FREE ESSAY ON WESTWARD EXPANSION

WESTWARD EXPANSION

"...the right of our manifest destiny to over spread to possess the whole of the continent
which Providence has given to us for the development of the great experiment of liberty
and federative development of the self government entrusted to us. It is right such as
that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of its
principle and destiny of growth" .....John.L O'Sullivan 
Manifest Destiny can be described as a phenomen that created America's history, a
movement that would embody American beliefs and American culture, it implied
imperialistic expansion that the Americans believed was there right, this right led to
hardships, several wars and hostilities between countries and also between people
occupying the American land. Though this destiny also led to new lives, comradery and
development it achieved the ultimate goal of possession. Manifest Destiny was the
philosophy that created a nation.
In the year of 1800 the West to coin an old phrase was an 'unknown frontier' to the
Americans who had settled upon the East Coast. The West was a mystery blocked by a French
colony by the name of Louisiana. America was under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson who
in the true spirit of Americans was interested in the west and the possibilities it
offered. With this in mind he organised an expedition into the French owned territory,
before this expedition could begin in 1803 French leader Napoleon Bonaparte offered to
sell Louisiana to America for a price of fifteen million dollars and with this historic
purchase the West was opened up to expansion and pioneers. America now possessed the
'heart of their continent'. Jefferson's planed expedition continued and under the
leadership of Lewis and Clarke the exploration of the newly acquired West began, the
expedition covered 4,000 miles and all lands beyond Louisiana to the Pacific were claimed
for America. This expedition shattered dreams of Jefferson and exposed how hard the
Rockies were to penetrate despite this, the extensive richness in the area and in the fur
trade enticed trade, and the Rockies became the centre of American fur trade. 
The west was now largely American and the lure would call to many in the following years.
The call of Westward migration was largely related to the economic situation of the East
and in times of hardships or depression the West seemed to be a form of escape the first
example of this occurred in 1806 when business restrictions in the East caused economic
problems, this wave of migration consequently resulted in the additional States of
Louisiana(1812), Indiana(1816), Mississippi(1817), Illinois(1818) and Alabama(1819) to
the union of the United States. (To become a State of the Union a population of 60,000
must be reached).
In 1807 the Embargo Act was passed which prohibited United States vessels from trading
with European nations during the Napoleonic Wars, this embargo seriously threatened
American livelihoods and stimulated a continuation of economic disruption. The war of
1812 is worth mentioning as it created a feeling of national pride and stopped the
domination of America by European events, the decade in which followed has often been
referred to as the 'Era of Good Feeling' but in fact it could be classified as the
prelude to the strife and devastation and animosity that was destined to continue for
four decades.
Westward Expansion accelerated when Spain ceded Florida to America in 1819, in exchange
for the payment of $5 million dollars and the settlement of all American claims made
towards the Spanish government. In 1921 the Mexicans drove the Spaniards from the
continent and declared Texas to be a Mexican State. The Mexicans encouraged American
Westward movement and American pioneers and settlers were driven to this territory by
trade and also by the promise of cheap fertile land. The Americans soon outnumbered the
Mexicans and some were calling for annexation by the USA. This perhaps is the starting
point of hostilities between the Mexicans and the Americans, which would later develop
into the Mexican American War. The Texas situation however would evolve into a revolution
led, without the help of the American army. The Mexicans were defeated and Texas declared
independent in 1836 due to the question of slavery Texas was not annexed until 1844.
The question of slavery comes up in context to westward expansion as it causes disruption
within the union and hatred between states and political parties. The first question of
slavery was aroused I relation to Missouri who applied for statehood in 1818, Missouri
was the first state to be created from land entirely west of the Mississippi from
territory added to the union. There was a fear that the admission of Missouri, in which
slavery was legal to the union would enable and encourage slavery in future states in the
end a compromised settlement was achieved in which slavery was legal within Missouri, but
prohibited in all other states created out of the Louisiana purchase above a latitude
3630'. With this descion the issue of slavery would be brought into prevalence
and would eventuate into an issue that would divide the union into sides that would clash
in conflict. The struggle over new Western territories would continue and affect
migration routes and numbers in accordance to their position upon slavery.
The American Indigenous People or the Indian have relevance to the issue of Westward
Expansion, they provided an element of fear and hostility within the settlers they were
an unknown factor. The American government under went a policy of removal. Indians were
removed from land that was ready to be settled in order to make the land more attractive
to settlers, the Indians were moved to land designated especially for them, until the
white man wanted expansion and the Indians would be moved again. This policy of removal
to unfit land came into precedence in1812 after the Battle Of Tippecanoe where the
Indians attempted resistance. The systematic removal of the Indians made the west more
attractive to many Americans the removal of Indians also gained the white man additional
territory to settle in the West.
In 1823 President James Monroe, announced the Monroe Doctrine, the effects this policy
would have upon United States Westward expansion would come into play in the 1840s where
it would be used as a justification of expansion and as a threat towards Britain
regarding California and Oregon. With increasing hostilities with the Mexicans the United
States had to settle the issue of Oregon with Britain to avoid conflict on both sides and
also to ensure the continuation of pioneers spreading across the west. In 1945 Oregon was
not on American soil and with the increasing numbers of settlers establishing themselves
upon Oregon soil a settlement was required to repress any problems that may occur. The
United States made an offer to Britain which was rejected, with this rejection America
became more aggressive in their demands this tension was alleviated by a British Company
fearing attack moving to a fort beyond the Americans reach, with this movement the two
countries agreed upon the original offer made by the United States therfore in 1846 all
Oregon territory under the latitude 49North became legally part of the United
States. Settlers flocked to this newly acquired area and as trails and transportation
methods improved it allowed families and larger groups to move West with the American
Dream held strong in the hearts of many. 
