Westward Expansion Essay

Ever since the United States earned their freedom from britain, westward expansion was one of the most followed and anticipated goals. Westward expansion impacted the United States and it’s views on social, political, and economic practices. Westward expansion had the most impact on political views and practices from early colonization until the 1850s.
Westward expansion had a smaller impact on social life. One of the ways westward expansion impacted social life is how they treated natives and their property. The Native’s living conditions were described by a quote from Santana who was the chief of the kiowas, “A long time ago this land belonged to our fathers; but when i go up to the river i see camps of soldiers here on its bank. These soldiers cut down my timber… my heart feels like [sic] bursting; I feel sorry.” (Santana) The Inhumane treatment was justified by Andrew Jackson as “Putting an end to all possible danger of collision” (Jackson). This was not the biggest impact of westward expansion however.
Economy was booming as the rocky mountains seemed to become more and more close to the rest of the world. A painting by John Gast called American Progress described

some of the ways economic technology changed from westward expansion. In the painting lady liberty is depicted with a book that represents education and other values. She also has telegraph lines in her hand as she puts them down while railroads chug along in the background. This represents the new technologies that are pushing people to spend money and take a risk at a new life out west. The biggest aspect of life that was impacted by westward expansion was not economic however.
Westward expansion had the biggest impact on political practices and views.

Political impacts included the government investing money and fighting wars to acquire things. A map of the growth of the United States shows just how greatly political views were impacted by westward expansion. The map shows how much money and lives the U.S invested into achieving manifest destiny with the louisiana purchase, Mexican cession, and Texas Annexation just to name a few. More than 50 million dollars were spent on achieving manifest destiny which means that “It is our right to overspread and possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us of the development of the great experiment of liberty.” (O’Sullivan). Political practices were impacted by westward expansion the most without

competition.
Some may say that buying land is an economic factor or that forced relocation of the indians was more important than owning more land. However buying land has to be cleared with the government and even without the land we bought we still would have about half of the land from treaties, annexations, and cessions. We also would not need to relocate the indians if the land they were on had not been bought in the first place. Therefore political views and action were the most impactful and important during the influence of Westward expansion.