The Expansion of America to the West - 1314 Words

As the 19th century continued, America expanded away from the east coast, across the Mississippi westward. After many western states joined the Union, hundreds of thousands of pioneers migrated to the new territories, which shifted the majority of the country’s population to the West. With so much uninhabited and unorganized land available, the desire for more land brought aspiring pioneers to the frontier. As enticing as the idea was, something else was persuading many people to migrate westward. Manifest Destiny became a widely used concept amongst future pioneers. This concept stated that God wants you to migrate westward over the entire country to expand and enhance its political, social, and economic influences. Many middle-class citizens held this belief and was the driving force in Americas expansion. In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act and the Pacific Railway Act that would help aid settlers in their plight across the Plains. These acts used public lands to achieve significant national ambitions of western migration and the construction of the transcontinental railroad. In 1862, the Homestead Act was passed into law. The act stated that any American citizen could file an application and for a small amount purchase 160 acres of government land. The only stipulation was that you must inhabit the land for the next five years. The Plains provided ample amount of land for farming and livestock, but settlers found the different climate would require newShow MoreRelatedManifest Destiny And Westward Expansion Essay1447 Words   |  6 Pages1) OUTLINE: I. Topic sentence. Manifest destiny and westward expansion was a tremendous key component to the growth of the nation economically because of the impact it had on native americans, women empowerment, and expanding the population of the country. II. Significance of topic. Americans looked towards the western lands as an opportunity for large amounts of free land, for growth of industry, and pursue the manifest destiny. III. List of evidence related to topic. The railwaysRead MoreManifest Destiny Essay788 Words   |  4 Pagesas a belief, in the 19th century, that North-America was destined to stretch from coast to coast and that the expansion of the U.S. throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable. It is responsible for changing the face of America and creating a new nation (Lubragge, 1809-1900). North-America’s westward expansion was due the American belief â€Å"that the strength of American values and institutions justified moral claims†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , land west of the Mississippi River â€Å"were destined forRead MoreThe Expansion of America and The Homestead Act of 18621180 Words   |  5 Pagesthe 1840’s America was becoming a world power to be reckoned with. In order for the country to keep up with the increasing amount of people and become more powerful, the US expanded westward. After the War of 1812 a lot of Americas attention went into exploration and settlement of all of the territo ry to the West, which had been expanded by the Louisiana Purchase. Families of pioneers traveled westward and found new communities through what is now called the Midwest. Westward expansion occurred forRead MoreEssay On Manifest Destiny1551 Words   |  7 PagesManifest Destiny was a widely spread belief that settlers in the United States should expand across North America. It was the belief that fueled the westward expansion. The westward expansion led to many other events in and around the United States. Before Manifest Destiny and the westward expansion the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War took place which allowed America to declare independence. Manifest Destiny was a big influence on the evolution of transport and technology. Before weRead MoreManifest Destiny1555 Words   |  7 PagesTransportation Manifest Destiny was a widely spread belief that settlers in the United States should expand across North America. It was the belief that fueled the westward expansion. The westward expansion led to many other events in and around the United States. Before Manifest Destiny and the westward expansion the French and Indian War and Revolutionary War took place which allowed America to declare independence. Manifest Destiny was a big influence on the evolution of transport and technology. BeforeRead MoreThe Westward Expansion Of The United States960 Words   |  4 PagesThe 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 1830sRead MoreThe Lewis And Clark Expedition1424 Words   |  6 Pages On May 14, 1804 in the eastern city of Saint Louis, William Clark and Merry-weather Lewis set of on the westward adventure that would change America as we know it today. Their journey began on the Mississippi River, those rapids would propel Lewis and Clark into the Corps of Discovery. Across the vast land that these men would soon travel l ived the many native-american tribes. The Native people hunted freely across their western lands, lived their life as one with the ground they so carefullyRead MoreManifest Destiny Essays694 Words   |  3 Pagesdefense for U.S. territorial expansion. It is the presumption that God had destined the American people to at divine mission of American movement and conquest in the name of Christianity and democracy. In order to understand manifest destiny we must first find its’ origin. John O’Sullivan first initiated manifest destiny into America in 1845. This New York editor wrote the phrase that captured this mood when he attempted to explain American’s thirst for westward expansion he wrote: the fulfillmentRead MoreAP Us History DBQ977 Words   |  4 Pagesperiod of time between the late 19th century and early 20th century, America was going through significant changes. After a revolution in Cuba against the Spanish, as well as the Americans starting the Spanish-American War, the Americans received several territorial concessions from their defeated opponent. Thus, America started on the path to imperialism, gaining several more territories in a short amount of time. Such an expansion in the late 19th century and early 20th century was mostly a continuationRead MoreThe War of 18121132 Words   |  4 PagesWar of 1812 The War of 1812 was started by America due to British encroachment on three fronts, trade restrictions imposed by the British, the increasing alliances of the British with Indian tribes blocking American expansion West, and due to British interference with merchant class ships in the Atlantic. The war was fought in the Great Lakes region between America and Canada, near New Orleans in the Gulf of Mexico, in the Atlantic trade routes, and around Washington DC. The British had always