Manifest Destiny

In this six-week class, we will examine westward expansion in the United States in the 1800s.

“Manifest destiny” was the 19th-century belief that Americans were destined to expand beyond the original 13 colonies and settle across North America. This philosophy led to the popular image of the United States as a nation of resilient pioneers, but it was also used to justify the theft of Native American land — and the controversies around adding new states to the union played a critical role in igniting the Civil War.

We typically think of “The West” during this time period as a land of gunfights outside saloons, buxom barmaids serving drinks to cowboys, and earnest pioneer girls like Laura Ingalls helping Ma with the washing. But that is only a small part of the story. The West was also home to radical labor activism, fierce debates over slavery, Indigenous resistance, and an immigrant history that is surprisingly multicultural.

Our main “text” in this course will be the PBS series Frontier House, in which three modern-day families agree to spend several months living like homesteading pioneers in Montana in 1883.

Prerequisites: Colonial America & The Enlightenment Revolutions

Instructor: Laura Fokkena

DETAILS:

Suggested age range: 13+

Outside work: 1-2 episodes of Frontier House per week + short videos and readings

When & where: Fridays on Zoom from 12:30-1:30 Eastern Time, May 23 - June 27, 2025.

Fee: $150 ungraded/$200 graded; this includes a non-refundable registration fee of $10. We offer discounts for groups, siblings, and students who enroll in multiple classes. (Discount information.) Payment plans available. Fees waived for families with financial need.  (Waivers and payment plan information.) Questions about how classes work? Read our course FAQ.

Photo credit: Laura Fokkena