Westward Expansion And Its Impact On Americans In The 19th Century

The native population declined and their well being was not a priority. The US settlers became obsessed with this notion of westward expansion even if it meant that natives were going to be mistreated and oppressed. The creation of the railroad was the final nail in the coffin to the natives’ fate. The railroad allowed easy access and transportation to the new land. As stated in the text, “… Between 1790-1840, some 4.5 million people crossed the Appalachian Mountains – more than the entire U.S population at the time of Washington’s first inauguration.” (Pg. 336) This shows the dramatic increase in population and demand for westward expansion. Since natives occupied the land that was needed for building such infrastructure, the European settlers

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.

Prior to the 1800s, US expansion had been accepted by the government in the thirteen colonies. Despite the government's favor for territorial expansion, the controversy was spread throughout the 13 colonies on the idea of expansion. An American who influenced expansion in America, John O’ Sullivan, conjectured that territorial expansion was destined and it was god’s given right to expand America coast to coast, or in this case into westward territories. This thought was defined as Manifest Destiny and aided the fuel of western settlement, Native American Removal and war with Mexico. Many Americans did, however, oppose expansion and war causing, but their inputs didn’t change the idea of expansion. During the period of 1800-1855, America’s idea to expand territory succeeded in events such as the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Indian Removal Act. These events certainly satisfied proponents of expansion and influenced America's westward expansion. Despite these achievements, opponents of expansions opposed because of events like the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American war. America’s shape today is indeed based on these beliefs of expanding America.

In the eyes of the government, the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 was 2,000 miles of opportunity ready to be seized. Westward expansion started with the idea of Manifest Destiny coined by John L. O’Sullivan in 1845. This was the encouragement of citizens to start a new life in the west, with the hope of acquiring land. Despite this encouragement by the government, the land was occupied by Native Americans who were not willing to give up their land without a fight. The government knew of their existence from the previous expedition of Lewis and Clark, but still encouraged western expansion. This decision resulted in conflicts between the United States and Indians which lasted decades. The difficulties included the environment, developing industries, and conflicts with Native Americans.The environment and the Native Americans had minimal effects on the west, but the industries such as mining and cattle had significant impacts on the settlement west of the Mississippi.

Westward expansion is one of the major historical changes in the world. Prior the expansion, the U.S had bordered Allegheny Mountains (Westward), St. Lawrence (North) and the Atlantic Ocean to the south during

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.

Since Europeans came to the United States, the existing population of natives has always been an obstacle to expansion. American’s thirst for free and new land could not be quenched. For example, the British with the Proclamation of 1763

Throughout the 1800’s there were more and more Americans that had moved onto the frontier of the West coast. The people of the United States believed they were destined to have their land stretched from the Pacific Ocean (the west) to the Atlantic Ocean (the east); from sea to shining sea. This settlement came from the fact that the west not only had an abundance of fertile land for farming, but it had such a great abundance of gold and mineral mining available. The Americans also believed that this was a way (and chance) to spread their beliefs! Many people saw the West as a new beginning, so they decided to head West and begin this journey. This is what the Americans believed they were destined to do… The rapid settlement of the West was caused by the great desire of the American

In the early to mid 1800s, Americans began to want to expand the country again. Some Americans did not agree with the idea of expansion, and wanted to remain complacent with the amount of territory that they currently owned. The nation was torn. There were supporters and opponents of the idea of expansion. Each side presented their points but we eventually ended up expanding.

To continue the expansion of the United States and achieve Manifest Destiny, the federal government took several actions to encourage the rapid territory growth. From purchasing massive amounts of land, going to war with various countries, and negotiating treaties, the United States acquired land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. Not all lands were bought or received fairly. Many Native Americans were forced off of their sacred land and forced to travel under harsh conditions to reach “Indian Territory”. The United States government also encouraged the settlement of the new lands by building railroads and allowing settlers to claim land.

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.

The Westward Expansion started in the 1800s ever since then up until now Americans still have difficulty treating Native Americans the same as everyone else. The middle 1800s, Americans tortured and took everything that the Indians owned and loved, taking away their land, homes, religion, and lifestyle. Americans have forced Indians to be what they are not, they wanted them to act and be "normal" or what Americans at the time thought was normal. In the current day, Americans aren't trying to take their land away now the United States is attempting to build an oil pipeline through reservations in Dakota. There were a lot of short and long-term effects of the Westward Expansion, which were land being taken, poverty and life challenges that Indians had to face, and the government taking over.

The Proclamation of 1763, which told settlers to stop moving west into the Appalachian Mountains was the start of it all. The British feared that the settlers would tamper with their western trade between the Indians, but since the colonies traded wool and did their manufacture there, they continued moving west. Another policy made by Britain was the Currency

By the late 1600’s to the beginning of the 1700’s, the colonization of the America’s by the English had been reaping great rewards. The English controlled much of the eastern seaboard, and were highly interested into further

The desire for expansion and success motivated Thomas Jefferson to expand the nation's borders and there is no better reason than to do so for agrarian purposes. Agriculture and trade are two of the most important aspects in the development and expansion of a nation. Without the knowledge of farming and trade, debt and hunger would have forced Americans to migrate back to their native land. However, with trade came international conflict. After the American Revolution, France, Britain and Spain all traded with Americans. During the Anglo-French War, American exports grew as result of the United States becoming the main trade between France, Britain and their rival colonies in the Carribean. Trade fluctuated as the Europeans and Carribean declared and ended war (American Horizons, p.