Westward Expansion Research Paper

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The excitement of the unknown in the west starts to dwindle when the wagons start to disassemble, and dysentery starts running rampant amongst the travelers. These were the experiences the people expanding west had to face while making their voyage on the Oregon Trail. Although many lives were lost while traveling on this trail, it was essential for westward expansion because the Oregon Trail allowed for the ideas of Manifest Destiny to be accomplished, it opened economic opportunities, and it allowed America to create a boundary for their territory and assert their dominance on their land. The Oregon Trail was a part of one of the most pivotal moments in American history. Manifest Destiny was one of the main reasons the Oregon Trail was created …show more content…
“The "every man is equal" mentality of the Jacksonian Era fueled this optimism. Now, with territory up to the Mississippi River claimed and settled and the Louisiana Purchase explored, Americans headed west in droves. Newspaper editor JOHN O'SULLIVAN coined the term ‘MANIFEST DESTINY’ in 1845 to describe the essence of this mindset”. With the Louisiana Purchase nearly doubling the size of America, it was time for Americans to adventure uncharted territory in the West. Unfortunately, transportation in the 1800’s was not very advanced when it came to traveling long distances, nor were there any sustained routes that could be taken to reach the West. Most voyages were made on foot or with wagons and mules. The Oregon Trail was a very vast and treacherous route that involved a lot of risks and a lot of patience because of how far the journey would be. Not only did the trail lead voyagers to Oregon, but it also passed through multiple territories that would soon become a part of America as well. “The Oregon Trail was a roughly 2,000-mile route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, that was used by hundreds of thousands of American pioneers in the mid-1800s to emigrate

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