West Coast Pioneers

The Comanche Campaign was a generalization of multiple battles and wars between the United States government and the Comanche tribes. Most of the wars were fought between 1867 and 1875 in the freshly settle wild west. The United States military fought against different Comanche tribes in numerous expeditions until the Comanche people surrounded and surrendered. After peace was established between the Natives and the United States, the Comanche people were relocated to a reservation. In the late 1800’s different ideas and proposals, such as the Manifest Destiny and Homestead Act, fueled the expansion of American settlement out West.

There are many ways in which we can view the history of the American West. One view is the popular story of Cowboys and Indians. It is a grand story filled with adventure, excitement and gold. Another perspective is one of the Native Plains Indians and the rich histories that spanned thousands of years before white discovery and settlement. Elliot West’s book, Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers and the Rush to Colorado, offers a view into both of these worlds. West shows how the histories of both nations intertwine, relate and clash all while dealing with complex geological and environmental challenges. West argues that an understanding of the settling of the Great Plains must come from a deeper understanding, a more thorough

During the nineteenth century, beginning in the early 1800s, there was a series of events that occurred in the United States which we refer to today as the Westward Expansion. The Westward Expansion of the United States is a defining theme in the nineteenth century. It had a large impact on both the American people and the native Indians and Mexicans that had already lived there. The westward expansion effected four major things: the size of the United States, the native Indians and Mexicans that already lived among the land, and today’s transportation. The process of expanding the land westward took several years and had both negative and positive outcomes, but it was a huge factor in shaping the United States into the country it is today.

It provided transportation to the west, a major advancement, and helped begin the era of westward expansion. This caused innovations and many positive changes, but someone was omitted. The Native Americans made their home in the west, because we kicked them out of the east. When railroad tracks were being built, they were being built over the homes and grounds of the Indians in the west. These had special sentimental value and were rightfully theirs.

The Westward expansion was mainly driven by America’s desire to control not only more land but to expand its territory up to the Pacific Coast. With the country once divided by certain beliefs and political views were now united with the Manifest Destiny to come together and expand westward to find new opportunities, resources, and profit. “To encourage the settlement of the West, Congress passed legislation that enabled settlers to buy land cheaply, and have easy access to land with mineral deposits and grazing lands” (Credo 1). This Westward expansion was very important to American’s economy because it was the largest expansion in US history, successfully connecting railways from East to West, and discovery of important resources. The Westward expansion is still considered by historians to not only be the most important expansion of the United States but also the most venturous.

Since Europeans came to the United States, the existing population of natives has always been an obstacle to expansion. American’s thirst for free and new land could not be quenched. For example, the British with the Proclamation of 1763

Western Migration began in earnest when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862, which opened up 160 acres of land to those who wanted to settle out West and begin a new life. Homesteaders paid a small fee in exchange for land. Eventually, this lead to the selling of approximately 80 million acres of land. For the Americans, this was progress, because the people were able to move West, there were new resources available, knowledge and skills increased, and business and towns were built and thrived. However, this progress quickly turned into turmoil when the Americans realized that the new land they were traveling to was unknown, weather conditions were new and harsh, and their land was unfit to farm on which caused livestock to suffer.

The Westward Expansion was the nation's future as depended on by Thomas Jefferson. In 1803 the Louisiana purchase took place, doubling the size of the country. The Westward Expansion allowed the emigrants of the Oregon trail to expand out west, making the people a new start to a better future. The emigrant’s on the Oregon trail faced the most difficulty trying to survive and thrive in the west due to life threatening diseases, harsh weather patterns, and supply deprivation.

history focuses on the conquest of new land through westward expansion and global imperialism. Starting with the roots of frontier and building up into a huge network of land and territory evokes a common and national goal among the American people during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Frontier and expansion of the great west allowed for the United States to gain power and work its way up to bigger and better: the world. With so much land to acquire and such a desire to conquer, the United States was able to build its coveted empire, but only with a certain cost. The damages and death brought about by westward expansion and imperialism greatly outweigh the benefits. The United States grew rapidly and was able to spread its culture like wildfire but the territories and nations that were to be civilized were damaged victims. Culture was destroyed and the United States’ reputation was tarnished during this time period. Growing discontent in the county continued to escalate throughout the twentieth century and our country wasn’t united and failed to share a national

Pioneers that travelled across the Great Plains would often run into trouble and suffer terrible deaths. The Donner Party was one of those parties; however, the story connected to the name is much more infamous than others. It is a story of suffering, betrayal, survival, and acts of necessity. Perhaps the most interesting fact about these acts is that they were performed by everyday farmers, traders, and businessmen. The reasons for these acts were, more than likely, out of the will to survive, but there may a greater story behind such acts of “monstrosity.”

The movement of people that has resulted in the settlement 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.

Expansion to the West had many problems. However, it also had many benefits. Many thought expanding to the West was bad thing. There were many deaths, wars, long travels and broken promises. But the land that we gained and the image we created was definitely worth it. The land we gained helped us to grow our economy, attract new settlers, allow a more comfortable living style, gave us luxuries, helped us to become stronger, and overall helped the Unites States grow as country, and as a nation. You may be wondering how some land gave us all this, but it’s true. There were so many events and hardships we as a nation went through together to get this land, and by pursuing

Westward expansion was a new thing and time in our country and had many impacts on the American people and ways of life. The government made it available to buy a lot more of land in the West. Our government gave opportunities for people to move west for a better life or more land in the west. The government gave opportunities like the homestead act where the government would give families 160 acres of land if they moved west at the time this deal was going on. This act was signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862. People moved west for any opportunity they could. People moved for a new life, more land, and more opportunities in

The U.S struggle to expand towards the west has been idealized and exemplifies the idea of this country being “the land of opportunity.” The eventual settlements of the west are monuments to the perseverance of enterprising Americans, monuments built with blood and the promise of fortune. The most significant. impacts of Westward Expansion can be seen in three main areas: Legislature, Native American Conflict and Industry.

Westward expansion was a time of successes and failures, a time celebrations and grief, a time full of life and death but in the end it shaped how America is the way is today. Westward expansion was put in action because of the belief of Manifest Destiny, the belief that it is America fate to expand from the Atlantic to Pacific ocean. The economical, political and humanitarians impacts were necessary to achieve the goal of manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion.