Westward Expansion Essay -- essays research papers

WESTWARD EXPANSIONThe movement of people that has resulted in the cloture of America is one of the most fascinating and significant topics in the history of the united States. Nowhere else has an area of equal size been settled as a result of the initiative of small groups and individuals. Westward expansion helped stimulate the American economy.The first organized migration to California originated in Platte County, on the far double-uern limit of Missouri. Reports described California as "a perfect paradise, a perpetual spring." The people of Platte County formed the Western Emigration Society, which sent push through information slightly California throughout the Mississippi Valley (Wexler,139). Several merchant and landowners were concerned about the number of prospective emigrants that they launched a campaign disparaging California. This act turn up to be effective, in 1842 and 1843 relatively few emigrants followed the first migration to California. The first wa gon train was led by John Bidwell, the organizer of the Western Emigration Society. Bidwell let the pioneers across the Rockies, a party of 69 adults and children who divided into two groups after crossing. One group headed north into Oregon, while the other, led by Bidwell continued west to California.By 1842, the currency system of the Republic of Texas was in such dire straits that even the government would not accept redbacks for wages of taxes. Other plans were try to get the republic fiscal house in order, but these plans achieved only slightly better results. However, as the economy in the United States improved and the Texas annexation movement gained momentum, currency in Texas slowly recovered some of its values before Texas was annexed in 1845(thewestpbs.org). Slavery was a big issue, many anti-slavery leaders came out strong against adding another potential slave state to the Union. The basic concerns were - war with Mexico and the division over slavery(Remini). Clay ar gued against incorporating Texas into the Union when he was almost assured of the Whig Partys nomination for president. In the election Clay, who hedged on his annexation position, was narrowly defeated by James Polk, a former Tennessee senator who ran on a strong expansionist platform( Bender212). The Senate rejected the Texas annexation treaty submitted by John Tyler in 1844. Tyler resubmitted... ...overed gold on the American River at Coloma while building a lumber hero sandwich for John Sutter, in the lower Sacramento Valley. A brief report of the discovery appeared in a San Francisco newspaper in mid-March, where it went mostly unnoticed (thewestpbs.org). By signing the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on February 2, 1848, ending the Mexican- American War. The United States acquired an immense western territory stretching from Texas to the Pacific and north to Oregon, which included Upper California, Utah. The United States gained 1.2 million square miles, virtually doubling its territory. The human cost for the United States was 13,238 killed and 4,152 wounded. (6) The United States agreed to pay $13 million for land and assume payment of $3.25 million in claims that American had brought against Mexico (Wexler,210).The United States from the days of independence has adopted the project of extending its dominions, and since then, that line of policy has not deviated in the slightest degree. There is still wide movement of people westward. In most respects the movement lost its typical characteristics when there could no longer be said to be a frontier line.