The western world of the United States experienced a great amount of attention during the second half of the nineteenth century. This period, commonly referred to as the Wild West, was the time in which cowboys represented the area. This period, however, was also the time in which excessive crime and violence characterized the area. With the opportunities to start farms and ranches and mine precious metals, thousands of Americans on the east coast began to move west. As a result, numerous small towns quickly erupted across the western states.…
As the nation grew, the Americans interpretation of the West changed. Early Americans thought the area between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River was the western frontier. Americans begin to settled the western frontier to discovered there was more land beyond the Mississippi River. Achieving Manifest Destiny, was the Americans’ goal. Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to extend from coast to coast (Atlantic to the Pacific)…
Westward exploration and expansion were motivated by many different factors, focusing on power, dominance, money and spirituality. Spaniards, English, Canadians, Russians and Native Americans all viewed this region as extraordinary, and strived for sovereignty rights. From 1760-1815, many accomplished explores came west looking for adventure, excitement, exploration and for many, wealth. Trade was connected directly with economic success in governments. Many English trappers headed west after the fall of the French fur trade, and found ample new supplies of wild life, to commence a worldwide love for the newly desired beaver fur.…
One of the greatest developments of the 19th century was the Industrial Revolution, as it paved the way for a new way of living in America. New forms of technology and transportation contributed to the increased expansion from the established eastern cities to the western frontier. Although this expansion created many new possibilities, there was still people who felt expansion was detrimental to the nation. Between 1800 and 1855, supporters and opponents of territorial expansion influenced federal government policy by urging the government to act, or not to, on expansion debate that would affect the future of the nation. During the 1800’s, America was ready to expand but the French held control of New Orleans and the Louisiana territory,…
While there were many social and political consequences of the westward expansion. Economic consequences had the greatest impact. Manifest destiny was one of the key ideas that occurred in the united states. Manifest destiny was the belief that God gave America the right to expand across the country and nothing could stop them. To continue forward Socially the manifest destiny gathered those who moved from somewhere where they were either unwelcome, killing, or wanted a new job.…
Westward expansion help shape the development of the United States bought Indian removal, the Mexican American war, and slavery. Indian removal helped shape the development of the United States by developing its stance of foreign-policy and expanding slavery into the west…
The American Frontier marks the origin of American History. European settlement on the Atlantic Coast and eastern rivers eventually led to the westward expansion that created the United States we know today. Historian Frederick Jackson Turner wrote a thesis regarding the frontier and gives an in depth explanation of how the American frontier is the most influential aspect of American History. His frontier thesis, "The Significance of the Frontier in American History," was delivered in 1893 and has continued to influence historical thinking since then. Turner manages to expose how the frontier allowed the Europeans that settled in America to become Americans by moving westward and developing their own ideas.…
When you think about the Westward expansion the number one thing that normal comes to mind is Manifest Destiny which is usually what people remember when the hear about expanding west. Thomas Jefferson saw the bright future of what would happen if the US started to expand west that it would make the nation great. With the build up of becoming a great nation is having to acquire what we wanted which is how we received the land from the first step which is buying the Louisiana territory which were the building blocks for the nation when we acquired the land which would be built upon. As the years went on, after moving into the Louisiana territories the US started to take into consideration of being able to colonize the west would do to America and they decided to go along with that plan which includes certain events that took part during that time which was the Lewis and Clark exploration of the new land. As the years went on the US would once again see the opportunity to add to ever growing desire to become a world power in the forms extending from coast to coast which would soon become a reality when Texas and the Oregon territories…
The people of the United States believed it was their god given right to expand from the Atlantic Ocean, east to the Pacific Ocean, North to Canadian border, and South to Mexico. This idea of Manifest Destiny fueled the expansion into the West. Big indicators of Manifest Destiny were the use of the Oregon Trail, and the Mexican – American War. Despite Manifest Destiny bringing about an increase in sectionalism and conflict, it also allowed for the expansion of territory and fueled movement into the west. With people moving west into the newly claimed territory, there was controversy whether the territories would become free or slave states.…
In the early stages of America’s expansion a few major factors motivated the expansion towards the west. America is a new country at this time, and is dealing with its new power and responsibility. People in America at the time looked towards the future wealth they could obtain by expanding west. With the new unknown land to the west, the American people needed motivation to expand westward. The politics that motivated westward expansion revolved around the indigenous people on the land, a big ideology which spurred westward expansion was Manifest Destiny, and the economic factor for this expansion was slavery and its role in the industrialization of America.…
The Great Move (My opinion of why manifest destiny was a turning point in American History) American history has been debated time and time again. Everyone has a favorite time in history and often hold their own opinions about the events that take place. From the Declaration of Independence and the birth of America to the Revolutionary War that brought forth the great American dream, many things were innovated and changing. A new task, the task of moving west, started with Lewis and Clark and the great expedition that proved that moving west was in fact safe.…
During the 18th and 19th century, the United States was experiencing rapid expansion and growth. The purchases of a wide expanses of land, like the Louisiana Purchase, allowed for the territorial expansion of the United States. This allowed presidents after Thomas Jefferson, who spearheaded western expansion, to follow suit with the idea of expansionism.1 While many other treaties and purchases helped with America’s growth, other factors also played into American territorial expansion. The very idea of Manifest Destiny, the success of colonization by the British, and speculation were factors that helped prompt the western expansion.…
The United States expanded across North America to the west at a rapid rate most notably in the 1840’s through the 1850s. Many social, econonomic, and political factors lead to the nations growth and acquisition of land. Social interests included families’ desire to seek more land out west along with economic opportunities for interstate commerce and political agendas concerning territorial expansion. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 from the French government, by President Thomas Jefferson, cost $15 million, and included territory from Canada to New Orleans, and the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains (Westward Expansion, 2009). The purchase of these territories doubled United States’ size and according to Jefferson it was crucial to the nation’s…
The Westward expansion gave America a chance to expand its territory, while having a chance double the land area of the United States also increased goods, services and wealth but more importantly it gave Americans…
The Wild West. The original frontier. Before there was a west coast of America, there was only an east coast. We, as a nation named America, have come a long way since we were but wide eyed passengers in a ship bound for a New World. It is in our human nature to want more.…