...The purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803 opened the door to westward expansion. Thomas Jefferson purchased this extensive plot of land with the hopes of strengthening and expanding the Republic, unaware that it would have the opposite effect. Jefferson’s fateful decision to expand the United States nearly destroyed the Republic that Americans worked so hard to build. It triggered the rise of divisions amongst Americans. These small cracks continued to grow and tear at the seams of the nation. Although westward expansion between 1800 and 1848 granted many new opportunities to the American people, it also brought about tension that plagued the nation for years to come. Some historians may construe westward expansion as beneficial to the...
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...The Westward Expansion The westward expansion is one of the most fascinating and significant topics in the history of the United States. Nowhere else has an area of equal size been settled by small groups and individuals. Westward expansion helped stimulate the American economy. At the time, progress was beneficial for the United States, but those benefits came with a cost, such cost that instead of advancements and developments being advantageous for humanity, it also became a harmful process in which numerous people were affected in many facets of life. This all means that progress is remarkable to achieve, but when achieved, people have to realize the process they had to do to achieve it, which was stepping on other people to get there. To gain access to the western part of the country the white settlers had to pass through the Native Americans. While pushing westward the white culture clashed with the plain Indians and their culture. As a result of these bloody battles and the white settlers that were victorious, the Native Americans were restricted to small portions of their land. The government supported assimilation, which was the plan to unite the Native American culture with the white one. White settlers started moving westward to settle the land gained by the victory over the Native Americans. A major factor that caused this major movement, other than by the victory of the war, was the Homestead Act. This act provided and granted 160 acres of free land...
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...“The term Western Expansion encompasses the acquisition of territories by the United States across the whole area of the North American continent from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west.” (www.american-historama.org/1841-1850-westwardexpansion/westwardexpansion.htm). There were many factors that lead up to the Westward Expansion. For example, an overflowing population, the government opens new land (i.e. Louisiana Purchase), Pacific expansion, and finally seeking expansion beyond borders all lead up to the Westward expansion. Also, there is a vase amount of impacts that the Western Expansion had on America and its people. Overflowing Population Many people think major increase in population is good...
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...Part A: Highlight two options that best describe the central ideas of the text. A. History is not made up of just a few heroes and villains. B. Mexicans did not participate in westward expansion. C. Average citizens were responsible for westward expansion. D. Thomas Jefferson was responsible for westward expansion. Part B: Select two quotations from the text --one for each answer-- to support the answers to Part A. “It is natural and perhaps necessary for historians and story-tellers to view the dramatic shifts of history through the actions of a few famous figures, whether heroes or villains. Certainly the story of the westward expansion of the United States has many examples of each, and sometimes it seems the villains outnumber the heroes.” “A true story of the...
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...Westward Expansion Cowboys ` Between 1870 and 1890, probably 10 million semiwild longhorn cattle traveled from Texas to Kansas and other northern markets. A group of cowboys rode with each herd of from 2,000 to 5,000 cattle to push them up the trail by day and to night-herd them after dark. Any unusual noise after the cattle were asleep might send them into a wild and destructive stampede. To drown those disturbing noises, the cowboys came to croon or yodel to the cattle. From these cattle calls grew some of the trail songs descriptive of cowboy life. So long as the cattle could hear a familiar voice crooning some cattle lullaby, they had no fear of the howl of a wolf, the scream of a panther, or any of the other sudden noises of the night....
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...Would you rather move west and risk your health or prevent the Civil War? As you look deeper into the westward expansion, you will realize that it was not the best groundbreaking discovery for American settlers. At first, the westward expansion seemed like a good idea and a fruitful business plan but the westward expansion played a much deeper role in American history. Unfortunately, people did not realize the long term effects of moving elsewhere. The westward expansion was unnecessary because it created an unhealthy environment for new settlers and helped encourage the Civil War. Many people suffer from loneliness and that is exactly was the westward expansion promises. Moving west, there was nothing out there except for the fertile land...
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...Critical Analysis of Westward Expansion “Go west, young man”. It was the phrase of the 19th Century advocating for Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny was the idea that settlers were destined to expand to the west. “Americans not only considered Westward expansion a desirable objective but an endowment from God through which they could take their democratic republicanism across North America (Dobson, 2013). There were many factors that urged westward expansion, but the most common reasons for settlers were for the social environment, the natural environment, and the economic opportunities. The social environment of the west included the idea of freedom and the idea of Native American interaction. The natural environment was thriving in the west as gold and other precious minerals were discovered throughout westward expansion. The economic opportunities in the west were almost endless. As settlers took adapted Manifest Destiny, opportunist and businessmen took it towards their advantage...
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...Westward Expansion was a very important piece of America’s history that helps make it what it is today. Expansionists started to take interest in California, Texas, and New Mexico. They liked territorial growth and thought these provinces would bring many useful resources. Expansionists believed in Manifest Destiny which was the belief that that God wanted the U.S. to own all of North America. Many expansionists used the Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail to travel west. The Oregon Trail started in Missouri and ended in Oregon and many people used this trail in hope of a better life. The Santa Fe Trail was a famous trail in New Mexico that was used for business and trade. Other traders traveled up the Missouri River into the Rocky Mountains in search of beaver skin. In this search of the Rockies,...
