Westward Expansion Research Paper
From purchasing, taking, and winning territory, the actions taken by the federal government leading to westward expansion led and built a massive impact on the United States. From starting off as the thirteen colonies, looking for independence and religious freedom to the country that is now known as "The Land of Opportunity" the United States started it all with expanding west.
You can't get from point A to point C before passing through point B. The Louisiana territory purchased in 1803 was the point B of westward expansion. Not only was the purchase of the Louisiana territory the start of westward expansion, but also the start of all expansion. It seems the Louisiana Purchase was the start of it all, without it the United States wouldn't …show more content…
The Indian Removal Act was put into place, Native Americans were forced to give up their land and migrate to the west and out of the east. It received lots of attention and strong support from non-natives who were eager to take control of the land.
America began to expand again once Mexico started to invade American territory. The invasion of Mexico into American territory caused the federal government to declare war on Mexico. This was the start of the Mexican-American war, by the end of the war America had more western territory that was taken from Mexico. California which later becomes a state was part of the Mexican Cession and played a massive part in westward expansion thanks to its resources. California was the point of interest for gold, starting the California Gold Rush.
The impacts created by westward expansion were greater than the actions taken. One of the first impacts was introducing popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty was first seen in 1854 during the Kanas-Nebraska act when being able to vote on the status of the state, whether being a free state or slave state, be given to the people. Popular sovereignty was a new chance of opportunity, because it was continued to be used and gave people more of a say and
You can't get from point A to point C before passing through point B. The Louisiana territory purchased in 1803 was the point B of westward expansion. Not only was the purchase of the Louisiana territory the start of westward expansion, but also the start of all expansion. It seems the Louisiana Purchase was the start of it all, without it the United States wouldn't …show more content…
The Indian Removal Act was put into place, Native Americans were forced to give up their land and migrate to the west and out of the east. It received lots of attention and strong support from non-natives who were eager to take control of the land.
America began to expand again once Mexico started to invade American territory. The invasion of Mexico into American territory caused the federal government to declare war on Mexico. This was the start of the Mexican-American war, by the end of the war America had more western territory that was taken from Mexico. California which later becomes a state was part of the Mexican Cession and played a massive part in westward expansion thanks to its resources. California was the point of interest for gold, starting the California Gold Rush.
The impacts created by westward expansion were greater than the actions taken. One of the first impacts was introducing popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty was first seen in 1854 during the Kanas-Nebraska act when being able to vote on the status of the state, whether being a free state or slave state, be given to the people. Popular sovereignty was a new chance of opportunity, because it was continued to be used and gave people more of a say and