David Moline Mr. VanRuyven Social Science 27 April 2023 Westward Expansion “Manifest Destiny is the idea that the United States is destined—by God, its advocates believed—to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent.”(History, 1). This belief that America was destined by God means they could do no wrong. This caused westward expansion in America to be a time of war, struggle, death and new opportunity. Although this was a violent time it also allowed for positive change; opportunity for money, a new life, and a chance to build a legacy from nothing. Another effect of Westward Expansion was an increasing tension between the North and South over slavery leading to the most deadly American …show more content…
Most tribes tried peaceful solutions with America but almost all of them failed. When Native Americans tried to fight back they stood no chance and were then forced to move by indian removal acts. The Indian removal acts were pushed the most by President Andrew Jackson. He believed they were a waste of space and the land should instead be used as cotton farms. The trails they would take from their native lands to lands that were reserved as Indian territory. The trails they took to their lands were usually long and dangerous, for example the trail of tears. “Thousands of people died along the way.” And it was referred to by the native’s as “a trail of tears and death”(History House, 4). They were even at times forced to walk in shackles through harsh weather with no support by the American Government. They were forced to find food in a place that they had never seen before. This shows the disrespect shown towards the Indians. Still today Native Americans have not recovered from the damage the early americans did and some are now …show more content…
Immigration to the west was hard work filled with troubles and opportunities. Moving thousands of miles across North America was the lives of many Americans of this time. Driven by the promised opportunities, and land grants young families had to embark on a journey. On this journey they were tasked to create a town for their children and the following generations. This was back breaking work that caused changes in gender roles. This is because when times get tough and it’s life or death women have to do a work that is usually only designated for a man. If they can’t find work or if they can’t make the first harvest there would be nothing for the next generations to inherit. “They had to be willing to do the backbreaking work required to turn a wilderness into prosperous farms and towns – but had their ancestors not done that as well”(National Geographic, 3) The comfort that their ancestors did the same work and the promised reward gave them the courage to take these risks. This caused women to get close to having the same jobs as a man. Proving that they could do things just as well as a man this was the precursor to women’s rights and something for civil rights movements to point
Every country has events they wished didn’t happen. The United States of America combined all of those situations in The Indian Removal Act in 1830. The Age of Jackson and the Indian Removal Act permanently crippled the Native American culture and population. Before the Age of Jackson, Thomas Jefferson had similar goals, but different practices and sought to more peacefully assimilate Native Americans into American culture. Then, under Jackson’s presidency, America forced the indigenous peoples to move elsewhere so Americans could access the land they had been living on.
Before any calls were made , a few tribes went peacefully , but many resisted this relocation policy. Andrew Jackson was a flagrant man. A lot of the Indians felt as though they were being treated with injustice and it was just plain
Tensions were evident between the Northern and Southern regions of the United States due to the westward expansion seen from 1800 to 1850. Many different disagreements arose as a result of this mass of lands in the west, primarily because of conflicting perspectives. The North and South, historically, have had a variety of different viewpoints on many aspects of life and liberty. This caused more tension once ideas such as Manifest Destiny came about, an concept where the need for new lands west was prevalent.
The Cherokee tribe specifically was one of the most defiant groups of the Removal Act. One of the most notable forms of protests that the Cherokee did was contacting the United States Congress. These actions eventually led to the Cherokee Removal Act. Officials realized that the Indian Removal Act failed to control the Cherokee, so some states extended jurisdiction into the Cherokee nations to force them out. By having this power, states like Georgia were able to sell the Cherokees land while they were still living there.
Westward Expansion had significant political, economic, and social effects on the United States. While it brought economic growth and new opportunities, it also led to significant economic upbringings with women and the assimilation of Native Americans. Most political issues tied in with some of the other effects, economic and social. Firstly, white people thought that one of the only ways to stop future conflicts with Native Americans was with assimilation (Doc B). White settlers believed that the Native American way of life was unethical and that it’s lower and worse than their culture (Doc B).
