Manifest Destiny: The Consequences Of Westward Expansion

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Hundreds of years ago many people of different ethnicities immigrated to the west in hopes of finding a better life. The journey brung its consequences and every choice made affects the chances of survival. Multiple issues also played a role in the development of western territory. The desire to expand towards the west was called Manifest Destiny - the dream to have the country expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The Louisiana purchase began the period of westward expansion. This piece of land almost doubled the size of America and was a huge step in completing Manifest Destiny. The people who immigrated to the west immigrated for reasons of power, wealth, or freedom. These motives, specifically the intention of moving westward to gain …show more content…

The religious group known as the Mormons and the Texas Revolution showed how people immigrated to the west to escape any problems that affected their development and to gain freedom. The topic of wealth during the western expansion was expressed by the Gold Rush and the construction of the Erie Canal. The Gold Rush began when gold was found in California on January 24, 1848. Because of this, people from all parts of America and people from different countries immigrated to California. Most people went to California to dig for gold. However, not all were successful in finding Gold. The Gold Rush wasn’t all about mining gold. Many people provided resources for the miners such as food, extra mining materials, clothing, etc. The whole exploration provided immigrants and natives with jobs that they could benefit from. The countries economy rose as more and more immigrants came. More was being produced which resulted in an increase of income for the country. The Erie Canal also impacted western development. The canal was the first step in a country with developed infrastructure. The Canal allowed for easier transportation. People could get to where they wanted