Westward Expansion Dbq

During the 1800s, the federal government promoted the idea of westward expansion in various ways. This idea was called Manifest Destiny, or expansion across the continent. As a result, this expansion changed the shape as well as the sense of this country. The United States used numerous means to obtain this land and consequently it has impacted many people economically, socially, as well as politically. The expansion of the United States had many positive, as well as negative effects on the people but the negative effects that resulted from this expansion, outweigh the positive. To achieve Manifest Destiny the United States took diplomatic approaches as well as a used force to gain land. For example, one way the United States achieved expansion …show more content…
For example, the Homestead Act and the Pacific Railroad Acts helped many Americans prosper and create jobs for people. According to document 6, the federal government gave citizens who moved west 160 acres of free land and they only have to live there for 5 years. These lands had valuable resources such as fertile soil for people to farm and make money. This incentive got the attention of many Americans and soon more and more Americans decided to move westward. People saw this as an opportunity to make money and prosper by selling agricultural goods and it was completely free. Furthermore, the Pacific Railroad Acts also promoted economic expansion. As stated in document 7, the federal government encouraged people to build railroads and they would provide them with materials such as timber, earth, and stone. The railroads were especially important because many people had moved westward in search of gold and trains provided a cheap and efficient transportation. However, the expansion of the United States was preeminently high. At the cost of many lives, they wanted to create a safe and speedy transportation of goods, mail, troops, and ammunition, but, one of the of the reasons for the Homestead Act and Pacific Railroad Act was to move the Natives west of the United States. The Pacific Railroad Act may have endorsed the idea to move westward and …show more content…
By annexing, purchasing, agreements, as well as war, the United States became what it is now today. Although the expansion brought economic prosperity, the cost of the expansion can not be ignored since it had forced many Natives to suffer and forced them off of their land. The many people that died because of the expansion were unjustified and

Show More

Dbq The Westward Expansion

Dbq On Westward Expansion