Westward Expansion Dbq Essay

The Westward expansion began for the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. For $15 million dollars, President Thomas Jefferson purchased from France 828,000 square miles, including most of 14 current states, thus doubling the size of America. Jefferson now had the land, but how to populate it was another story. On a three year expedition, Lewis and Clark were sent by Jefferson to explore the lands to get a better understanding of the geography and resources of the West. During the 1830s to 1840s, to promote further territory expansion, the “manifest destiny” came into play – which was the idea that America was destined to expand across the entire country westward. Quickly, the nation expanded.

shipped east to feed the growing number of workers in factories in cities like Philadelphia,

Most importantly, Thomas Jefferson deeply contradicted his views on land expansion and violated his policy on following the constitution completely. A prime example of this was the Louisiana Purchase, in which Napoleon offered Jefferson the opportunity to purchase all of France's American territory for only $15 million, doubling the physical size of the nation. The French needed the money to fight a war with the British, and Jefferson wanted the mouth of the Mississippi River for America. So, Jefferson "gave the Constitution a close reading" to seek authorization for such a move. Failing to find any, he decided to unconstitutionally take the offer anyway (Doc C). This clearly violated his previous views on such an issue. However, it is obvious that Jefferson made the right decision in the matter, and the American people should be very grateful for Jefferson's

Westward expansion was a time of successes and failures, a time celebrations and grief, a time full of life and death but in the end it shaped how America is the way is today. Westward expansion was put in action because of the belief of Manifest Destiny, the belief that it is America fate to expand from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean. The economical, political and humanitarians impacts were necessary to achieve the goal of manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion.

Westward expansions of the united states molded and affected the nations advancement socially, politically and economically holding quick to its connections to agriculture, its relations with and through slavery with the westward expansion therefore there would not be an abolishment movement and the women would not have been there to find against it. Although the Indian removal has helped shape the westward expansion politically and economically because it has given America more land and cotton. The Mexican war shaped the western expansion culturally and politically because the Mexican were racially religiously superior.

The Westward Expansion was the nation's future as depended on by Thomas Jefferson. In 1803 the Louisiana purchase took place, doubling the size of the country. The Westward Expansion allowed the emigrants of the Oregon trail to expand out west, making the people a new start to a better future. The emigrant’s on the Oregon trail faced the most difficulty trying to survive and thrive in the west due to life threatening diseases, harsh weather patterns, and supply deprivation.

Western Expansion in the United States was one of the most important historical events of our nation. Western expansion in the United states was one of the historical events that most impacted the future of America.The United States expansion had many motives behind it and had different outcomes which either benefited the United States or negatively affected the nation. The United States wanted to expand west because they desired more land, wished to prevent conflicts with France, and to build a stronger economy. The United States expanded west because they desired to own more land, wished to prevent conflicts with France, and they wanted to build a stronger economy. According to Document A, it says “but France was a much stronger power. Jefferson

The movement of people that has resulted in the settlement of America 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 as a result of the initiative of small groups and individuals. Westward expansion helped stimulate the American economy.

The westward expansion of America involves many events that are important to history as a whole. It took place during the Age of Imperialism which began during the nineteenth and twentieth century. Westward expansion was a major event that took place throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In the early half of the nineteenth century, the westward movement arose numerous issues involving social class, gender roles, and slavery by both political and social means.

Thomas Jefferson was born in Shadwell, Virginia. Shadwell is located near the Blue-Ridge Mountains, at the time was considered far west. Living near the edge of the colonies sparked an interest in Jackson to move westward. On his rise to fame he started accumulating more power to devise an incursion westward. After he wrote the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson gained thousands of supporters who would later vote him to be President. Once President, Jackson then gained the power and resources to fully fund and encourage westward expansion.

The years between 1803 and 1850 were called The Westward Expansion Era. During this time the practice of slavery was getting more popular. Also, as white settlers continued to move west, Native Americans were being forced off their land. The phrase, “all men are created equal,” did not apply to the subgroups/ minorities during the Western Expansion Era because of racial prejudice toward African-Americans even in northern states and white settlers destroying Native American culture. Even in northern states, racial prejudice directed towards African-Americans was a significant problem.

The Westward Expansion has often been regarded as the central theme of American history, down to the end of the19th century and as the main factor in the shaping of American history. As Frederick Jackson Turner says, the greatest force or influence in shaping American democracy and society had been that there was so much free land in America and this profoundly affected American society. Motives After the revolution, the winning of independence opened up the Western country and was hence followed by a steady flow of settlers to the Mississippi valley. By 1840, 10 new western states had been added to the Federal union. The frontier line ran through Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas on the western side

1. Jefferson's views on westward expansion is simply to establish trading houses in Indian territory and pursue the Native peoples ways of living. Jefferson's other intentions were to also gather information of the Native Americans. Jefferson has always wanted to venture out west to explore lands. He was interested in Native American culture although the decision to expand towards their territory would cause them to leave their way of living life. Slavery was also an issue considering that Jefferson didn't support extension of slavery. He felt that could cause friction amongst the people down in the southern regions, eventually giving the possibilty of a civil war. Jefferson wanted to find a water route to the Pacific as well for better methods

“Jefferson’s ideals came from a hypothetical yeoman farmer, whose hard labour on the land will offer the best judgment on the rights of people.” (Sturgis, pg 7) At times, Jefferson had made uncomfortable decisions that opposed his ideals and beliefs, such as the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon. This forced a removal of the

The westward movement tested underlying principles of the U.S. Constitution, including separate powers, individual rights, and popular sovereignty. Individual rights was challenged when citizens started anew in western territory. They were free to explore their rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And were given opportunities to love more like the white male. Popular sovereignty was tested through the Kansas-Nebraska Act, in which Senator Stephen Douglas suggested that Kansas and Nebraska’s place on slavery would be determined by the vote of citizens. Separate powers was strained by anti-slave and pro-slave citizens both making their own state governments.