In this assignment, you will you will consider a timeline of the era in which the United States was expanding its territorial boundaries. You will also write a short essay in which you make an argument for what you think are the most significant factors for U.S. lawmakers in considering the extent of the United States’ territorial boundaries and makeup of the populations therein.
As the United States expanded to the Pacific coast in the first half of the nineteenth century, more and more Americans (as well as immigrants) bought into the concept of Manifest Destiny and the promises of western expansion after the Mexican American War. When news of gold in California first started to spread in 1848, thousands of men from around the world—some with their families—began to populate the West, seeking their fortunes.
Study the following documents and determine a relationship between the text excerpts and the photograph. In your brief response, compare and contrast the tone in O’Sullivan’s 1839 article celebrating the possibilities of an expanding United States with the realities of Scharmann’s experiences in California during the Gold Rush. How do the realities of life in the West during the Gold Rush compare to the boundless enthusiasm of O’Sullivan’s predictions about the “Great Nation of Futurity?”
- Your response should be 2-3 paragraphs in length, and should meet the following criteria:
- It addresses all portions of the topic or prompt.
- It has a fully developed thesis.
- Ideas are stated clearly and easy to understand.
- Major supporting ideas are thoughtful, readily identifiable and well-developed in unified paragraphs with concrete, substantial and relevant information.
- It demonstrates command of language, with precise word choices, and few—if any—errors in usage or mechanics.
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