For some, it was destiny to move west. Although there were many conflicts and disagreements between ourselves and others, it was destiny to move west because of overpopulation, new inventions of transportation methods, and new opportunities. In the 19th Century, overpopulation was one of the major reasons for Westward Expansion. Immigrants were flooding into America for new opportunities and new ways of life and there was just not enough land to suffice the needs for all of the people. These immigrants were arriving in America in the port cities on the East Coast. New York City, for example, was one of the cities all the immigrants were going to, which led to the city is even more crowded than it already was. This led people to believe …show more content…
People in America during this time seeking for opportunities out west that they did not think they had in the east. During this time, gold was discovered in California that attracted many people not just from America, but all over the world. Plus, the government encouraged people to go mining for gold by giving miners cheaper land to live on out west. As stated in the Homestead Act of 1862, United States Congress, a law providing free land for citizens of the United States in western territories. This act encouraged people to mine for gold in California so they could have cheaper land than they would anywhere else. Another opportunity people had moving west, was a different lifestyle than they already had. As shown in (Image Bank: 19th-Century Population), in 1860, most of the Western United States had fewer than 2 people per square mile. Whereas in most of the Eastern United States, there were 18-89 people per square mile. This new lifestyle they had was a more isolated, and not so crowded lifestyle. The opportunities seemed endless. That is just one of many reasons there was Westward Expansion. Overpopulation, new inventions of transportation methods, and new opportunities. These are three of many reasons why Americans in the 1800’s felt urged to move west. Some may claim that Westward expansion was not right for America to do because of the conflicts that were aroused afterward. America would not be the country
The first thing is the westward movement. Around 1803 the Louisiana Purchase occurred. After this purchase many Americans traveled to the new land to gain land and be successful. However, the journey to the land wasn’t a piece of cake. These people who chose to move West ran into many obstacles such as, animals dying, becoming lost and even death.
In the time during Westward Expansion was the time of new beginnings in America and it was time to move forward in land. America wanted to be superior to the rest of the countries around them. They went through many challegements to buy Louisiana Territory and explore its land around it as well. The country even almost went into bankruptcy and was almost sold to the French, but hopefully that did not happened. They even with success of land came trouble with greedy with expansion.
These were such cities as California capital Sacramento, San Francisco and Oakland. The gold rush would lead to California eventually becoming a state more immigrants came to America and settled in different places not just on
One reason why Americans moved westward was to gain opportunities for themselves. The two most promising land claims were Oregon Country and the Louisiana Territory. The idea of starting a new life on the recently claimed land of Oregon Country lands all began when Lewis traveled to the land and discovered that “this passage across the continent as affording immense advantages to the fur trade,” (Doc 9). As a result of Lewis’s expedition some settlers headed to the new land to start trading on this land. Afterward, more Americans flooded this land upon learning that it was, “nice and (it had) streams full of fish,” and that “the valleys are rich and the mountains high
Following the great explorative successes, some Americans would soon venture westwards which was largely supported by rhetoric, law and the vision of the founding fathers to have a far-reaching territory. As the manufacturing industry rose in New England, the westward expansion was both timely and economically viable. The American settlers were moving rapidly to what is referred to as the Midwest today and this necessitated the development of infrastructure through the development of canals, roads, and railroads. The rapid expansion of infrastructure, more specifically the railroads, would then purge the country into a new era of medicine, manufacture, and agricultural inventions (Neil, 1964). The Midwest became an inspiration that saw the symbolic development of the American identity in the 19th century with development of acting, painting, and writing.
New groups of people from Europe and all over the world came to settle to escape religious persecution or just make a better way of life in the East. In the same sense, those that were tired of the East and wanted a new livelihood, decided to travel west and make a better home. The West was wild. It was untamed and needed people to come develop and make it a booming part of the country. Therefore, the West being settled could be developed even better than how the East and South were developed.
The westward expansion of of the U.S. began to happen around the 1800s. during that time the social opportunities increased since many people moved to the west because the government was paying them or giving them free land. The political opportunities did not increased as much since most of the people moving westwards were poor or immigrants and only white males had the right to participate in those events. The economic opportunities increased for the people who moved westward because of the gold rush and the opportu tires that were provided.
This expansion would not only demonstrate the ability that the United States had to control North America but also lead to a defining event in United States history, the Civil War. The westward expansion between the years 1789 and 1815 was some of the most influential expansion in American History because of what can be considered an identity crisis the United States was going through as such a young country. The expansion into these areas shed light onto the issues being faced by the people and states of the United States as they continued grow and define themselves. The impact would define a country set the United States on the path to become the world power it is
Westward Expansion Flash Draft Have you ever wondered about what would 've happened if the westward expansion never occurred? We wouldn 't have many things you know today and America would be a lot smaller. The westward expansion happened during the 1800s and helped shape the modern America. The westward expansion started with the Louisiana Purchase and was made even stronger by the Gold Rush. Many people came to strike it rich or just to start a new life out west.
After their exploration, many people started to take interest in moving West. There were many different reasons why people moved, including a search for a fresh start at life, a chance at starting an economic success through agriculture and
Americans were able to make thousands of dollars off of gold and immagrants and foreigners from all over the world came to California. Citizens became richer and all different cultures learned to
The immigrants tired of slaving for big corporations in the east moved west and brought their cultures with them. The west had cultures from all over the globe because the ones that moved out west for the opportunities that the west presented also brought family members that hadn’t even been to this country yet. The east at times was just as scary as the west with gangsters, and mobsters, and rich powerful politicians. You could just as easily disappear in New York as you could in San Francisco.
The families came together to form what was called a wagon train in May 1846. Another reason for the Americans movement westward, was the belief in manifest destiny. Manifest destiny was the belief of the United States expanding towards the California coast. It was also because the views on religious freedom, were nowhere near as strict as they wear on the East
Throughout American History, revolutions in transportation have affected the American society politically, socially and economically. Soon after the war of 1812, American nationalism increased which leads to a greater emphasis on national issues, the increase in power and prevalence of the national government and a growing sense of the American Identity. Railways, canals, and Turnpikes began to increase making many people employed. The era of 1830-1860 represents a shift from agrarianism to industrialism. Overall, during the transportation revolution, construction of turnpikes, roads, canals, and railroads led to the market economy expansion, an increased population in America and alternations of the physical landscape of America.
Between 1800 and 1850 there was a dramatic increase in population and territory growth, an ideological change within the national focus, and a fracturing in political unity. The Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican American War creates the coast to coast nation, that correlates with the population and migration increase. This westward nation complements the new national focus of westward expansion and industrialization. However, fracturing in the political landscape forms a non-unified government resulting in partisan politics and little legislation.