Chapter 1: “The destinies of nations and of men”: Conquering the West

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: “The destinies of nations and of men”: Conquering the West
Foundational Concepts
Westward Expansion
The Texas Question

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Abstract

As Europeans colonized North America, they understood that the land would be a scary, uncivilized wilderness. They knew that it would take belief in their aims, personal sacrifice, social unity, and collective labor to survive. Some historians argue that European colonists in America viewed the wilderness as something necessary to bring under control and civilize. This civilizing experience, they argued, created the true American.

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