From the beginning, America was defined not by its borders, but by its ideas.
People crossed oceans to come here. Not because a king ordered them to, but because they wanted freedom — to own land, worship freely, start businesses, and govern themselves.
The idea that people moved to create better lives eventually got a name: Manifest Destiny. A belief that free people, not distant rulers, should shape their own future.
The first Americans weren’t looking to create an empire. They were chasing opportunity.
The first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, described America as a “city on a hill” — a place others could look to and join.
Years later, Thomas Paine said Americans had it in their power “to begin the world over again.” He thought they could build a new country based on liberty and self-government, not the rule of a king.
Movement constantly shaped the American story. Farmers and land prospectors pushed west because land ownership was possible there, whereas it was almost impossible in Europe.
At its heart, Manifest Destiny was about free people building new lives. America’s westward movement was not without moral failure or injustice. But at its core was a powerful idea — that ordinary people could seek opportunity without asking permission from a king.
In 1845, journalist John L. O’Sullivan coined the term Manifest Destiny — the idea that free people, given space and opportunity, would build and grow.
It wasn’t meant to be used as an excuse for aggressive federal expansion, conquest, or colonialism. It was about opportunity.
In fact, our sixth president, John Quincy Adams, warned against going abroad “in search of monsters to destroy.”
When people move by choice, the cause of liberty grows. When the government imposes expansion, it threatens liberty.
Lasting growth comes from consent. It comes from families choosing where to settle, neighbors shaping their own communities, and leaders staying accountable to the people. That was the promise of Manifest Destiny.
The expansion and protection of America’s founding principles depend on citizens choosing their own representatives and holding leaders accountable.
When expansion becomes a federal mission, Washington manages it, and local self-government is replaced with top-down mandates.
This means more bureaucracy and central control, farther from the people affected.
The bottom line is: When early Americans expanded, they brought local government with them. They formed towns and communities, wrote charters, and even created constitutions for each state, ensuring everyone had local representation.
These were people seeking a new life, bringing the American Dream with them.
Today, we are still relocating based on our values and needs.
This is seen when people:
The possibility of remote work and being your own boss has meant that families can “vote with their feet” and live in places that align their values and wallets.
This is Manifest Destiny on display.
America’s story isn’t flawless. When we expanded, we made mistakes, especially regarding our treatment of Native nations and participation in slavery.
But any good story requires honesty, good ideals, and the willingness to move forward.
To our founders, the idea was that free people, acting voluntarily, could build prosperous communities without a king.
The frontier may have closed, but the principle hasn’t. The American Dream still moves forward — one small step at a time — whenever free people take responsibility for their communities.
That still rings true today.
As we reflect on America’s 250th anniversary, we want to consider the values that make our country great.
You can join us by signing up for our One Small Step monthly toolkit, where you’ll receive monthly activities and campaigns that remind us why we’re proud to be Americans.
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