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Difficulty: EasyManifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

"Our title to the country of the Oregon is 'clear and unquestionable,' and already are our people preparing to perfect that title by occupying it with their wives and children. . . . To us belongs the duty of protecting them adequately wherever they may be upon our soil. . . . [Similarly], foreign powers should look to the annexation of Texas, not as the conquest of a nation, but as the peaceful acquisition of territory."

— President James K. Polk, Inaugural Address, 1845

Which of the following historical developments is most directly reflected in the ideas expressed in the excerpt?

  1. The widespread belief in Manifest Destiny and the divine mission of the United States to expand across the continent.Answer
  2. B
    The implementation of popular sovereignty to allow local territories to vote on the legal status of slavery.
  3. C
    The creation of a defensive military alliance with European powers to secure territories in the Western Hemisphere.
  4. D
    The revival of mercantilist economic policies to regulate trade and enrich the federal government.

Answer

The widespread belief in Manifest Destiny and the divine mission of the United States to expand across the continent.
The correct answer is correct because President James K. Polk's speech emphasizes the U.S. claim to Oregon and justifies the annexation of Texas. These goals were central to his expansionist platform, which relied heavily on the ideology of Manifest Destiny—the belief that American expansion across the continent was inevitable, justified, and divinely sanctioned.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source document.
Identify that the text is from President James K. Polk's 1845 Inaugural Address, focusing on claims to Oregon and the annexation of Texas.
Understanding the context of the source helps determine the broader historical ideology at play.
2
Evaluate the core ideology reflected in the text.
Recognize that terms like 'clear and unquestionable' title and the peaceful justification of taking Texas align with Manifest Destiny—the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand westward.
This links the specific policy objectives in the text to the dominant national ideology of the 1840s.
3
Compare the options to identify the correct historical development.
The option asserting the belief in Manifest Destiny aligns perfectly with Polk's expansionist platform, while other options refer to unrelated concepts like popular sovereignty, European alliances, or mercantilism.
This isolates the correct answer and eliminates historically inaccurate or irrelevant distractors.

Key Concept

Manifest Destiny
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Topics

Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

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