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...seemed to be controversial among the new American nation, but during the 19th century westward expansion seemed to have a stirring effect, as it was seen as unconstitutional and a mistake to the half the people, particularly the federalists. Moreover, Americans believed that buying more land would entangle the U.S. in foreign affairs, a warning given by George Washington in his farewell address, and cause strain on the original 13 eastern states. However, government officials saw land as a power source and a way to expand the empire and economy. Both supporting and opposing sides influenced the ideas of territorial expansion and caused a changed in federal policy resulting in a new nation stretching from [present...
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...imperialism is rule by an emperor. The Colonists took to the new world and set out on their duty of manifest destiny. Manifest destiny means the doctrine or belief that the expansion of the U.S. throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable. Manifest destiny and westward expansion were acts of imperialism. Manifest destiny made people travel around the country and take land from others. They would kill Native Americans for their land and make them their slaves. They would then put Native Americans in reservations where they were forced to live and they weren’t able to leave. Native Americans were forced to harvest crops and do what the Europeans told them. The Europeans expanded west and and made civilizations. Native Americans were becoming overwhelmed with incoming Europeans. The Europeans took their land by force, which is an example of imperialism. Westward expansion made America into a civilized country with many businesses and agriculture. Everyone moved to America hoping for a better, new life. People advertized with paintings that America was the place to be. People would paint pictures of a beautiful America, hoping to get people to move over to...
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...Do you know what happens when cultures collide? When cultures collide it usually leads into wars or the two cultures might be friendly and trade with each other. One culture might actually overpower the other which will lead to massive killings and enslavement.The westward expansion involved in a lot of cultures colliding with one another for example the mexIcan and American war or the French and Indian war. It was when the thirteen colonies were expanding west for more land and for better lives. They also moved west to become more powerful all because of this thing that they thought of called manifest destiny. Which meant nothing would stop them from expanding west.When cultures collide wars begin to start up, they trade with one another, or one of them overpowers the other. In the westward expansion many wars had happen. A lot of the wars happened because of the Americans taking and making people unhappy. After making the Constitution the Americans wanted to travel west for more land, valuable metals, and to start something new. One thing that motivated them from not...
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...Westward expansion at the end of the American Revolution and through the end of the Civil War was driven by an increase in nationalism, the establishment of a single governmental entity, population growth, immigration, the development of infrastructure of roads, as well as an inherent belief in manifest destiny. Nationalism, by definition, is “a sense of national consciousness and loyalty that promotes the interests and attributes of that nation over all others.”1 Prior to the American Revolution, the colonies were completely separate. While people traveled around the colonies, there was no unity in the legal systems, monetary systems, or trade systems, nor was there any interest in what the other colonists were doing or how they were...
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...He acquired Louisiana in hopes to build an empire and take over the control of all the United States (Lively 35). When it came to selling the Louisiana Territory, he did not have support from many people. Even his own brother tried talking him out of selling it. A Haitian slave revolt and impending war with England led him to cancel his expedition to Louisiana on March 3, 1803, (20c. Westward Expansion: The Louisiana Purchase). The Louisiana Territory and New Orleans were ceded by France to Spain. France then took the land back by Napoleon forcing the King to sign the treaty papers. This land was rich with gold, silver, and other natural resources greatly contributing to the wealth of the United States. Forests on the land helped contribute to the lumber industry and the economy. On April 11 foreign minister Talleyrand told Livingston and Monroe that France was willing to sell all of Louisiana (Louisiana...
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...The Westward Expansion Migration While migrating west about 15000 immigrants are estimated to have died on the Oregon Trail.The Westward Expansion Migration was the migration of about seven million people to the west via the Oregon trail, in 1803 through 1840. It gave America more farmland, double its size, and it helped the population grow. The Westward Expansion Migration was an important part of America's history because it expanded America’s border. Some of the people involved in the Westward Expansion Migration were John L.O’Sullivan, Lucinda Brown, and Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, both played an important part in the westward expansion migration. Despite their different personalities, they were appointed by Thomas Jefferson to go on an expedition. Simultaneously Lewis and Clark went on a two thousand mile expedition. Lewis and Clark were chosen by Thomas Jefferson because of their knowledge and experience. They went on an expedition to explore and discover the land bought in the Louisiana Purchase. Together they discovered the path of the Oregon Trail. The Oregon Trail was the path in which 7 million people migrated to the west on....
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...Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion were fundamental ideas so the United States can be the size it is today however, there was a lot controversy going on back then, especially between native Americans and the colonists that came to America. Things such as land, trade were points of focus back then that caused conflicts such as King Philip's War, and then came things like benefits and non-benefits from Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny, and how there was a huge backlash such as the French and Indian War, which caused a lot of future prejudices and hatred for In the light of the controversy of Manifest destiny and how both Americans and Native Americans are affected, the land is an issue that is brought up frequently, especially because...
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