The 1840s were years of large territorial growth in the United States. During only four years, the amount of land that the US owned increased by 1.2 million square miles, which was a gain of more than sixty percent. The process of expansion was so rapid that many Americans stubbornly believed that the nation had a "Manifest Destiny" to dominate the continent from coast to coast. This Manifest Destiny effected all Americans regardless of regional or political lines.
However, this expansion was not a defined movement, and although it effected most people, was not supported by all Americans.…
