Manifest Design, By Thomas R. Hietala - 1128 Words

Manifest Design delivers a detailed history of America’s struggle to make Texas a territory of the United States and furthermore what to do with it once it becomes a state. Thomas R. Hietala’s, Manifest Design, is set in the 1840s, explaining America’s idea of Manifest Destiny and how that effected American commerce, territory, policy and etc. Though America struggled with gaining territory in the west Hietala’s arguments mainly focus on the debate to annex Texas. Expanding U.S. territories during the 1840s was driven by Americas desire not only to acquire more land but also for ports, markets and more secure boundaries (Hietala 6). Many believed that it was not necessary to bring Texas into the Union and to make it officially apart of the United States. John Tyler, Green and Senator Calhoun played an important role in forming public opinion in regard to the â€Å"Texas† debate. He believed Britain was scheming to abolish slavery in Texas; thereby damaging the U.S. economy (Hietala 19). In the 1840s the United States produced sugar and cotton more cheaply than India, which at the time was British territory. If Britain were to effectively abolish slavery in Texas it would once again become an economic powerhouse. It would â€Å"transfer the production of cotton, rice and sugar . . . to colonial possession† effectively monopolizing the economy (Hietala 23). Although the U.S. economy and the possibility of British economic Monopoly was a concern to the people of the United States thereShow MoreRelatedManifest Destiny the Mexican-American War Essay2187 Words   |  9 PagesDiscuss the motivations from both sides for the Mexican-American war of 1846-1848? Was Manifest Destiny the driving factor or was it something else? The Mexican-American war fought between 1846 and 1848 remains a topic of much contention amongst modern historians. Differing accounts and conclusions of the war are often presented and one must remain pragmatic when analysing both primary and secondary sources regarding the war. There is a clear time line of events that led to the outbreak of