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.
What was the Homestead Act and how did it encourage migration?
The Homestead Act (1862) granted 160 acres of free land to settlers who cultivated it for five years, encouraging many to move westward.
What event in California in 1848 attracted settlers to the West?
The discovery of gold in California sparked the Gold Rush, leading thousands to migrate west for fortune.
What were some of the key agricultural opportunities that attracted settlers to the West?
Wheat farming and cattle ranching were major economic opportunities, along with the cultivation of other crops.
What was the population of the U.S. in 1869?
The population of the U.S. in 1869 was 38 million.
What was the population of the U.S. in 1899?
The population of the U.S. in 1899 was 92 million.
How much did the U.S. population increase between 1869 and 1899?
The U.S. population tripled, from 38 million in 1869 to 92 million in 1899.
How many people lived in the U.S. by 1900?
By 1900, the U.S. population reached approximately 92 million.
How many bales of cotton were produced in the U.S. in 1850?
In 1850, 2,136,000 bales of cotton were produced, worth $131 million.
By how much did the price of cotton increase from 1814 to 1816?
The price of cotton doubled from 15 cents per pound in 1814 to 30 cents per pound in 1816.
What percentage of settlers in California during the Gold Rush were from foreign countries?
About 25% of settlers during the California Gold Rush were from foreign countries.
How many acres were given to settlers under the Homestead Act (1862)?
The Homestead Act offered 160 acres of land to settlers.
How many people left their homes in Illinois in February 1846 due to Mormon persecution?
In February 1846, the first group of Mormon emigrants left Illinois, with 16,000 people eventually making the journey to Utah.
How many Mormons were in the settlement of Nauvoo in Illinois?
The settlement of Nauvoo in Illinois had a population of about 25,000 Mormons.
How much did the price of cotton rise between 1814 and 1850?
Cotton’s price rose from 15 cents per pound in 1814 to 30 cents per pound in 1816, and by 1850, 2,136,000 bales were worth $131 million.
How many former slaves moved to Kansas in 1879?
About 40,000 former slaves moved to Kansas in 1879.
How much land did Daniel Boone and his group clear through the Cumberland Gap?
Daniel Boone and his group cleared the path through the Cumberland Gap to establish settlements in Kentucky, marking the passage of about 50 people.
How many settlers made the California Trail from 1841 to 1869?
Between 1841 and 1869, 250,000 settlers travelled west along the California Trail.
How many Mormons died during their migration westward to Utah?
Around 2,000 Mormons died during their difficult journey to Utah.
How much wheat did the U.S. produce by 1899?
By 1899, the U.S. was producing 500 million bushels of wheat.
