Abstract
This paper is based on the essay "Toward a Theory of Destiny" by Howard University professor Segun Gbadegesin, which points out several inconsistencies in the Yoruba culture's traditional notion of destiny. While Gbadegesin seems to conclude that the notion is not irrational, the author of this paper maintains that a deeper look at the concept is necessary before reaching that conclusion.

From the Paper
"Another problem Gbadegesin addresses is that the choice is an illusion to begin with. If a choice has to be made, and if it is impossible to gauge any distinctions in quality between the options of choice, then the choice is illusory. However, if one subscribes to the notion of destiny, this fact is not all that problematic, for all choices made throughout a predestined life are illusory."

Tags:destiny, determinism, philosophy, Africa

Abstract
This paper addresses the question of whether globalization is destiny or a choice and argues in favor of choice, pointing out that there are areas over which individuals and corporations can make choices and exercise control.

From the Paper
"The rampant globalization of communication tastes and world markets has descended upon our modern era much like a steamroller flattening out everything that stands in its way. Every business around the world, from major corporations to handweaving cooperatives in third world countries, are potentially affected by globalization. Companies are realigning themselves with global initiatives, adopting a change at a moment's notice paradigm, that includes boundaryless organizations and change management directives to enable them to respond to global challenges and opportunities immediately as they..."

Tags:destiny, choice, inevitable, globalization, policy, consumer, corporate, response, accountability

Abstract
This paper carefully details the events that led up to the Manifest Destiny as well as the events proceeding it. It states facts by chronological order and commentary on the events of that time. It explains how that period in the United States was a period of Westward Expansion, when the United States expanded and gained independence from Great Britain.

From the Paper
"On July 4, 1776, thirteen British colonies on the east coast of North America announced their independence from Great Britain. Those colonies included Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. Vermont joined the rebellion in 1777."

Tags:Manifest, Destiny, United, States, 1776, Great, Britain, Independence, colonies, revolution

Abstract
This paper takes a look at the term Manifest Destiny, coined by John O'Sullivan in 1837 in his "The Great Nation of Futurity", which attempted to explain and justify American expansion and westward movement. The paper holds that Manifest Destiny was sown into the fabric of American history even before O'Sullivan came up with the term. It traces the idea back to similar views held by Samuel Danforth's election sermon of 1670, as well as to Andrew Jackson's Second Annual Message to Congress. The paper explains that men used a collection of rhetorical tools such as paternalism, veiled benevolence, analogous conditions, the God argument, metaphors and exceptionalism to appeal to white Anglo- Christians to push and fulfill America's Manifest Destiny. Lastly, the paper asserts that the meaning of the term has changed today. The paper concludes that the United States no longer uses Manifest Destiny to seek land, but rather to spread American influence around the world as an uninterrupted political authority.

From the Paper
"The Monroe Doctrine established the idea that the western hemisphere is hands off from European nations. The Monroe Doctrine and manifest destiny go hand to hand. The Monroe Doctrine came into being because of the threat to our security by Russian imperialist. It is believed that manifest destiny was to not only spread out to the West but also include modern day Canada, Mexico, Cuba and surrounding islands. The Monroe Doctrine sought to curb other nations, especially European powers desire to expand in the United States backyard. The purchase of Alaska was to stop Russian expansion in North America. Also, the United States wanted to provoke fear in Spain and France from expanding to Cuba and Latin America. The United States did not want any other country other than themselves to lay claim on this side of the globe. Beyond the Pacific Ocean shoreline with the U.S., manifest destiny set its eye on Hawaii. There was enormous "economic, political, and military power" of the United States that heavily influenced Hawaiian politics (Kagan 325). In 1893, the United States with the help of "light-skinned property owners" over threw the monarchy and Queen Liliuokalani (325-326)."

Tags:democracy, imperialism, native, Americans

Abstract
In his essay "Toward a Theory of Destiny," philosopher Segun Gbadegesin points out several inconsistencies in the Yoruba culture's traditional notion of destiny, but seems to conclude that the notion is not irrational. This paper examines Gbadegesin's account of destiny in the religious tradition of Nigeria's Yoruba culture and explores some philosophical problems with this notion of destiny.

From the Paper
"Upon closer examination, the connection between destiny and personality is much more complex than a simple "destiny equals personality" claim. It is not as if a person's temperament is contained in his or her destiny, rather, if one does, in fact, have a destiny, then he or she must live out that destiny in order to form a personal identity through experience. So, even if the earthbound Yoruba was given a destiny first and then was asked to choose his or her body, there would still be no personal preference on which to base the choice."

Tags:genetics, western, earthbound, Oriseeku, Orileemere, Afuwape

Abstract
This paper discusses the US concept of manifest destiny and relates that the general perception of the concept is rather hard to determine. The paper points out that, at times, throughout the decades, the presidents of the United States have made use of this concept with little consideration of the initial meaning. The paper also points out that, in the beginning, the political environment in the U.S. was that the mission of the country was to promote the values of the American Revolution, freedom and liberty in the region. Today, however, the banner of manifest destiny is used to justify the supremacy of the U.S. as it wages the war on terror throughout the world with the declared aim of making the world a safer place.

From the Paper
"An interesting point related to the issue of manifest destiny is the actual use of the notion and its meaning for the collective mentality of a people. The idea that the United States has a mission above the worldly considerations of politics and foreign and internal affairs tends to motivate people for a cause. This could have been one of the reasons for which the notion was used throughout the conduct of foreign policy. In this sense, the Civil War represents an eloquent example."

