Author Steven woodward covers the greatness that was manifest destiny

Wally Jackson
  Despite what your liberal teacher taught you in the mind-control government educational institutions manifest destiny was a great thing. A great nation was fully allowed its natural progression to expand into the vast wildernesses where nothing resided but treacherous Indians that backstabbed and raided one another for sport. Author Steven Woodworth gives an unbiased honest look at the inspirations and importance of manifest destiny as it occurred and the United States added territory and created states of these areas. The west offered so many so much hope of improving their lots and taming a brutal environment that once controlled offered the country important resources and opportunities. the struggles of this difficult journey across the prairies is examined as he covers the Oregon trail and movement from masses out East into new towns and settlements they would build from scratch. The movement of Mormons out to Utah from their home base is also covered as it was a major movement and migration as part of this destiny. Religious motivation was an underlying cause of much of these travels as many felt it was Gods desire to see these lands occupied with Christians and the heathens moved out. The Mormons were one of the few people who held in high-esteem the natives of these lands as most consisted the rightful belief that these people were savages that did nothing to improve their lot in these lands and didn't deserve to be.
   Woodruff does a good job covering the politics of this era from mostly general presidents whose own manifest destiny wars are recorded and who were all punctilious to push the idea of the importance of expanding the borders and replacing Indians, Spanish, and British power. The divisive issue of slavery is the only thing that prevented America from accomplishing more and adding an American Colombia from Canada and a few more newer Mexico's and  lower California's. This book gets heavy into the political debates of the time and races for presidency of 1844 and 1848 and this read also covers the important battles in the Mexican war . Halfway through this book it becomes a military history book with in-depth analysis of battles and tactics that enables a smaller American army to whip a prestigious Mexican army based on lineage to the long-standing Spanish army. General Zachary Taylors brilliant campaign at Buena Vista is covered and one can see the pattern of military leaders using war glorification to help their political careers. Woodward ends his book called "Manifest Destinies" with the California gold rush and the question and battle about expanding slavery in the golden state. The hears of the 1830's and 1840's are really what defined America and made it the great country it is today and there is nothing better to read in history books that stuff from this era.