“Western Expansion”
, Introduction
During the nineteenth century, Western expansion was one of the most significant
transformations and controversial events of United States history. This historical process was not
only about the movement of people but also reflected the economic change, cultural identity,
religious belief, and new policy decisions for many decades. Some people think that the
expansion was motivated by finding new lands with diverse resources such as farms, gold, and
other resources, while others believe that religious beliefs such as Manifest Destiny 1 or political
events, such as the Louisiana Purchase2 influenced the country’s growth. This period was also
shaped by cultural and religious ideas that would strengthen racial hierarchies and gender roles.
However, Western expansion harmed Native Americans, whose lands were ravaged and taken in
the process. This essay explores the causes, cultural and political developments, and
consequences of Western expansion. It will demonstrate that the Western expansion not only
brought economic and land growth but also formed a powerful cultural and ideological belief
that transformed American society.
Body
There are many reasons why Americans decided to move to the west. One of the most
significant motivations behind the western expansion was a religious ideology called Manifest
Destiny. Although this phrase was nebulous and explained the reason for expansion and no one
was concerned about meaning, Americans strongly believed that God had chosen the United
States to overspread the continent, such as expanding west to the Pacific and south to at least the
1
Andrew C. Isenberg and Thomas Richards. “Alternative Wests: Rethinking Manifest Destiny.” Pacific
Historical Review 86, no. 1 (2017): 4.
2
Barry J. Balleck. “When the Ends Justify the Means: Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase.”
Presidential Studies Quarterly 22, no. 4 (1992): 679.
, Introduction
During the nineteenth century, Western expansion was one of the most significant
transformations and controversial events of United States history. This historical process was not
only about the movement of people but also reflected the economic change, cultural identity,
religious belief, and new policy decisions for many decades. Some people think that the
expansion was motivated by finding new lands with diverse resources such as farms, gold, and
other resources, while others believe that religious beliefs such as Manifest Destiny 1 or political
events, such as the Louisiana Purchase2 influenced the country’s growth. This period was also
shaped by cultural and religious ideas that would strengthen racial hierarchies and gender roles.
However, Western expansion harmed Native Americans, whose lands were ravaged and taken in
the process. This essay explores the causes, cultural and political developments, and
consequences of Western expansion. It will demonstrate that the Western expansion not only
brought economic and land growth but also formed a powerful cultural and ideological belief
that transformed American society.
Body
There are many reasons why Americans decided to move to the west. One of the most
significant motivations behind the western expansion was a religious ideology called Manifest
Destiny. Although this phrase was nebulous and explained the reason for expansion and no one
was concerned about meaning, Americans strongly believed that God had chosen the United
States to overspread the continent, such as expanding west to the Pacific and south to at least the
1
Andrew C. Isenberg and Thomas Richards. “Alternative Wests: Rethinking Manifest Destiny.” Pacific
Historical Review 86, no. 1 (2017): 4.
2
Barry J. Balleck. “When the Ends Justify the Means: Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase.”
Presidential Studies Quarterly 22, no. 4 (1992): 679.
