Why was the concept manifest destiny such an appealing one to americans in the 1840s?
It was the “destiny” of the United States to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific and, some believed, we would also benefit the economy of the nation if we expanded south into Mexico and north into Canada. Americans in the mid 1800s came to believe that they had an obligation to increase the domain over which their democracy and liberty would benefit all. Economically, Manifest Destiny was favored by industrialists, businessmen, and the developing transportation industry. We would acquire the needed raw materials and also provide products to sell to the peoples in the areas we controlled. Politicians favored Manifest Destiny because it would expand our system of government into areas that were corrupt or incompetent. Most of the public supported Manifest Destiny because it brought a feeling of pride in our nation, a patriotic and nationalistic duty to help others.
