North American Westward Expansion Research Paper

Westward expansion of whites stemmed from imperialistic demeanor of European powers into North America. Settlers, especially British immigrants, forged colonies on the Eastern Seaboard, creating towns, spreading christianity, and establishing trade routes throughout the Atlantic. The fertile land of the South along with abundant forests and fisheries in New England generated tremendous income within the colonies, allowing for growth. Lucrative business ventures, religious freedom, and miniscule British intervention in colonial affairs drew new settlers to these regions, spawning a greater push westward towards the Appalachian Mountains. European westward expansion to North America cultivated an abundance of trade throughout the Atlantic, leading …show more content…
Starting with the Pilgrims landing in Plymouth, bringing ideas of free will, and establishing trade relations with natives, Europeans, in the form of charter companies, began to migrate to North America, bringing livestock, goods, and plants as part of the biological exchange between Europe and North America. The importance of this exchange shaped North America into a successful investment for European nations. The Virginia Company, one of the first companies to send settlers to North America, began growing the cash crop tobacco, generating trade revenue and increased demand to settle America. French explorers, like Jacque Cartier, established trade routes throughout Canada and into the Midwest, allowing for French fur traders to conduct trade with Indians and spread Christianity as well. Relocating to North America allowed for greater religious tolerance for sects discriminated against in their homeland. Sir George Calvert, settled in Maryland, turning Baltimore into a Catholic refuge for English Catholics escaping persecution and conflict. Conflicts were not inescapable in North America, however. As empires grew into their new colonies, borders were contested, and conflicts soon