American History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

American History - Assignment Example The subsequent American Revolution saw the emergence of the new and proud country, confident of carving an area for themselves, which eventually resulted in the formation of the United States of America. This rightful fight against oppression and the subsequent and successful expansion across geographical areas in North America became ordained as a part of ‘manifest destiny’ was first coined by journalist John O’Sullivan in 1839. According to him, â€Å"It is so destined, because the principle upon which a nation is organized fixes its destiny, and that of equality is perfect, is universal. It presides in all the operations of the physical world, and it is also the conscious law of the soul -- the self-evident dictates of morality, which accurately defines the duty of man to man, and consequently mans rights as man† (O’Sullivan). Sullivan’s words actually provided a justification and even motivation for the expansion based on principles of â⠂¬Ëœduty of man to man’ that it sort of became a divine right to encroach upon and conquer areas that did not adhere to this principle. In the words, it formed the right to take control of any territory and allow people who believed in freedom to populace it. But, from the words of Owsley and Smith, this divine right had degraded to the extent of ‘might is right’ as seen in subsequent events. According to the authors, â€Å"the natural right of expansion, however, unquestionably lay in the power to conquer. What ultimately made expansion not only possible but apparently inevitable was not some transcendent destiny but rather the absence of a powerful neighbor to check its progress† (Owsley and Smith, 1997, p.10). It is true that the United States has become a powerful and unified entity as a nation due to this concept. The failure of Soviet Union as a unified nation, and the embracing by China, capitalistic principles, have proved that the policy of freedo m of individuals