Why was moving west so important?
One of the main reasons people moved west was for the land. There was lots of land, good soil for farming, and it could be bought at a cheap price. There were many different opportunities to get rich, such as: logging, mining, and farming that could not be done in the east.
What was the most important thing about the westward expansion?
Gold rush and mining opportunities (silver in Nevada) The opportunity to work in the cattle industry; to be a “cowboy” Faster travel to the West by railroad; availability of supplies due to the railroad. The opportunity to own land cheaply under the Homestead Act.
What impact did westward expansion have on America?
This expansion led to debates about the fate of slavery in the West, increasing tensions between the North and South that ultimately led to the collapse of American democracy and a brutal civil war.
What were the important American beliefs and values that were involved in the westward movement and how did they shape the westward experience?
Manifest Destiny and American exceptionalism worked hand-in-hand as compatible ideologies that gave strong moral impetus to both westward expansion and the Mexican-America War. Manifest means plain or obvious (what is manifest is visible), and destiny means decreed by God as what will be.
What caused the westward expansion?
One of the causes of westward expansion was that, a man named Horace Greeley published a news paper telling people to move westward. Another cause that made our people move westward was that, the Government was offering land to whoever moved to the west.
What were some reasons for the westward expansion?
Reasons for Moving West There was a vast amount of land that could be obtained cheaply Great reports were continually sent back East about how fruitful and wonderful the West is, sparking a lot of interest. The constraints of European civilization had a lot of people stuck in factory and other low-paid jobs.
What was the American westward movement?
American Westward Movement. American Westward Movement, movement of people from the settled regions of the United States to lands farther west. Between the early 17th and late 19th centuries, Anglo -American peoples and their societies expanded from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast.
What was the significance of westward expansion?
Westward Expansion offered people the opportunity to find new homes and work, to experience adventure, to explore possibilities, to become rich, to find gold or silver, to escape from the constraints of civilization and to make a new start. In other words Westward Expansion enabled people to live the ‘American Dream’.