American Progress by John Gast (1872) Political People & the Government War Treaties Courts/Laws Leaders Citizen participation Economic People and Money/Trade Money/Labor Systems Trade Geography People & Land/Resources Location Landforms Human Interaction Movement Spatial Diffusion Social People & People Religion Education Lifestyle/Dress Social Classes – Upper/Middle/Lower Gender Relations Language
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American Progress by John Gast (1872) Political People & the Government War Treaties Courts/Laws Leaders Citizen participation Economic.
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American Progress by John Gast (1872)
Political People & the
Government War Treaties Courts/Laws Leaders Citizen
participation
Economic People and
Money/Trade Money/Labor
Systems Trade Gender and Slaves Technology Agriculture/Industry
Geography People &
Land/Resources Location Landforms Human Interaction Movement Spatial Diffusion
Social People & People
Religion Education Lifestyle/Dress Social Classes –
Upper/Middle/Lower Gender Relations Language
Political•U.S. as leading the way (progress) – Star of the Empire on her forehead•Possible conflict with natives based on body language•Lady in white (goddess) – as leader• Bear represents CA beingtaken by the United States
Economic•Trade (ships and trains)•Industry in the city (North)•Agriculture in the rural parts of the country (South)•Technology: Railroads, telegraph lines, pony express, Yankee clipper, plow, stagecoach
Geographic
• List some geographic features: Mississippi River, Rocky Mountains, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Great Plains, East (Civilization-Light-Good)/West (Wild-Dark-Bad), North (Cities)/South (Agriculture)• Resources: Wild animals (buffalo, bear, deer), Water in the Northeast being used trade, land for farming, minerals (miners moving west for gold), Climate (stormy in the west and sunny in the east), Migration (west)
Social• Bringing education west (the book in her had says “School Book”)• Primitive vs. Civilized cultures• Gender relations – the east had a very male dominated society• Natives dancing in the back (culture)
Discussion Questions1. Define "manifest destiny." What forces contributed to
the commitment to American expansion?2. Did the artist John Gast portray Manifest Destiny is a
positive or negative light? Explain.3. Do you think this portrayal shows the perspective of
settlers or Native Americans. Why?4. Why did the United States go to war with Mexico?5. How does President Polk justify an American declaration
of war against Mexico? Do you find his explanation convincing?
6. Why did opponents oppose the war?7. What were the political consequences of the Mexican
War?
Discussion Questions
1. Define "manifest destiny." What forces contributed to the commitment to American expansion?• The long held belief that Americans had a God-given right to occupy the
entire North American continent• Manifest Destiny – the belief that Americans were destined to go from
coast pushed Americans west• Overcrowding in the east– the area east of the Appalachian Mountains
was becoming overcrowded and Americans were searching for more land to settle. There were millions of acres west of the Mississippi that could be used
2. Did the artist John Gast portray Manifest Destiny is a positive or negative light? Explain.
3. Do you think this portrayal shows the perspective of settlers or Native Americans. Why?
4. Why did the United States go to war with Mexico?• To help achieve their destiny of expanding to the Pacific Ocean• To obtain the western port of San Francisco for easier trade with eastern
5. How does President Polk justify an American declaration of war against Mexico? Do you find his explanation convincing?• Polk claimed that Mexican troops fired on American troops in American territory
when they crossed the Nueces River in Texas.
6. Why did opponents oppose the war?• Some believed that the American democratic government could only succeed if the
country remained relatively small and close to the seat of government (Washington D.C.)
• Northern states and abolitionists were worried that the land gained in the war would be admitted as slave states and upset the balance of power in the U.S. Congress in regards to slavery