Westward Expansion and the Effects on the United States Essay

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Running Head: WESTWARD EXPANSION

Westward Expansion and the Effects

On the United States

October 3, 2007

Abstract
The Louisiana Purchase was the largest land deal in our history. It doubled the size of the United States and gave us a strong face as an economic power. It brought immigrants from all over the world for the idea of owning land and making a living for themselves. We also had a second expansion with the Adams-Onis treaty in 1819 (Davidson, 2002, p.p. 246-247) where we clearly defined the United States and Spanish board to the Pacific and obtained the Florida territory. This gave the United State a firm foothold and clearly defined boarders for the first time in our history.

With the foreign, French, …show more content…
Spain harassed the Americans to the point that we almost declared war against Spain. The United States relied heavily upon our new French allies to guard us against Spain and protect our entitlement (Zacharias, 2007). Spain finally conceded without the threat of war. The present day states of Louisiana, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and the largest portion of Minnesota, Wyoming, and Colorado now make up the territory we received from the Louisiana Purchase.
One of the major concerns with the purchase was the unconstitutionality of the sale. No where in the constitution does it proved the government the ability to hold foreign territory or to absorb new territory. It could have turned into a major political debate between the Federalists and Republicans. There was already much contention between both parties. Jefferson had already cut many taxes which the Federalists/Hamilton had enacted; he cut down the number of employees in his office and the number of men in the military, all in an effort to become a more frugal government (Davidson, 2002, p.p. 227-228). Congress ratified the treaty months later giving President Jefferson authority to take possession of the territory in October 31, 1803, five months after the original treaty was signed (Yale Law School, 2007).
After the War of 1812 between the nation experience their second expansion to the pacific with the Adams-Onis treaty in 1819. In it Spain ceded
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