Topic > Manifest Destiny: The Founding Ideal of Opportunity

In the nineteenth century, many Americans began to migrate west as part of a larger movement, Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the founding ideal of opportunity, particularly through granting free lands to farmers, compensating Native Americans, and providing jobs for immigrants. Farmers have benefited greatly from Manifest Destiny in terms of opportunities. When the Homestead Act was passed, many of the applicants were former soldiers and poor people. Approximately 160 acres generously provided by the government have given these groups a new lease on life. In other words, it granted opportunities to those who were previously disadvantaged, as they now had arable land to farm. Additionally, African-Americans and interracial families have become able to support themselves without fear of falling to the whims of a racist employer. With these new opportunities, Mantifest Destiny has truly supported the founding ideals of farmers: no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Native Americans were also able to take advantage of the new opportunities presented by Manifest Destiny. Some tribes, such as the Makah, found a way to make themselves indispensable to the area and used it as leverage, successfully obtaining whaling permits that allowed them to secure their livelihoods. Others, like the Iroquois, took advantage of the new settlers to trade with Europeans and increase their income. But by far, one of the greatest opportunities presented by Manifest Destiny was the reparations package offered by the U.S. government to Native Americans subject to the Indian Removal Act, which includes monetary payments and free education. As Andrew Jackson stated, the government was helping Native Americans by going above and beyond by offering financial assistance to help with resettlement and giving them a chance to start over, rather than waste away as savages as they had in the East. This also concerns the free provision of education. Some tribes, such as the Navajo, were allowed to attend military colleges, while other Makah were given an agricultural education. Overall, knowledge and money constituted a new world of opportunity. Manifest Destiny also provided opportunities for immigrants. During the nineteenth century, many immigrants from Europe and Asia came to the United States seeking to escape adverse conditions or simply seek a better life. Before Manifest Destiny, however, the systemic racism of American employers would only create menial, almost slavery-like positions for alien immigrants. However, Manifest Destiny coincided with this wave of refugees, allowing Chinese immigrants to participate in the Gold Rush and allowing Chinese and Irish to work on the transcontinental railroad. In fact, according to the textbook, by 1868 the Central Pacific had employed 10,000 Chinese workers. For Chinese and other immigrant groups, Manifest Destiny was a godsend that granted them the opportunity to carve out a better life in the United States, far from the religious persecution, famine, and social turmoil of their home country. As such, Manifest Destiny clearly fulfills the founding ideal of ensuring opportunity for all who need it. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay To get the big picture, Manifest Destiny provided the founding ideal of the opportunity to assist poor farmers or.