Following the War of 1812, American entered a period of history known as the Era of Good Feeling. During this time, America articulated its first foreign policy through the Monroe Doctrine and a growing sense of nationalism gripped the population. Americans started believing that they were morally and culturally superior to their Native, Mexican, and British neighbors and that it was God’s will and the people’s duty to spread American virtues from "sea to shining sea."

In 1845, newspaper editor John O’ Sullivan first coined the term "Manifest Destiny," to describe the mindset of American expansion. The idea of Manifest Destiny was reflected in the 19th century by the mass migration of Americans from the eastern United States to the west through the great emigrant trails such as the Oregon, California, Santa Fe, and Mormon Trails. It was used to justify the corrupt treaties and wars that resulted in the removal of Native Americans from their ancestral land. It was also used to justify the Mexican-American War, resulting in the annexation of 1.2 million acres of land in the American West.

Manifest Destiny also accelerated the onset of the Civil War as it touched off intense sectional dramas between southern states hoping to expand slavery into new territories and northern states hoping to prevent the spread of slavery.

As part of the Era of Good Feeling…
1. Americans began feeling a growing pride in their nation
2. Native Americans expanded territory into Mexico
3. Americans fought in the War of 1812
4. Americans believed themselves equal to British for the first time
What was the effect of Manifest Destiny on the Civil War?
1. It had no influence on the onset of the Civil War
2. It helped postpone the onset of the Civil War
3. It accelerated the onset of the Civil War by forcing the issue of slavery
4. It caused people to migrate to the eastern United States
Which of the following did NOT happen as a result of Manifest Destiny?
1. Western expansion
2. Increased nationalism
3. Preservation of Native American culture
4. The annexation of 1.2 million square miles
What does “migration” mean in the following sentence?

The idea of Manifest Destiny was reflected in the 19th century by the mass migration of Americans from the eastern United States to the west through the great emigrant trails such as the Oregon, California, Santa Fe, and Mormon Trails.
1. People moving from one area to another
2. People losing their homes
3. People preparing for war
4. People leaving the country
What question is NOT answered in the second paragraph?
1. Who coined the term Manifest Destiny?
2. How did people get to western parts of the United States?
3. How were parts of the southwest and Mexico annexed to the United States?
4. When did the Civil War begin?
Which of the following questions could be answered by “America’s first articulation of foreign policy”?
1. What is Manifest Destiny?
2. What is the Monroe Doctrine?
3. What is the Era of Good Feeling?
4. Why did Americans feel superior to the Native, Mexican, and British neighbors?
Which of the following best describes Manifest Destiny?
1. American foreign policy must not be influenced by other nations
2. American ideals must be spread across North America
3. Americans will begin to settle in the western United States
4. The American spirit will help resolve the Civil War