John O'Sullivan, a journalist, was the first to use the term "manifest destiny". He deliberately invented it to capture the general feeling of the American people at the time. The feeling was that they had a divine duty to expand into the West while promoting the enlightenment of the American people in other regions. Furthermore, they had the responsibility to spread democracy to other regions, arising from this God-entrusted duty. In fact, it is Manifest Destiny that John O'Sullivan points to as the rationale for going to war against the Mexicans in 1846. The idea and other associated transformations of landscapes and religious beliefs were deeply rooted in the American culture. In simple terms, the journalist therefore defended the idea that the United States had the sole responsibility to disseminate its institutions, as well as its values, across multiple territories. Research has shown that the concept has become crucial in understanding the conduct of the United States toward other nations and peoples of the world (John L. O'Sullivan Annexation (1845) 27). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Manifest destiny also includes the people discussed in the study article. For example, it is claimed that the population of California exploded due to the gold rush in the region. Manifest destiny manifested itself when President Zachary Taylor immediately approved California's entry into the Union. This was made necessary by social instability and the constant increase in population in the region. Additionally, James K. Pork, mentioned in the article, is also a proponent of Manifest Destiny. This is because his election was linked to an expansion program thus considerably expanding American territories. In conclusion, the above research has therefore discussed the concept of manifest destiny as put forward by John O'Sullivan. It gave its meaning and whether it encompasses the individuals who were mentioned in the study articles.