Final answer:
Historical manifestos have played a crucial role in shaping the national identity and vision in U.S. history. Figures like Jefferson, Wilson, and Johnson used manifestos to assert rights, propose international peace, and evoke a continuity of the founding ideals into present-day realities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The texts in question discuss various manifestos and declarations that shaped the political and social landscapes during crucial moments in the history of the United States. Ranging from the revolutionary ideas of figures like Jefferson, the leadership of figures like Washington and Woodrow Wilson, to societal expectations and rights in the face of industrialism, these manifestos tackle issues during the founding and development of the nation. Notably, Johnson's mention of offering solutions to the country's problems, Jefferson's use of natural rights language in the Declaration of Independence, and Wilson's Fourteen Points convey the efforts to redefine national identity and national vision.
Manifestos such as Wilson's Fourteen Points, which came before the end of World War I, sought to alter international relations by promoting free trade, reducing armaments, and encouraging nation-states' sovereignty, with an overall objective of preventing future conflicts. Likewise, the declaration of independence was an influential document asserting the right for American self-governance and challenging the authority of the British empire. The inclusion of anti-slavery overtones hinted at the radical shift in acknowledging human rights of all individuals.
Moreover, the personal reflections of figures like Smith and Jefferson emphasize the struggle for economic independence and a reaction against oppressive systems, whether it be the expectations from the Virginia Company or the colonial grip of the British Crown. Johnson, mirroring these sentiments, ends with an invocation to continue the founders' legacy, urging to make the founders' vision a contemporary reality. While not explicitly outlined in all the texts, the idea of manifestos as a tool to communicate and incite change remains a common theme, clearly establishing the intent to meet or challenge existing societal norms and expectations.