Westward Expansion Flashcards
What is Manifest Destiny and how did it justify Westward Expansion?
Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was divinely ordained to expand across North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It justified expansion by claiming that Anglo-Saxon Americans had a divine duty to spread democracy, freedom, and Christianity.
Who first coined the term “Manifest Destiny” and in what year?
John O’Sullivan coined the term “Manifest Destiny” in 1845.
What territories were acquired as part of Manifest Destiny?
Texas (1845), Oregon (1846), and California and the Southwest (after the Mexican-American War 1846-48).
What was the main argument behind Manifest Destiny?
The belief that Anglo-Saxon Americans were divinely chosen to spread democracy and Christianity across the continent.
How did Manifest Destiny influence the Mexican-American War?
Manifest Destiny justified the war by claiming that it was America’s duty to bring the Mexican territories under U.S. control to fulfil their divine mission.
What were the geographical, impacts of Westward Expansion?
The U.S. stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific, fulfilling Manifest Destiny. The population tripled from 38 million (1869) to 92 million (1899).
What were the economic impacts of Westward Expansion?
Westward expansion brought vast natural resources, including gold, silver, and fertile lands for large-scale farming, particularly wheat and cattle. It also boosted railroad development, leading to the U.S. becoming one of the world’s leading economic powers by 1900.
What were the social impacts of Westward Expansion?
The West became a land of opportunity, but also a place of lawlessness and violence. It was crucial for population growth, particularly in the wake of the Civil War. Mormons found religious freedom in the West.
What were the political impacts of Westward Expansion?
It created divisions among political parties, with the Democratic Party advocating for expansion and Whigs opposing it.
What were the cultural impacts of Westward Expansion?
The West was associated with scientific and geographical exploration, though it led to environmental damage and the destruction of Native American cultures.
How much did the U.S. population grow from 1869 to 1899?
The U.S. population tripled, from 38 million in 1869 to 92 million in 1899.
What natural resources were discovered in the West during expansion?
Gold, silver, and fertile land for large-scale farming (wheat and cattle).
How did Westward Expansion impact Native Americans?
Native Americans were dispossessed of their land and many were killed by disease. Their cultures were severely disrupted or destroyed.
What technological advancements were spurred by Westward Expansion?
Barbed wire, the sod-buster plough, mechanical reapers, and the combine harvester were all key innovations for large-scale farming.
How did the construction of railroads impact Westward Expansion?
It opened up new markets, increased settlement, but also led to fraud and cronyism, further accelerating the settlement of the West.
What were the push factors for settlers moving westward?
Overcrowding and declining yields in the East, particularly in New England and Virginia/Maryland.
Debt, failed businesses, and economic hardship pushed many people to seek new opportunities.
Persecution of Mormons for their beliefs led them to move west.
Slavery expansion and declining profitability of plantations drove many southern slaveholders to seek new land.
What were the pull factors for settlers moving westward?
The availability of free land through the Homestead Act.
The promise of economic opportunities in farming, mining, and trade.
The possibility of religious freedom in places like Utah for Mormons.
What were some push factors that led people to leave the East for the West?
Overcrowding, declining farm yields, economic hardship, debt, and religious persecution (e.g., Mormons).
What were the pull factors that attracted settlers to the West?
Free land, economic opportunities in farming and mining, and religious freedom (e.g., Mormons in Utah).
How did slavery impact Westward Expansion?
Many southern slaveholders moved westward to establish cotton plantations due to declining profitability in the East, where slavery was being challenged.
Why did the Mormons move westward?
They sought religious freedom and economic opportunities (cheap/free land) in places like Utah, away from the violence and persecution they faced in the East.
How did Daniel Boone contribute to Westward Expansion?
He cleared the Cumberland Gap and led settlers into Kentucky, establishing one of the first permanent settlements in the West in the 1770s.
How did Andrew Jackson contribute to Westward Expansion?
He moved to Tennessee, gained political power, and eventually became president. His policies, such as the Indian Removal Act, expanded U.S. territory.
How did Brigham Young contribute to Westward Expansion?
He led the Mormons to Utah in the 1840s, establishing a successful religious community in the Great Salt Lake area.
