Grades 9-12 Lesson Plan - Manifest Destiny

Map 14 Main Page

Core Map: Henry Schenck Tanner, "North America." In his New Universal Atlas (Philadelphia: Carey & Hart, 1845). Newberry Library call number: Case os oG1019. T2 1845. (Printable version of the Core Map)

Overview
This lesson has students explore the concept of manifest destiny as practiced in the 1840s.

Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. define the concept of manifest destiny.
2. discuss how contemporary maps of the 1840s influenced United States expansion in the 1840s.
3. analyze the relationship between manifest destiny and democracy.

Key Terms
manifest destiny, expansion, democracy

Materials
Computer image or overhead of the core map, map of North America in 1854 (see Resources), O'Sullivan's article

Time
Approximately 100 minutes or 2-3 class periods.

Getting Started

1. Set up the lesson by distributing O'Sullivan's article to students. Have them read the article to answer the following questions:
   1. What is the subject of the article?
   2. What purpose or goal does O'Sullivan claim for the United States?
   3. To what authority does O'Sullivan refer in justifying this purpose?
   4. What does O'Sullivan foresee happening in the future?

2. Discuss the answers ending discussion by having students craft a definition of manifest destiny that resembles the following: Manifest destiny was the belief among some Americans in the nineteenth century that the United States had a divine right to expand across North America from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

3. Have students scroll around the core map and North America in 1854. Orient students to the maps by having them locate the prime meridian, identify the language of the place names or the map, identify various countries, colonies, territories, states, Indian nations and places and the changing political status of these entities and places. If desired, you can enlarge this activity by following the procedures for examining these maps outlined in the Grades 6-8 Lesson for this core map.

Developing the Lesson

1. Explain that the activity is to examine the chapter of manifest destiny covered in O'Sullivan's article in light of the two maps from the 1845 and 1854. One map depicts conditions prior to American expansion and the other afterwards. (You can introduce the Mexican-American War here or use the activity to introduce that conflict.) Students will work in groups to defend or criticize expansion under the doctrine of manifest destiny, producing a 1-2 page written statement supporting their position both on the concept of manifest destiny generally and the specific expansion covered in the maps. In supporting their position students must make specific reference to the O'Sullivan article and to the two maps. Their statements should include geographical issues for or against US expansion. For example these issues include access to the Pacific Ocean, the location of indigenous people and Hispanic population, location of minerals and natural resources, and the location of slave states and free states.

2. Divide students into groups of 3 or 4. Have half the groups work on defending manifest destiny and half criticizing it.

3. After students have developed their statements, share the main points of each side's argument.

4. Discuss the relationship between manifest destiny and democracy.

Evaluation
Using a 1-4 scale (4=excellent, 3=good, 2= fair, 1=poor) assess student performance as follows:

Map and document analysis
For 4 points, the student successfully analyzed the maps and documents to gather only relevant, significant information supporting their positions.

For 3 points, the student was largely successful in analyzing the maps and documents to gather only relevant, significant information supporting their positions but some information was irrelevant or missing.

For 2 points, the students achieve minimal success in analyzing the maps and documents to gather only relevant, significant information supporting their positions.

For 1 point, the student did not successfully analyze the maps and documents to gather only relevant, significant information supporting their positions.

Written statement
For 4 points, the student worked effectively in a group to develop a clear, concise argument that supported the group's position. The statement is based on relevant information from the maps and documents.

For 3 points, the student worked somewhat effectively a group, experiencing minor difficulties in working together and/or developing a clear, concise argument that largely supported the group's position. The statement is based on relevant information from the maps and documents but may have minor flaws in presentation.

For 2 points, the student worked somewhat effectively in a group, but experienced major difficulties in working together and/or developing a clear, concise argument that supported the group's position. The statement contained some relevant information from the maps and documents.

For 1 point, the student did not work effectively in a group. The group's position was poorly argued and was based on little, if any, relevant information from the maps and documents.

Extension
Have students act as a committee in the U. S. Senate to debate the resolution on declaring war with Mexico.