Manifest Destiny and the different Purchases
Throughout the first half of the 1800s or 19th century there were many factors influencing United States expansion. From the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to the Gadsden Purchase in 1853 the United States had tripled in size since its original thirteen colonies and only paid forty-five million dollars in doing so. The idea of Manifest Destiny spread quickly throughout the country and soon thousands were moving westward in search of a new way of life. The idea of Manifest Destiny was for the U.S. to occupy the entire continent. The only problem was that the land it was expanding on to didn't belong to the U.S. One such factor that influenced the expansion of the U.S. was the occupation of nearby territories by foreign countries. The largest territory and first one to be bought by the U.S. was the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. In order for the United States to expand successfully into the west they needed control of the Mississippi River, which at the time was owned by France. The port at New Orleans was extremely important to the navigation of the Mississippi and provided a good market for trade. While this purchase was very successful, others did not go as well. Prior to the Mexican Cession of 1848 the United States a
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another huge factor that played a role in expansion was that of available resources. As the people began to move westward they would settle in areas with vast amounts of natural resources such as lakes or streams, where they could gather food. Lakes were very important to travel because they provided drinking water for the people and attracted wild animals to the area, which could be hunted for food. Also if an area were to dry or rocky it wouldn't be settled. People looked for the best places to live, places they could profit from the most. During the gold rush everyone traveled to the western coast in hopes of becoming rich for the very same reason. This factor affected the economical and social development of the U.S. because certain areas or regions would produce specific products. Different types of people would also live in the separate areas depending on wealth or trade that the family specified in. d the greatest role in the development and expansion of the United States. and starvation during their difficult trip west proving it to be virtually impossible to reach the other side of the continent. These natural barriers slowed the progress of expansion across America and isolated groups of people traveling, causing them to settle where they were. Be
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Approximate Word count = 910
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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