Manifest Destiny
Free Games & Activities
for Kids
Manifest Destiny means the belief that the expansion of the United States throughout the American continent was justified and inevitable. It is a widely held American cultural belief that the American settlers were destined to expand across North America. The phrase Manifest Destiny was coined in 1845, it means that the US is designed by God, it advocates believed, to expand their domain and spread democracy and capitalism across the North American continent. The idea that led to the growth of the Western United States. The idea arose in response to the prospect of US annexation of Texas. With its triumph in the Mexican-American war the US believed it had a manifest destiny by gaining an immense domain of 525,000 miles including present-day Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. Many settlers believed that God himself blessed the growth of the American nation. The native Americans were considered uncultured and heathens. Others had economic motives for their journey across the West. The heart of manifest destiny was the belief in American cultural and racial superiority. Native Americans had long been perceived as inferior and efforts to "civilize" them have been widespread in the early days of America.
Westward expansion began with the Louisiana purchase, the gold rush, the Oregon Trail and a belief in manifest destiny. Pioneers and immigrants built the Overland trails to the American Old West throughout the 19th century beginning around 1829 until 1870 as an alternative to railroad transportation. Immigrants colonized much of North America west of the Great Plains in mass migrations in the mid-19th century. There are many motives for this treacherous journey including religious persecution, inexpensive land and the gold rush. The history of these trails and colonizers who traveled them have become embedded in American culture and folklore. The Oregon Trail, the California Trail, Old Spanish Trail, Santa Fe Trail, Southern Emigrant Trail and the Mormon Trail still have signs along the highways that today's modern travelers can follow. The most common vehicle for Oregon and California colonizers were covered wagons pulled by oxes or mules.10% of the migrants who attempted to cross the United States died during the trip.
Fun games and activities about Manifest Destiny:
Expansion and Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny Rags to Riches
The Issue of Slavery and Manifest Destiny (quia)
Learn about Manifest Destiny (mrdonn)
Hardship without Glory - Life on the Trail
Oregon Trail - Questions and Answers
Cowboy and Pioneer Games for Children
Western Themed Party Ideas and classroom activities for kids
Western party game ideas for groups of kids
Western Expansion games that Pioneer childrens played
Western Expansion: Pioneer Era Games That Laura Ingalls Would Have Played
Western Expansion Early American Pioneer Children's Games
Western Expansion Historically Accurate American Pioneer Children's Games
Interactive History - Colonial House
Wonderful website: 13 colonies government
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut 1639
Free iPad apps about the Oregon Trail