Westward expansion and its impact on North and South: the ideas of Manifest Destiny; controversy over the new territories acquired by victory over Mexico
Many Americans believed their nation was destined to stretch across the entire continent. Winning land from Mexico in 1848 forced a bitter argument: would slavery spread into these new western territories?
Real World
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) handed the US over 500,000 square miles — roughly the area of modern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado — instantly making the question of slavery's expansion impossible to avoid.
Exam Focus
Always connect Manifest Destiny to its political consequence: every new territory acquired forced a congressional vote on slavery's expansion.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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