Manifest Destiny See-Think-Wonder Activity
Students spent some time analyzing artwork that captures the idea of Manifest Destiny, or the belief that Americans in the 1800s felt they deserved to have their land extend "from sea to shining sea". The painting, "American Progress" by John Gast, is full of detailed examples of the positive and negative effects of Manifest Destiny. Students began their work writing what they saw in the painting and what those items made them think and wonder about. The following discussion proved that students used deep thinking to extend their knowledge of this time period. This is one of my favorite activities because I love incorporating art into US History and it makes me happy when my students can relate what they see in art to what we are learning in class. They now have a strong image in their mind when they think of the growth of the western United States.