The Rise Of Westward Expansion - 897 Words

In the 1800s, Americans were enticed by the lush land to the west as their own population grew steadily. The land’s abundant resources, wealth, and even the opportunity to gain more territory or property drawn many Americans to the west. On top of these economic incentives, the idea of Manifest Destiny also fueled the westward expansion. Manifest Destiny, or the idea that Americans were given the right and duty to spread over the continent of North America and advocate for democracy by God made the idea of American conquest of western territory seemed honorable. This idea of American supremacy, rooted in the phrase â€Å"Manifest Destiny,† together with Americans’ economic incentives to gain more wealth, territory, and resources propelled the westward expansion, and thus, increasing the powers and influence of U.S. as a nation. One of the primary reasons of westward expansion was to gain more territory for the U.S. so that Americans could acquire wealth through more property, increase their population, and gain more power. These economic and perhaps, political incentives led Americans, such as Andrew Jackson, the famous war hero and president of U.S., to seize land away from the indigenous people already living there by forcing them further west. During the war of 1813, Jackson fought against the Creeks, a nation of indigenous people for the sake of gaining more land and profit. It was stated that â€Å"When the war ended, Jackson and his friends started buying up Creek lands† so thatShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Westward Expansion On The United States1571 Words   |  7 Pagesopened the door to westward expansion. Thomas Jefferson purchased this extensive plot of land with the hopes of strengthening and expanding the Republic, unaware that it would have the opposite effect. Jefferson’s fatef ul decision to expand the United States nearly destroyed the Republic that Americans worked so hard to build. It triggered the rise of divisions amongst Americans. These small cracks continued to grow and tear at the seams of the nation. Although westward expansion between 1800 and 1848Read MoreEssay On Manifest Destiny1544 Words   |  7 PagesThe Manifest Destiny was the attitude prevalent during the 19th century period of American expansion that the United States not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. Manifest Destiny was mainly accomplished by the Monroe Doctrine, the annexation of Texas, and the Mexican-American War, but we were not a true continental power yet. After 1850, the Civil War, westward expansion, and the rise of big business made the United States a true continental power. By the time James PolkRead 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 MoreThe European Colonization Of Americas 1620-900 Words   |  4 PagesFinal Essay- Prompt Three INTRODUCTION America would not be the same it is today without the numerous times of territorial expansion from the 17th to 19th century. America started with European Colonization in the 17th century, its borders were defined in the 18th century, and America extended from a coast to coast nation in the 19th century. There is not just expansion of land on a physical map, but also increased political tension and economic growth as America grows as a nation. PARAGRAPH 1(EuropeanRead MoreHistory And The United States1463 Words   |  6 Pagesinclude the Colonial Period which spanned from when the first Pilgrims came to America in the mid 1600’s till the 1760’s. Other periods include the Revolution period which picked up from the colonial period till the early 1780’s. The period of Westward Expansion lasted from the 1800 to the 1830’s, then there was the Civil War Period which spanned from the 1840’s till the 1860’s. Finally, the Interpretative Period which lasted from 1930’s and continues to today. Looking back at these time periods weRead MoreWomens Suffrage in the 1800’s-19th Century Essay1190 Words   |  5 Pagesimportant roles. Women were not allowed to go any further than grammar school in the early part of the 1800’s (Westward Expansion 1). If they wanted to further their education beyond grammar, it had to be done on their own time because women were said to be weak minded, academically challenged and could not go beyond the primary teachings of grammar during this time (Westward Expansion 1). It was classified that also too much learning injured the feminine brain, undermined health, and rendered atRead MoreEssay The Territorial Sxpansion of the United States in the 1840’s1022 Words   |  5 Pagesdivided into three main sectors- agrarian west: mass immigration and industrial revolution in the Northeast and the slaveholding south. People moved westwards searching for new lives and opportunities. One of the reasons for territorial expansion had to do with â€Å"The Manifest Destiny†. In 1840, territorial expansion reached a peak due to British threat and manifest destiny. The term Manifest Destiny was first used by Congressman Robert Winthrop and then madeRead MoreGeographic and Environmental Factors1517 Words   |  7 PagesThemes in U.S. World History; Geographic and Environmental Factors An example of physical geographic factors that contributed to the development and expansion of the United States are the Appalachian Mountains and the discovery of the Cumberland Gap. The second geographical factor that significantly contributed to the development and expansion of the United States is the major rivers of the Midwest regions such as, â€Å"The Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and other rivers knit together theRead MoreTurner and the Glorification of Westward Expansion Essay1634 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1893 when Frederick Jackson Turner delivered his famous essay â€Å"The Significance of the Frontier in American History,† the United States had recently fulfilled the goal of Manifest Destiny by finishing its conquest of the West. Westward expansion had been an integral aspect of the American identity and its citizens were left wondering what would continue to propel the United States into the future. At the same time, people were also looking back and trying to decide how exactly the frontier hadRead MoreThe Decline of the Democrats1567 Words   |  6 Pagesthe day, and explain the rise and dissolution of the national Democratic Party, which yielded to the Republican Party whose highly influential president Abraham Lincolns election was integral in the loss of the Union and the beginning of the Civil War. All of the key historic events that led to the Republican Partys hegemony and the decline of the Democratic Party had to do with sectional differences related to issues of slavery and the role it played on westward expansion, as well as to state sovereignty