Essay On Western Expansion

During Western Expansion in the United States, it affected many different groups of people. Motivated by the idea of Manifest Destiny, the belief that the expansion of the US through the American continents was justified and bound to happen, they all moved west in the hope of riches and other opportunities. However, these groups, especially the Native Americans, American workers, and immigrants, instead faced many challenges that contradicted the founding ideals of the US: liberty, equality, rights, democracy, and opportunity. To begin with, the Native Americans had their liberty, equality, rights, and opportunities taken away. As the Americans moved westward, they overtook the Native Americans’ land and forced them out “to confine most western tribes to reservations” (Indian Wars Shatter Tribal Cultures). Despite signed treaties and that the land originally belonged to the Native Americans, they were still robbed of their rights that they believed they had to the land ,and the opportunities of owning the land. Not only did they steal the land, but they stripped the Native Americans of

Even though slaves were now freed, “African Americans in the West still faced racism” (Settling the Great Plains). Despite being declared free, their equality was still taken from them. By being discriminated against, the African Americans lost opportunities for jobs and to earn money. However, not only the African Americans, but white people suffered also. Those who moved to urban areas from their agricultural jobs left to find job opportunities with high wages. Instead, they experienced poor living conditions, including “[d]rinking water [that] was taken from pumps on the street and was often polluted” which led to deadly diseases. Deprived of their right to basic needs, they could not properly function and live. Disappointedly, city life was more difficult than their old country