Tags:supremacy, monroe doctrine, collective mentality, civil war, security council

Abstract
This paper discusses how destiny and fate are central in Virgil's epic poem, "The Aenid", and how the great power of fate truly did drive Aeneas to his goal of Rome. The paper explains tha, in the ancient world of "The Aeneid", following the will and course of the Fates was the one and only true way to live life to its fullest and that Aeneas embodies this ideal. The paper also looks at how, based on these ideals, Aeneas overcomes all who oppose him in order to build the great city of Rome, and finally fulfill his destiny.

From the Paper
"However, the character of Turnus, Lavinia's suitor, proves to be the polar opposite of Aeneas when it comes to fulfilling one's destiny. Turnus knows that he is not destined for greatness, but rather to step aside for Aeneas, for the prophecy told King Latinus to "Seek not, my seed, in Latian bands to yoke Our fair Lavinia, nor the gods provoke. A foreign son upon thy shore descends, whose martial fame from pole to pole extends. His race, in arms and arts of peace renowned, not Latium shall contain, nor Europe bound: 'T is theirs whatever the sun surveys around," (Book VII). Determined to change the tides of his destiny, Turnus builds an army to defeat Aeneas, but all to no avail. Turnus fails even to burn their unattended ships, for destiny will not allow him to violate his fate and conquer the Trojan army, and as Dido was struck down after her attempt to overcome destiny, so also was Turnus, defeated in battle by Aeneas, after attempting to slay him, further illustrating that to go against your pre-ordained destiny is not only foolish, but often times fatal in The Aeneid."

Tags:rome, troy

Abstract
This paper looks at "Manifest Destiny" , a reference to the inevitable expansion of the territorial boundaries of the United States westward to the Pacific Ocean and beyond. It discusses how the concept of "Manifest Destiny" was frequently used by American expansionists to justify the U.S. annexation of Texas, Oregon, New Mexico, California, and later U.S. involvement in Alaska, Hawaii, and the Philippines. It provides an examination of the factors that influenced the expansion of the country westward during the 1840s and 1850s, followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.

Outline
Introduction
Background and Overview
Immigration
Slavery
Improvements in Transportation
Innovations in Agriculture
Availability of Native American Land and Resources
California Gold Rush -- 1848

From the Paper
"In the 40 years before the Civil War, the rate of urban growth was not confined to the East, but it was the most dramatic there; in fact, by 1860, more than a third of the people living in the Northeast were urban residents, compared with only 14 percent of westerners and 7 percent of southerners. "Although the majority of northerners still lived on farms or in small farm towns, the region was clearly urbanizing" (Nash & Jeffrey 2001:335). As a result, tens of thousands of people headed North seeking work in major metropolitan areas in factories of all sizes. At this point, cities of all sizes grew. "The population of New York and Philadelphia doubled and tripled.""

Tags:oregon, revolution, slavery, texas, trail, westward, gold, rush

Abstract
This paper examines how the two most influential events that shaped American history and impacted a good portion of the globe were the advent of industrialization and the spread of "Manifest Destiny," especially in the late 18th century and throughout the years of the 19th century. It looks at how global industrialization or that associated with the rise, progression, and effect of industry on national governments and societies altered the face of many nations by eliminating the long-held system of agrarianism and replacing it with massive industrial growth. It also discusses how "Manifest Destiny," usually associated with American policy during the later years of the 19th century and well into the 20th century, allowed expansionism into many regions of the world through the idea that it was America's God-given right to possess and maintain all those societies that threatened American capitalism and its democratic systems.

From the Paper
"In the years prior to the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, two of the greatest social/political problems facing America and foreign nations were based on the continuing struggle between the poor and the wealthy classes and the existence of "Manifest Destiny," broadly defined as an ostensibly benevolent or necessary policy of imperialistic expansion. Domestically, America was burdened by a financial panic in the 1890's which upset the lives of the urban poor and made the wealthy even more prosperous. In the cities, people demanded democratic change in many areas, such as the twelve-hour work day, the dangerous conditions in American factories, the exploitation of immigrant laborers, corporate resistance to labor unions, political corruption in local and state governments, child labor laws, inadequate wages and most importantly the on-going concentration of wealth by such "Robber Barons" as J. P. Morgan and the Vanderbilts."

Tags:class, revolution, government, technology

Abstract
This paper explains that Manifest Destiny, which began with the New York journalist, John Louis O'Sullivan, in 1845, was held by the Democratic Republicans during the presidency of James Madison to provide a sense of mission to citizens by using the phrase to promote and justify territorial expansion across the North American continent. The author points out that another desire of the politicians and leaders was the acquisition of new lands because land represented potential wealth, income, freedom, and self-sufficiency. The paper stresses that, as the citizens of the United States spread westward, intense conflict developed with the Native Americans and with Mexicans in Texas; Manifest Destiny was one of the driving factors behind the Mexican-American War of 1846, which resulted in the loss of nearly half of Mexico's territory to the United States and the long-term destabilization of that country.

From the Paper
"Because of economic difficulties in the United States in the 1840s, many young settlers started leaving America for the Oregon Territory. The journey was rough and difficult. Most of the people walked the 2000-mile journey. Only the pregnant women, the sick, and the elderly were allowed to ride in the wagons. There were many fights with the Native Americans along the route and the possession of land caused them to continue fighting once they arrived. During the westward expansion, the Native Americans were greatly affected and were in a constant struggle for survival. They competed with frontiersmen for the fur trade, for land with settlers moving to Oregon, and with the Mexicans farming in Texas. New settlers were encroaching on their native lands constantly and their way of life was being challenged."

Tags:oregon, texas, mexico, war, madison