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Benefits Of The Westward Expansion Dbq

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Sathya Siddapureddy 2nd hour Between the years of 1820 and 1861 an increase in population led to a demand for more land in the west. This expansion caused growing territories to begin to enter as state's according to the Land Ordinances. Westward expansion directly caused sectionalism in the country in attempt to retain balance in congress. The north and south economies were very different which gave them each different priorities, contributing to the oppositions. In an attempt to satisfy both the north and south, congress passed many compromises and laws to try and satisfy the pair. The earlier compromises had positive aspects, however, the benefits including keeping peace for some time were far outweighed by the costs of the later compromises not being able to please both sides ultimately resulting in the civil war making compromise exponentially more unsuccessful as the years went on. When the sectionalism in the country started to become a bigger issue when the territory of Missouri gained a population big enough to join the country. This caused mass tension because Missouri had already had slaves in it and was entering as a slave state. The north was not going to allow a slave state in without a free state coming in to balance the power in congress. Henry Clay proposed the Missouri compromise to allow it to join as well as Maine. The compromise added that there can be no slavery in the rest of the louisiana purchase. Some say the the compromise was unsuccessful

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