Why Did So Many Move West In The 1840s? Flashcards
Why did the deppression cause people to move?
Point: high unemployment so people had to move in search of jobs.
Evidence: in the 1837 banking collapse in the east so many people were left without jobs.
Analasys: people needed to earn money to survive so this could be done in the west because there werent many people there so more jobs and they could get more land and better houses if they moved quickly.
Why did persecution cause some people to move west?
Point: mormons escaped west in fear of their lives.
Evidence: 1846 leader Jospeh Smith murdered.
Analasys: they were scared the same may happen to them if even their leader wasnt safe and in the west there werent many people so there wouldnt be much persecution there and they could set up their own accepting communities which is how salt lake city was eventually formed.
Why did people move west because of manifest destiny?
Point: some christians moved to spread beliefs.
Evidence: John O’Sullivan spread idea in 1845 that whites should convert Natives.
Analasys: this idea became very popular and combining that with racism and thinking natives were uncivilised people thought they were saving them from hell if they moved west and attempted to change their beliefs.
Why did people move because of opportunity?
Point: many moved for a better life in west.
Evidence: new land in Oregon was cheap and fertile and opportunities for gold rushes.
Analasys: for people earning low money or just simply wanted a fresh start the west seemed very appealing because there was lots of land for them so they could make a profit. Gold rushes also made some people extremely rich so if they lived near them they could get more money and gold so people moved west for more money, space and a fresh start.
