Manifest Destiny: California's Unlikely Love Story
So, you wanna know how America's epic case of wanderlust ended up with California as the trophy wife? Buckle up, because this is a tale of gold, guns, and God-given rights (or so they thought).
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| How Did Manifest Destiny Contribute To California |
The "We're Number One!" Complex
Manifest Destiny was basically America's mid-19th century version of "YOLO." It was this grand, self-important idea that the US was destined to spread its democratic, Anglo-Saxon awesomeness from sea to shining sea. Yeah, a bit cocky, right? But hey, who hasn't had that moment of "I could totally rule the world"?
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California: The Golden Child
California, on the other hand, was just minding its own business, being all chill and Mexican. Then BAM! Gold is discovered. Suddenly, everyone's like, "California? More like Gold-ifornia!" The 49ers rush in like a swarm of locusts, and before you know it, California's all "OMG, what happened?"
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Manifest Destiny: The Matchmaker
Enter Manifest Destiny, the overbearing matchmaker. It's like, "California and America? Perfect match! You'll have babies called Silicon Valley and Hollywood!" And America's all, "You're right! Let's do this!" So, they start a little thing called the Mexican-American War. It's basically America flexing its muscles and saying, "Hey Mexico, wanna play nice or what?" And Mexico was like, "Uh, can we talk about this later?"
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The Wedding: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
After a whirlwind romance involving a lot of shooting and yelling, America and California finally tie the knot with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. It's basically a prenup that says, "California, you're ours now, but we promise to be kinda nice." And California's like, "Cool, but can I keep my accent?"
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So, there you have it. Manifest Destiny: the ultimate wingman. It might have been a bit of a rocky start, but look at California now! It's a total bombshell.
How To Manifest Destiny 101
How to find your Manifest Destiny: Introspection, a world map, and maybe a talking animal.How to convince your neighbors to join your Manifest Destiny: Free land, promises of riches, and a really good sales pitch.How to deal with the consequences of Manifest Destiny: Therapy, apologies to the natives, and a really good lawyer.How to avoid making the same Manifest Destiny mistakes: Learn from history, respect other cultures, and maybe just stay home.How to appreciate the beauty of Manifest Destiny: Look at a map, marvel at the diversity of the US, and remember it's a complex story.
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