The animosity with the Mexicans finally came to rise in the Mexican-American wars which
spanned from 1846-1848. The reasons for the eruption of the hostilities included the
annexation of Texas in 1845, claims of property damage by US citizens against the Mexican
government and the desire of the United States to acquire California into their
boundaries (manifest destiny). After failed negotiations in 1845 regarding land, the
movement of an American army was considered as act of aggression and Mexican troops were
sent to protect their land, in turn America declared war on 13th May 1846. The Mexicans
lacked resources to fight a war and were ill equipped to combat the three armies America
put into the field for combat. America forced the Mexicans back and put onto effect a
naval blockade. A revolt in California to lead to its declaration of independence from
Mexican rule and was declared a territory of the United States in July 1846. Despite the
United States victories against the Mexican armies and the naval blockade success, Mexico
refused to acknowledge defeat. The United States decided to end the war by capturing
Mexico City and after battles at Veracruz, Cerro Gordo, Conteras, and Churubusco, Mexico
City fell to the United States on 14th September 1847. Peace was established in the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidaglo, which established the Texan border and ceded New Mexico and
California to the United States for the sum of $15million and responsibility for US
claims against the Mexican government. This war continued the opening of the West and
encouraged Westward movement to California.
The West encountered its first major influx of people in 1849, the word of the year was
'Gold'. The discovery of gold in California enticed over one hundred thousand people to
flock to Californian gold fields in one year in the search of riches. The gold did not
last very long but the legacy did as many of the gold seekers settled and developed the
land, the people who choose to leave the fields followed other gold discoveries and
scattered themselves throughout the growing West.
The final slither of the South-West not owned by the United States was purchased in 1953
in the Gasden Purchase from Mexico, thus perhaps realising a large part of the Manifest
Destiny philosophy. The United States was united from East to West. With this final
purchase and the successions of the Mexicans in 1948 the United had acquired an
undisputed tittle to all land westward from the Rockies to the Pacific Coast, north to
the 49th parallel and south to Rio Grande. It was this "legitimate possession that
convinced thousands of settlers to move westward in search of the fulfilled dream of the
United States. This union though would be tested, not by foreign powers but by an
internal struggle revolving around the issue of slavery. 
The American Civil War would have an enormous impact upon the United States it would
pause if not halt Westward migration for its duration(1861-1865) as the South combated
the North. Ultimately as Scarlet O'Hara so eloquently put it "the Yankees are comin", and
the Yankees did come, the Union triumphed over the Confederacy in 1865 after four years
of bloody wars and decisive battles resulting in the abolishment of slavery. The main
impact the civil war imposed upon Western migration was the virtual halt of migration as
mentioned before, the pausing of settlement which served as an enticement to the west and
the detrimental effect of the loss/death of approximately 620 000 thousand men in a
nation of 35 million people had upon migration.
The after effects of the civil war were characterised by a continuation of the Westward
movement, a massive influx of foreign immigrants, rapid industrialisation and the passing
of many laws previously frowned upon by the confederacy. A large incentive to Westward
movement came in the form of the 1862 Homestead Laws. The Homestead laws enabled settlers
without capital to acquire homesteads, it provided that anyone who was the head of the
family, 21 years old, a veteran of 14 days active service in the US armed forces and who
was or had an intent to become a citizen could acquire a tract of land in the public
domain (excluding the original 13 states and Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Texas) the tract of land could not exceed 160 acres. To acquire the land
title, the homesteader was obliged to settle on or cultivate the homestead for five
years. This enticement for Westward movement succeeded as settlers mainly fromthe period
after the civil war flocked towards the West in the lure of free land. 
The West was still not accessible enough for mass migration to occur, the wagon trails
were well established but still a test upon a person's endurance, determination and
spirit. The West needed to be opened up to the masses and this opening came in the form
of a railway. It was realised by the government that the West needed to be opened up and
in turn they offered large sums of money and land grants as incentives to companies. The
first railroad construction began in 1862, though progress only began to be made from
1866 when supplies were more readily available. The two railway companies, Union Pacific
Railroad, who employed veterans from the civil war and the Central Pacific Railway
Company who employed overseas labour mainly the Chinese and Irish, were in direct
competition. The Union began from east building tracks West across the largely unsettled
Prairie whereas the Central Pacific began from the West in San Francisco, the companies
raced across the country side not even stopping to meet the tracks, only with government
intervention did the tracks finally meet at Promontory Point, Utah on the 10th May 1869
and the Transcontinental Railway was completed . Effects of the railway include, the West
was now open to the masses, many townships blossomed along the railways and the United
States took a huge step in technological dominance.
By the 1870's the West was no longer a frontier to be braved by explorers but a thriving
centre of settlers, pioneers and towns. In the space of seventy years the United States
had accomplished a centuries worth of achievements, and in the true spirit of 'Manifest
Destiny' they had quadrupled their size by the means of purchase, war and exploration.
This extension of territory or the opening up of the West came about largely to these
factors, The Louisiana Purchase, Texan independence and then annexation, the
Mexican-American Wars and the Oregon agreement. This opening up of the West allowed
Americans to venture into their West in search of their American Dream, the enticement of
cheap land, a new beginning, gold, a second chance and later free land allowed the dreams
of many to be followed and attempted either in the heart of America or on it's Pacific
Shoreline. A large factor which allowed the West to be settled was the vast numbers of
foreign immigrants. Western Expansions setbacks were largely owed to the early years
where established trails were hard to find and the threat of Indians was fierce also a
setbacks occurred throughout the civil war days though in the post war days there was an
increase in Westward migration. The West provided an opportunity to many and with the
continual settlement and the development of railways it would be an opportunity that was
available to many.