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My eyes sank into the American Progress painting during class, looking at every little detail of the painting. The painting depicts Native Americans running away from the angelic-like figure. I wonder how Manifest Destiny started and what lasting effects it had. Manifest Destiny had many lasting effects on the U.S. Not only did Manifest Destiny shape the territorial expansion the U.S. had in North America, but it also came with the loss of cultural diversity and environmental degradation. When historians or teachers talk about Manifest Destiny, they praise it and only look at the positive things Manifest Destiny did. Manifest Destiny is a dark piece of the United States' history, Manifest Destiny removed Native Americans from their land, sometimes …show more content…
“In the minds of white Americans, the Indians were not using the land to its full potential as they reserved large tracts of unspoiled land for hunting, leaving the land uncultivated. If it was not being cultivated, then the land was being wasted“ (Smithsonian American Art Museum Manifest destiny and indian removal). This quote shows that Americans didn’t see Native Americans in the same status they were, they saw Native Americans as an underdeveloped race. With this mindset in mind, Americans didn’t see anything wrong with the violence and displacement of Native Americans that was happening during Manifest Destiny. The consequences of this mindset still linger today, as evidenced by the creation of Native American reservation camps. These reservation camps were born out of the systematic destruction of Native American culture and livelihoods, standing as a reminder of Manifest Destiny's devastating impact on Native American communities. Had it not been for the destruction and relocation of Native Americans during Manifest Destiny, these reservation camps wouldn’t have seen the light of

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