What was happening at the American Progress in history it was created?

Answer 1

The painting American Progress (1872) by John Gast was created to represent Manifest Destiny, the 19th-century belief that the United States was destined to expand its territory across the continent. The painting depicts a female figure, Columbia, who symbolizes America, floating across the West, bringing with her the light of civilization. She is surrounded by symbols of progress, such as a telegraph line, a railroad, and a wagon train.