Manifest Destiny was the belief that America had a divine right to expand its territory westward. This was driven by America becoming overcrowded, the potential for economic growth in the west, and a belief in racial superiority. The westward expansion led to the California Gold Rush, conflicts between Americans and Native Americans over land, America gaining large amounts of new territory which increased its power, the development of the first transcontinental railroad system, and a war with Mexico over border disputes from the changed territory.

1. Manifest Destiny
Colby Neeley

2. What is Manifest Destiny?
• The belief that it is America’s divine right to
expand the country westward.

3. Causes?
• America was becoming overcrowded,
• Economic growth could be found in the west,
• Belief in Racial Superiority

4. GOLD!!!!!

5. Effect #1
Gold
• The expansion westward led to many
Americans finding gold.
• Without expanding westward, we may have
never experienced the gold rush.

6. Effect #2
American’s and Native
American Feuds
• With the Expansion westward
Native Americans were faced with
new competition for their lands.
• Conflicts over food and resources
arose
• Americans believed they were
superior and committed acts of
genocide towards the Native
Americans

7. Effect #3 Land Expansion
• With the movement
westwards America
became one of the
largest and most
powerful nations.

8. Effect #4
Railroads
• With the expansion westward
eventually a new form of
transportation was needed to get
goods back and forth between
states.
• To get goods from one coast to
another America began to great
task of the Transcontinental Road

9. Effect #5 War
• With the new land
problems arose at the
border of Mexico
• Many Mexicans did not
approve of the new
change in land and
fought back to regain
their territory.