The westward expansion was impacted by three main things and that is social, political, and economic. The westward expansion was impacted on a social scales with the tension between the Native Americans and the U.S., also during the journey to the west many people died. On a political scale the westward expansion was affected by the many wars and treaties that has to happen in order for the U.S. to gain the land, which then allows us to expand to the west. The westward expansion was effected by the economy because of the many technology that was created like trains, also because of the westward expansion there was an increase in business and industry's triumphed and since businesses grew there were many job opportunities which inclined people
The Westward Expansion had a negative effect on the U.S. by moving people from their homes and starting
Throughout the 19th century European settlers in the United States were enthralled by Westward expansion, furthermore, defining the Western region of the country as the ‘frontier’ to represent the challenges and opportunities expanding West would institute. Westward expansion was significantly driven by the concept of Manifest destiny which describes the idea that Europeans have the divine power and inherent right to expand across North America (Burton, January 17th, 2023). Westward expansion was legally encouraged and endorsed by the federal government through the Homestead act of 1862. The Homestead Act encouraged Westward migration/ settlement by offering land grants to settlers from the East willing to migrate to the West to develop the land.
Slavery was introduced to the newly gained areas, helping to further the national expansion and Manifest Destiny ideology. The conflict was a tremendous embarrassment for Mexico and left a profound scar on the relationship between the United States and Mexico, significantly influencing both nations. As a watershed moment in American history, the conflict continues to have repercussions even
The birth of Westward expansion and Manifest Destiny in the United States can be traced back to the early 19th century when the country was still in its infancy. Manifest destiny is the belief that it was America’s mission to expand from coast to coast, and to spread its political, social, and economic systems to new lands. This belief evolved into the driving force behind westward expansion, and the American government adapted many policies and actions to make it a reality (Policarpo). One of the most significant events that marked the beginning of westward expansion was the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The idea that it was the destiny of the American people to expand and conquer new lands was viewed as a divine mission, and it became a popular rallying cry for politicians, intellectuals, and common citizens alike.
From the late 18th early 19th centuries, Westward expansion dominated the United States of America. Westward expansion was the push towards going to the west coast whether it was for new job opportunities, a better home life, or safer living options or pull factors. This changed American ways and views of life as well as altered other cultures' ways of life. Westward expansion and industrialization negatively affected America's political views, social views, cultural views and overall economic development of the United States due to the amounts of discrimination and assimilation that different groups faced, the amounts of capitalism in the work industry, and the idealization and spread of Manifest Destiny.
In 1830, Andrew Jackson signed what was known as the “Removal Act”. This Removal act authorized the president to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. Few tribe move peacefully. If an Indian tribe would not go willingly, the U.S. army would come and force them. Even then some tribe would still resist and to the sad end they were crushed.
“Manifest Destiny,” a term invented by reporter John O’ Sullivan, was a popular belief of many nineteenth century Americans in the United States. This was the belief of the people that it was the United States’ “destiny” to expand its boundaries further out west coast. The Manifest Destiny was a belief that was used to justify and rationalize the enlargement of the States westward. It was immensely beneficial to the States, but harmed the Native tribes and were forcefully removed from their rightfully owned land. It was a violent act that was justified by many Americans with immoral values.
People were drawn to the West because it was scene as the last resort to make a living when all else failed in the East. Communication with friends and family who had moved west led these pioneers to believe the journey would be easy and the reward for getting west would be best. And the greatly available land was the strongest pulling factor to people interested in adventuring west. Migration was a personal choice that depended on several key factors, “Age of the head of household; economic status; personal attitudes; and projected costs and benefits of the resettlement.” Most historians agree that the majority of the people who migrated west were middle class and mostly immigrants to the US.
The western expansion had a large impact on the United States. Although it had a positive impact on the country as they gained an economic growth, it had a negative impact on the Native Americans who had experienced a decrease in population. Western expansion began in 1803 with Thomas Jefferson purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million as the U.S. population increased drastically. “...from around 5 million people in 1800 to more than 23 million by 1850,” (History.com) According to History.com, the purchase of Louisiana Territory gave them another 828,000 square miles, which stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.