1. Manifest Destiny: The belief that the United States was destined to expand westward and spread democracy and civilization across the continent.
2. Economic opportunities: Many people saw the West as a land of opportunity, with fertile land for farming, resources for mining, and potential for new industries.
3. Population growth: The rapid growth of the population in the East led to a need for more land and resources, which could be found in the West.
4. Political motives: Control of the West was seen as crucial for national security and ensuring dominance over the continent.
5. Technological advances: Improvements in transportation, such as the railroads, made it easier for people to travel and settle in the West.
6. Homesteading: The Homestead Act of 1862 offered free land to settlers who agreed to work and improve upon it, encouraging westward migration.
Why westward wanted land
1 answer
1 answer