Theophany and Manifest Destiny

Theophany, derived from the Greek language and whose meaning is a visible manifestation of a deity refers to a human form under cataclysmic conditions excelling and progressing (Morse 1222). The conditions under which the new land was created were so complex and abstract. Coming to a new and virtually untouched land, encountering and subduing primitive people, and fighting for independence are all events and circumstance that appear that progress was inevitable and necessary. The idea that being in the new land there is an opportunity to create a country or a place with the people in mind according to how the people see fit is tangible. Many of the towns such as New England, New York, and New Haven expressed the desire for autonomy. Establishing a triangle trade created a viable economy for an emerging country. Listing grievances against the King of England and declaring rights for those in America helped to exercise its God given rights to rule over itself helped to create “American Exceptionalism,” (Foner 169,170). Americans viewed themselves as different and desired to rule themselves and these notions pushed forward progress in creating a government, settling land westward, and declaring independence from England. The “exceptional” image of Americans helped to foster new ideas based on philosophical notions. Actions of early Americans were radical and the opportunity to be free from tyranny led to revolution and a demand for reform. Demanding that Americans should not be taxed by England because the crown was not significantly present in American and revolting against such demands by acts such as the Boston Tea Party position Americans to have to choose; submit or become independent (Foner 160-162).

Americans are faced with an undisputed and obvious divine right to progress and settle westward, stated John O’Sullivan, a journalist from the New York Times (Foner 290). The mission was clear, more railroads, create towns, identify government policies and identify its own form of tyranny in slavery. Manifest destiny fostered ideas of race superiority as territorial expansion moved forward by government projects such as Indian removal acts, the continuation of blacks being enslaved and Mexican landowners losing their land as the United States is established (Foner 406). An example is the Texas constitution protected slavery and denied civil rights to Indians and Blacks. Only whites could own land; only upper class “Spanish” Mexicans were permitted to keep their land (Foner 405-407). One of President James Polk primary goals in his presidency was to bring California into the Union and settle the dispute over Oregon ownership (Foner 403). These goals are clearly impacted by manifest destiny because they exemplify the desire to make the country whole and establish it as our own. The impact of expansion and the atrocities they caused are viewed as the price of progress, freedom, and are necessary for independence.

Citations
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty an American History. VolumeOne. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2006
Morse, John. Collegiate Dictionary. Tenth. Springfield,
Massachusettes: Merriam-Webster, 1999.

National Government, for You or for Me?

National governments are for all those who claim to be citizens of such nation. All documents crafted for the purpose of declaring freedom from British rule, unification of American colonies, and the rights of men were written with the spirit of individual rights and national cohesiveness. With that said, the question becomes who is a citizen and what rights shall said citizens be entitled to?

Thomas Jefferson’s argument that natural laws dictate that men should govern men and these rights were not granted on the basis of royal heredity or aristocracy, but are innate and equal to all (Foner 169). Influenced by John Locke, Jefferson’s ideas were considered radical and would become the foundation of American freedom. The purpose of rejecting the crown was to establish a new way of thinking that involved the inclusion of all men, not just the wealthy, the landowners, or the most educated. The movement to separate church and state significantly impacted American’s due to states denouncing their specified religious ties so that citizens may have free exercise to which ever religion they chose (Foner 187). Establishing equality and freedom from tyranny was at the heart of the US Constitution, where choosing a system by which government could be fair and balanced was of the utmost importance (Foner 213).

Again, what citizens had rights, and who was the national government working for? Native Americans were losing their freedom as American’s were gaining theirs. As representatives drew boundary lines and designated areas for where Native American people could live in peace, they were taking the desired land by force and without a democratic process or representation for the Native American people (Foner 196,197). Clearly Americans did not view the natural rights of Native Americans as a significant factor when compared to the price of progress. However, for black slaves the idea of freedom in the Constitution seemed to have the potential to be available to them as well. James Otis, an advocate of equality for all, of Massachusetts, asked “What man is or ever was born free if every man is not?” (Foner 198).

Over time and throughout history our national government has stood to provide an equitable way of life for its citizens, as shown in either specific language or purposefully omitting language in the Constitution that could be interpreted to benefit any one particular class of citizen. There are always those who fear their lifestyle will be affected by the will of the people or who look for potential weakness in the government to exploit for personal gain/profit.

Our national government serves us, but it is up to its citizens to keep opportunist at bay, as well as carry out the energetic language used in the Bill of Rights, Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.


Bibliography

Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty an American History. Volume
One. New York: WW Norton and Company, 2006.