Answer :
Answer:
C: The American spirit of exploration
Explanation:
sorry for being 2 years late
Final answer:
The woman in John Gast's painting American Progress symbolizes the American belief in Manifest Destiny, representing both the spirit of exploration and the overarching presence of religion guiding westward expansion, implicitly referring to the displacement of Native Americans by settlers.
Explanation:
The woman in the painting American Progress by John Gast, which depicts the concept of Manifest Destiny, represents the spirit and ideology that motivated American expansionism in the 19th century. This ideology was steeped in the belief that Americans were divinely ordained to spread across the continent. The image of the woman, often interpreted as an angel or allegorical figure, can be seen holding a book, which may symbolize education or religion, as she leads the settlers westward while pushing the indigenous peoples into the shadows, signifying the displacement of Native Americans. This painting captures the essence of Manifest Destiny as an inevitable and righteous expansion of the United States.
The woman in Gast's painting does not represent the removal of American Indians directly, but the presence of settlers and technology doing so while she is leading the way implies it. Her image encapsulates the spirit of exploration and progress, as well as the role of religion, suggesting that the territory was destined to be settled by Americans under the guidance of divine providence. The painting embodies the contentious and transformative period of westward expansion and the strong nationalistic spirit that justified the actions taken during the era of Manifest Destiny.
