Artifact #4: American Progress by John Gast (1872)

Citation:

Gast, John. American Progress. Chromolithograph. 1872. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Library of Congress Control Number 97507547. https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppmsca.09855/.

Label:

This is an iconic painting known as American Progress, created by John Gast in 1872. It represents the concept of Manifest Destiny, the belief that Americans were destined to expand westward across North America. The woman floating in the center is known as Lady Columbia, the national personification of the United States. She is shown holding a schoolbook while moving westward, and is being followed by settlers, trains, and telegraph wires. The painting shows how Americans saw their territorial expansion as a mission to bring enlightenment and development to new untouched regions.

The ideas depicted in this painting are directly related to one of the key motivations behind Canada’s Confederation, to prevent American expansion into British North America. The rapid  expansion of the United States and its belief in Manifest Destiny was a significant threat to Canada’s unclaimed western territories. This painting displays the anxiety and urgency that was felt by Canadian leaders to unite the colonies and expand westward in order to protect their sovereignty.

Bibliography:

Robinson, Amanda. "Manifest Destiny." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Last modified December 19, 2019. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/manifest-destiny.

University of Idaho Humanities. "John Gast’s American Progress (1872)." https://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/humanities/Gast%20Landscape.htm.