Discussion Forum Module 3 - Manifest destiny

History Discussion - Manifest destiny

Based on the various materials for this module, in what ways do you see the myth of the United States as a City on a Hill and the ideology of manifest destiny as impacting opinions about immigration? How might they influence beliefs about the necessity of assimilation as well as who could/could not successfully assimilate? It is clear that John Winthrop’s envisioned the United States as “a City upon a Hill” and the core of global light and democracy. But in the past four centuries, Winthrop’s ideologies have taken a different course, largely shaped by American exceptionalism. Instead of acting as a beacon of hope and guidance, a section of the world now perceives America as a “malicious empire”, one that is eager to apply political tactics to enforce territorial expansion, push for policies that favor itself, or simply exert control. Basically, the idealism of “a City upon a Hill” is debatably regarded as a myth. To echo these thoughts, the demolition of Spanish colonialism in 1899 shaped a new perception o