It is critical to notice that Manifest Destiny, the concept invented in the middle of the 19th century, caused several adverse effects. First of all, the Doctrine of Discovery affected American Indians in a profoundly negative way. The expansion of America was characterized by the belief that the white man had the supreme right of destroying the aboriginal population (Fenelon, 2016). Numerous Indian tribal organizations were massively destructed by American settlers that were in search of economic growth. Freedom and independence that were manifested by the Doctrine of Discovery were the justification to put American Indians into reservations and to deprive them of their lands (Fenelon, 2016). As a result, the aboriginal population became the victim of genocide in the name of the expansion idea, which represents the dark side of Manifest Destiny.
The application of Manifest Destiny resulted in the establishment of American capitalism which is characterized by the idea of American supremacy as a social and political power. On the social level, this concept represented itself in development of racism, which was an overwhelming problem in American society throughout the history (Fenelon, 2016). In the political sphere, the concept of the predestined expansion of the United States resulted in the numerous examples of the American interference in the political life of other countries (Charles, 2016). Additionally, it is possible to observe that people were vastly driven by religious reasons in the process of expansion.
In conclusion, it is possible to observe that Manifested Destiny immensely influenced American ideology. It was shaped by numerous reasons, including religious beliefs, economic opportunities, and the sense of America’s predestined mission. However, the Doctrine of Discovery resulted in several adverse aspects that significantly influenced American history.
References
Charles, M. (2016). The Doctrine of Discovery, war, and the myth of America. Leaven, 24(3), 148-154.
Fenelon, J. V. (2016). Genocide, race, capitalism: Synopsis of formation within the modern world-system. Journal of World-Systems Research, 22(1), 23-30.