Manifest Destiny was a religious belief that Americans had a divine, God-given right to expand westward while converting or by moving anything in their path. Manifest Destiny is the underlying theme used to justify all westward expansion. In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from the French government for $15 million. The Louisiana Purchase stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from Canada to New Orleans, and doubled the size of the United States. “For Jefferson, westward expansion was key to the nation's health: he believed that a republic depended for its survival on an independent and virtuous population, and that independence and virtue went hand in hand with land ownership, especially ownership of small farms. (He writes, “Those who work the land…are God’s chosen people.”) In order to provide enough land to support this ideal population of virtuous yeomen, the United States would have to continue to expand. The president sent an exploring party (Lewis and Clark), the trappers and the mountain men followed. They were basically doing the same thing as Daniel Boone. A little later in history and pushing further west in an organized manner with government support. At present, the political importance is much greater because America must appear united (links with the Texas conflicts)2-3-American ideals were based on the ability of everyone to get what they want through hard work, but the other civilizations populating the country could not match this ideal and, by manifest destiny, they believed they had a God-given right to develop for the sake of their American culture. (Politically linked to Democratic government middle of paper......and other minerals. Gold reached a high price, so people went west to look for it. Just like any another commodity that brings in a lot of money, gold miners always hoped to become rich (This factor highlights the importance of individuals' desire to expand it and is also a major breakthrough as they were among the first to populate the coast. western America.) 6-Mormonism has its origins in central New York State But because of the radical beliefs of Mormonism, they were driven out of this region They first settled in the. northern Ohio, then western Illinois (the town of Nauvoo). Finally, they went to Utah because they could go there and practice their religion in relative isolation without worry. that their practices and beliefs offend others (this factor is the least important but it does not rely directly on manifest destiny but is limited without it.)