The Impact of Westward Expansion

 

Westward expansion began in 1803 and it was started by Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of United States of America. It cost the lives of many Native Americans who started a Mexican American war, but also helped our economy in many different ways.  To this day it is still a controversial subject.

 

The Indian Removal Act was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson on May 28, 1830. Many Indians had to move to the far West. One of the most common tribe that was affected by this was the Cherokee tribe. Sadly they were kicked out of their homes and forced to walk the trail of tears and over 4,000 Cherokees did not make it. The indians could of had the West of America, but since we did the westward expansion we moved them to little reserves, where some still live today.  The rates of alcoholics are so high that 2.5 per 1,000 are born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

 

Mexico encouraged new settlers to go to Texas, which was the Mexico territory at the time.  Mexicans encouraged this because the new American settlers would protect their territory from Native Americans. Mexico was a free slave state which the settlers did not like that, so they decided to declare themselves independent from Mexico. Later they wanted to be a part of the United States and that was fine but that would make the United States have 13 slave states and 13 anti slave states. Due to so much tension because of Texas getting their independence then joining America, Mexico started firing at the United states starting the Mexican American war which lasted 2 years.

 

Without the Westward expansion our country would only be ⅔ the size it is today. California is the most popular state in the United States, having the population of 39,776,830. Once we won California from the Mexican American war, a lot of gold was found. This helped the economy enormously. Many people moved to California to get all the gold they possibly could. This also helped telephone lines become very popular; everywhere there was a railroad there was a telegraph line.

 

Many people debate whether the railroad expansion was a good idea or horrible idea. It helped expand our economy and future technology, but it took many lives and made others suffer terribly. Not to mention it started the American Mexican war. In my opinion the United States would be no where close to where we are today without the westward expansion. It brought us more into the future and gave us many advantages and growth. What do you think?