Consequences of Westward Expansion

Question 1

positive political consequences

Answer 1

political parties used it to gain popularity
financed large scale infrastructure projects- transcontinental railways
-government could challenge others

Question 2

negative political consequences

Answer 2

not everyone agreed on how the west should expand

e.g. north v south Kansas Nebraska act 1854

Question 3

positive cultural consequences

Answer 3

new regions were discovered
YellowStone National Park 1872 to protect forests
scientific understanding

Question 4

negative cultural consequences

Answer 4

large scale deforestations
mining areas e.g. black hills of Dakota
Native American land seized

Question 5

positive social consequences

Answer 5

people wanted to escape overcrowding in the east
persecuted groups like mormons could escape
place for those in europe- Irish famine

Question 6

negative social consequences

Answer 6

lawlessness and alcoholism 1873 527 saloons in San Francisco
sectional tension e.g. kansas Nebraska act
native Americans lifestyle destroyed

Question 7

positive geographical consequences

Answer 7

country expanded from Atlantic to pacific coast
population growth of 38 million in 1869 to 92 million in 1899
more than 13 colonies

Question 8

negative geographical consequences

Answer 8

not all land policies as successful as expected e.g. Mexico war wanted all of Mexico

Question 9

positive economic consequences

Answer 9

more natural resources
large scale farming 
transport and communications 
mechanical development 
boosted economic 
crops feeding population - farming production doubled between 1869 to 1899 
manufacturing grew six fold
usa 1900 one of world leading economic powers

Question 10

negative economic consequences

Answer 10

east struggled to match productivity
only 40% homesteaders claimed land from federal government
bankruptcy and draught = 11000 homesteaders in Kansas being repossessed between 1889 - 1893
corruption
railways = fraud