Causes Of Westward Expansion

Words: 690
Pages: 3
Open Document
The United States wants to expand their land west to the Pacific Ocean. Their goal of westward expansion was to expand slavery into the western territories. First of all, westward expansion would allow for more slave owners to get land. They would use the land to get more plantations and would need more slaves. Source 2 by Benjamin Lundy states that the “immediate cause and the leading object of this contest originated in a settled design, among the slaveholders of this country... to wrest (take away) the large and valuable territory of Texas from the Mexican Republic, in order to re-establish the SYSTEM OF SLAVERY; to open a vast and profitable SLAVEMARKET therein.” This explains that he U.S. wanted to gain land to profit more from their …show more content…
David Wilmot writes in Source 3 that, "fundamental (essential) condition to the acquisition (addition) of any territory from the Republic of Mexico by the United States... neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory." David Wilmot stated this in his effort to pass his bill for raising money for the Mexican American war. He meant that a treaty would allow the Americans to expand west. Because the treaty said that no slavery would transfer into the western territories, the U.S. Senate never passed the bill. This shows how they believed that having no slavery in the new lands wouldn't help them, therefore they didn't pass the law. Additionally, people may say that the goal of expanding west was not to expand slavery because president Thomas Jefferson stated in Source 1, This “depended on an independent, virtuous citizenry for its survival, and that independence and virtue (moral excellence) went hand in hand with land ownership, especially the ownership of small farms…. In order to provide enough land to sustain this ideal population of virtuous yeomen…, the United States would have to continue to expand.” This would mean that by expanding west, people would have new opportunities. Small farmers would be helped because they are the chosen people of God and they would follow their manifest destiny. Benjamin Lundy makes everything clear when he states, “They have been induced (tempted) to believe that the inhabitants of Texas were engaged in a legitimate contest for the maintenance of the sacred principles of Liberty, and the natural, inalienable (protected)Rights of Man:--- whereas, the motives of its instigators, and their chief incentives to action, have been from the commencement, of a directly opposite character and tendency.” This means that many people are tricked into thinking the goal was something
Show More

Related Documents: Causes Of Westward Expansion

Slavery And Westward Expansion: Cause Of The Civil War

Many individuals believe that there was only one cause of the Civil War, slavery. Others believe that westward expansion was the sole cause that led to the Civil War. However, there were many causes that set the stage for the Civil War, two of the main reasons were slavery and westward expansion. These two topics directly resulted in the Civil War since the North and South had opposing ideologies on slavery and conflicting opinions on westward expansion. Slavery was used by numerous states in the…

Words 390 - Pages 2

How Did The Westward Expansion Cause The Transcontinental Railroad

The westward expansion caused for the native americans to be put in reservations because the whites wanted them to become more american. The Westward expansion was negative, for it caused the transcontinental railroad to be built, immigrant problems, and it caused for their to be tension between natives and whites. The transcontinental railroad being built was a negative because the building of the railroad killed many native Americans.On one of the active classroom graphs it states “ Plains indians…

Words 134 - Pages 1

Westward Expansion Research Paper

or anything. As we expanded westward, we slaughtered innocent Indians. Also, people are trying to say that's a good thing. Imagine if Canada came to the United States and killed you, your children, and your whole family. That's exactly what we did. My first reason why westward expansion was wrong is because slavery isn’t a good thing. In 1845 we were on the edge of a full-on civil war. The reason was the south wanted slavery, and the north didn’t. If we expanded westward, then there wouldn’t be any…

Words 638 - Pages 3

How Did Westward Expansion Changed America

moved west to create a new environment, Westward Expansion is like the reactions between different chemicals. Most of Westward Expansion happened during the late 1700’s to 1800’s. Westward Expansion was a very significant event in United States history; the problems it caused changed America forever, it negatively impacted the Native American population, and it altered the lifestyle of all Americans. First, the way the problems caused by Westward Expansion and the still young United States was…

Words 1179 - Pages 5

Lions Of The West Analysis

reason for westwards expansion were reasonable. In fact, in the text by Chief Joseph it stated that “they would tell lies for each other; drove off with our cattle.” which represents how awful the white men treated the natives which, in fact, could lead to them to move away for a better living style. “It carried over a course of many generations and many hundreds of miles,,” express in Scott Momaday’s text that infers that the migration of the Kiowas have been increasing in the expansion for many generations…

Words 450 - Pages 2

Westward Expansion Thomas Jefferson Analysis

make up the entire history of a place. In the article “There is No True History of the Westward Expansion” by Robert Morgan, Morgan has a central idea that westward expansion was brought about by the average citizen and that history was not just made up of a few heroic people. There were many people, different places, and various things that were involved in the history throughout the period of the westward expansion. In the Thomas Jefferson's essay “Thomas jefferson’s America, 1801” by Stephen Ambrose…

Words 616 - Pages 3

Westward Expansion Research Paper

The Effects of the Westward Expansion As 1865 descended upon the Americans, they began to make a push west onto an “untouched” frontier. The push west started when the United States Federal Government acquired an immense amount of land (one million square miles), causing widespread migration. The dream of achieving self-sufficiency and independence was at the forefront of many of the migrating American minds. They sought a better life with promises of land and money. Having occurred between 1801…

Words 1356 - Pages 6

How Did Jefferson Purchase Louisiana Territory

The United States is a country that is constantly growing and changing, and many variables have led to this expansion, which has had a significant effect on the history and culture of the nation. During this national development and expansion period, the United States went through a significant transformation. The source Jefferson Buys Louisiana Territory and the Nation moved westward states, “The United States doubled in size.” This shows that the nation was heading west and the economy was expanding…

Words 2231 - Pages 9

Texas War Of Independence Essay

Mexico rejected this offer because they didn’t recognize Texas as its own country and they still didn't want to lose more land. All in all the Texas War of Independence was the main cause for the Mexican-American War. Another effect of the Texas War of Independence was the beginning of Westward Expansion. Westward Expansion was fueled by the idea of Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny means that “God had chosen and predestined the U.S. government and its people to build a great nation as an example to…

Words 844 - Pages 4

Cause Of Manifest Destiny Essay

Major Causes and Results of Manifest Destiny Despite the ultimate war, bloodshed, and unhappy relations that resulted from the Manifest Destiny, America justified this expansion in the 1850’s with an ordination from God, and moved because of the panic of 1837, the abundance of new land, and improved resources for trading. The United States gained the Mexican cession territory, Texas, and Oregon with the Manifest Destiny, but lost good tidings between themselves and several of the groups that were…

Words 466 - Pages 2