John Gasts 1872 painting titled American Progress is an allegory for Manifest Destiny and the modernization of the new westward expansion by the United States. A woman named Progress is the main image in the picture who is shown leading the settlers from the east and moving civilization westward. The woman is wearing a star on her head, resembling an angel and conveying the idea that American westward expansion is their duty given by God. The woman is leading the settlers and protecting them as they expand. In the painting, the east is shown in lightness and the west is a resemblance of darkness. As they move toward the west, they are showing that they will be bringing the light with them into the dark west. In the image, the light symbolizes the civilized east and the dark represents the non-civilized west. The depicted darkness of the west is conveying the idea that the west is uncivilized and a wild place that is in need of modern advancements. The east is shown as being the opposite of the west. The east is civilized, well-educated and advanced in technology. The main focus of the image is the women in the center of the painting who is a representation of bringing the light from the east and moving it westward with the settlers. The woman is holding a school textbook in her arms, showing that she will gain knowledge by settling in the west. She is also holding a piece of a telegraph in her hand, symbolizing that they are bringing technological adva
ncements with them into the dark west. In the image, some of the things depicted such as railroads, telephone wires, log cabins, and fences represent modernization and advancement of the new west. All of these things suggest that settlers should pursue them in order to gain light and prosperity. As the women progresses toward the west, she is bringing the light with her. Many of them include developments that require wood to build which will further lead to the over-use of forest resources. The Native Americans in this photo are seen retreating away from the Settlers and the woman, Progress, and they are covered in the darkness which suggests badness and evil. John Gast portrayed the Native American way of life as outdated and suggested American settlers should conquer it. They were negatively impacted by the Manifest Destiny because as settlers were encouraged to expand west and build and conquer new lands, those lands were taken away from the Native Americans. The idea of Manifest Destiny was used to remove the Native Americans from their native homelands. The Americans believed that the Native Americans were not utilizing their land and ultimately leaving it to waste. The Native Americans were left stripped of their land, as the American settlers expanded westward and settled into their land. Overall, this image was created to portray the religious belief that the United States should expand from the east to the west because of the calling from God.