Answer:
Manifest destiny, a term coined in the mid-19th century by John O'Sullivan alludes to the belief that settlers were meant to inhabit the western region of North America and was a widespread ideology used to justify annexation of native territory. John Gast's painting, Manifest Destiny contains symbols meant for people already familiar with the concept of a divine right to territory in the west. In the foreground of the work, one is made to take in the divinity of the woman. She levitates above the settlers and is draped in a vivid celestial-like white robe which hints at her paramountcy. Additionally, she guides the settlers towards the west as she holds a book- typical imagery for education- as well as the telegraph wire she pulls along with her. Her divinity is tied to technological advancement so that onlookers may understand the God given right to the land ahead of her and this acts as a way to emphasize the superiority of the settlers' culture over the natives. The natives flee from the "civilized culture" alongside the Buffalo which pinpoints the belief that they do not belong within what pioneers deem society. The painting emphasizes the biased perception Americans had towards the native population and their low opinion of natural resources. Considering God was supposedly on the side of technological advancements, a contrast to innovation meant inferiority and a disparity from supremacy.