1. MUSEUM PROJECT
Primary Source: a speech, letter, journal entry, photo, newspaper article, or painting WRITTEN at the TIME the event/issue happened.

3. Part I: Historical Context
In this era of American History the country was experiencing economic success and growth. The population was growing too due to better health of the states and more global trade. The result was the need for more land, resources, and power. Manifest destiny was the belief that the US should expand toward the west. The expansion would bring new technology such as the telegraph, advanced farming methods, and train transportation; and also great horrors to the natives, who were told to assimilate (join us) or be pushed off their land by force (Trail of Tears). The belief that the Americans were destined to educate, expand, and make the country coast to coast was part of this nationalistic view that developed after the War of (*add Second Great Awakening and Transcendentalism) This painting highlights the beliefs of the American people and leaders but also the sad state of the native peoples (without intentionally doing so). As Reverend Fontaine says, progress is to “tame the savages.” (add “white man’s burden”)

4. Description of Picture
On the left side, Native Americans are moving away from the light towards the dark side to represent what is unknown in the West. They are being pushed pushed off their land.
Farmers are also moving West in hope of finding new land to grow their crops.
In the back, the telegraph polls and railroads as well as the lady in the middle are visible to represent Manifest Destiny during the mid-1800s.

5. Part II: Primary Source Document
President James Polk, Justifies the Texas Coup (1845) This document is an inaugural address speech by Polk, the Manifest Destiny president, that gives the reasons the U.S. has a duty and a claim to the land in Texas which at the time belonged to Mexican territory and the Spanish. His reasoning is that as the territory was already settled by Americans, there is a right for them to take over. To conquer territory now allowed for less possibilities of war and violence, and for peace to ensue. If Texas were to have remained as an independent state, problems would soon arise if Texas were to ally itself with foreign nations (Britain and France). This relates to the painting “American Progress” by highlighting that America had a sense of ownership of western territory. This nationalistic attitude was a justification for aggressive American policies in settling the west.