Manifest Destiny is defined as “the belief held by many Americans in the 1840s that the United States was designed to expand westward” (Columbia University). John O'Sullivan originally coined the phrase manifest destiny and gave three reasons behind the westward movement. One of the reasons he stated was that God wanted the Americans to expand their territory. The second reason suggested that expanding America meant expanding and spreading democracy, which would improve the world. The final reason was that an increase in population required more land to be settled. O'Sullivan explained the westward movement in his article The Great Nation of Futurity thus: “The expansive future is our arena and our history. We are entering its unexplored space, with a heart uncontaminated by the past." (“The Great Nation…”). Although O'Sullivan didn't coin the phrase until 1900, the idea of ​​exploring America and discovering all that the country had to offer had already been in existence for hundreds of years. Immigrants from Europe, in particular, sought America for religious freedom, a new land, and new beginnings. Many went to America in search of gold and other natural resources. People called it the "American Dream" with which one can start a better life. Once America gained independence, the natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness attracted even more people to move to America. What made America so attractive compared to other countries was that it had no permanent class ranking; the social class in which one is born does not necessarily have to be the class in which the person dies. It wasn't long before large ships full of people began sailing to America. Many people were attracted to the idea of ​​manifesting... middle of paper... that is, quickly, but rather fades away over time. Like those child stars who disappear forever, the American dream may be a thing of the past. Works Cited Anderson, Hannah L. “That Settles It: The Debate And Consequences Of The Homestead Act Of 1862.” History Teacher 45.1 (2011): 117-121. Historical reference center. Network. April 29, 2014. Columbia University, print. "Manifest Destiny". Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2013): 1. Historical Reference Center. Network. April 29, 2014 Mason Crest, Editors. "Manifest Destiny". Exploring the American West (2003): 14-19. Historical reference center. Network. April 29, 2014.Meacham, Jon. "Keeping the dream alive.. (cover story)." Tempo 180.1 (2012): 26. Historical Reference Center. Network. April 29, 2014.O'Sullivan, John. “The great nation of the future”. The United States Democratic Review.Volume 6, number 23, pp. 426-430