivan in 1845. In the video, it is mentioned as a slogan that became controversial, with critics using it to ridicule expansionism and proponents seeing it as a divine right to spread the American way of life.

💡Territorial Expansion

Territorial expansion is the process by which a country increases its land area by acquiring new territories. In the context of the video, it is discussed as a driving force behind the concept of Manifest Destiny, with the United States aiming to become an 'ocean-bound Republic.' The annexation of Texas and the Oregon Territory dispute are given as examples of this expansionist mindset.

💡John L. O'Sullivan

John L. O'Sullivan was an American journalist who is credited with coining the term 'Manifest Destiny' in 1845. His editorials on the annexation of Texas and the Oregon Territory dispute were instrumental in popularizing the concept. The video highlights his role in shaping the narrative of American expansion, despite his later obscurity and the irony of his phrase becoming popular posthumously.

💡Controversial

The term 'controversial' in the video refers to the heated debates and differing opinions surrounding the concept of Manifest Destiny. It was used by critics to mock the idea of expansionism and was seen by many, especially in the North, as a cover for the spread of slavery. The video emphasizes that this controversy was present from the beginning and continues to be a topic of debate today.

💡Northerners

Northerners, as mentioned in the video, were people from the northern states of the United States who often held opposing views to those in the South, particularly on issues like slavery and territorial expansion. They were suspicious of the motives behind Manifest Destiny, viewing it as a means to spread slavery and were critical of the expansionist policies.

💡Slavery

Slavery was a contentious issue in 19th-century America, with the North generally opposing it and the South supporting it. In the video, it is suggested that many Northerners saw Manifest Destiny as a covert attempt to expand the institution of slavery into new territories, which contributed to the controversy surrounding the concept.

💡Red Guards

The Red Guards were a mass student-led movement during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, which the video briefly mentions in the context of young people joining organizations to support political ideologies. They were known for their radical actions, including public humiliation, assault, and even murder of political enemies, illustrating the fervor and extremism that can accompany ideological movements.

💡Mao and the Communist Party

Mao and the Communist Party refer to Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party, respectively. The video alludes to the Red Guards as being used by Mao and the Party to enforce their political will, indicating the role of such organizations in the service of authoritarian regimes and the potential for abuse of power.

💡Spanish-American War

The Spanish-American War, which occurred in 1898, is mentioned in the video as a period when the concept of Manifest Destiny was revived. It was a conflict that led to further American territorial expansion, including the acquisition of territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines, thus aligning with the idea of the United States becoming a global power.

💡Global Power

Becoming a 'global power' is discussed in the video as a renewed interest in Manifest Destiny during the late 19th century. It reflects the United States' aspirations to expand its influence beyond its borders, into the Caribbean and the Pacific, which was part of the broader imperialistic trends of the era.

Highlights

Manifest Destiny is often misunderstood as an official policy of territorial expansion.

The concept suggests that America was divinely ordained to expand.

The term 'Manifest Destiny' was coined by journalist John L. Sullivan in 1845.

Sullivan used the phrase in editorials about the annexation of Texas and Oregon Territory disputes.

The phrase was initially controversial and used more by critics than supporters.

Northerners saw 'Manifest Destiny' as a guise for the spread of slavery.

Advocates of Manifest Destiny desired the entire North American continent for the U.S.

The phrase fell out of political use until the 1890s.

In the 1890s, Manifest Destiny was revived during the push for U.S. global power.

The Spanish-American War era saw a resurgence in the popularity of Manifest Destiny.

Ironically, John L. Sullivan, the originator of the phrase, died in obscurity in 1895.

Sullivan's role in coining the phrase was not recognized in his obituaries.

Historians had to recover Sullivan's role and the contested nature of Manifest Destiny.

Manifest Destiny remains a controversial concept to this day.

Young people formed 'Red Guards', organizations that terrorized political enemies.

The Red Guards were used to publicly humiliate, assault, and murder political opponents.

Transcripts

hi my name is Matthew pinsker and I'm a

historian here are a few things you need

to know to sound smart about Manifest

Destiny people think of it as the

official policy of territorial expansion

the idea that God had blessed America to

become an ocean-bound Republic in the

19th century but the truth is Presidents

and secretaries of State they didn't use

the phrase Manifest Destiny it was the

slogan of a journalist named John L

Sullivan who invented it in 1845 when he

was writing editorials about the

annexation of Texas and about the

boundary dispute with Britain Over The

Oregon Territory he said it was blessed

by Providence it was the Manifest

Destiny of the country to become this

Continental power it immediately became

controversial at the time the phrase

itself was used more by critics than

supporters as a way to ridicule

expansionism wigs and others opposed it

a lot of Northerners thought it was code

for spreading slavery in fact a lot of

manifest destiny Advocates people who

believed in territorial expansion they

felt like they had failed they didn't

think the country was spreading widely

enough they wanted all of Mexico they

wanted Canada they wanted the entire

continent to be part of the American

Republic the phrase actually kind of

disappeared from American political life

until the 1890s when it was reborn as

part of the drive to make the United

States a global power some people began

to talk about expanding into the

Caribbean or the Pacific this is the era

of the Spanish American war and that's

when Manifest Destiny became ever more

popular But the irony is by that point

John L O Sullivan he had died in 1895

and when he died his obituaries didn't

even mention the fact that he was the

author of the phrase he had sort of

struggled and Fallen Into Obscurity by

that point it took decades for

historians to recover his role and it's

taken a lot of time for people to

realize that the policy of manifest

destiny was really a contested one that

was controversial at its beginning and

remains controversial

today young people in large numbers came

out and joined what became known as the

red guards these largely terroristic

organizations were used to publicly

humiliate assault and in some cases even

murder political enemies of Mao and the

Communist Party