Westward expansion

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The time before the Civil War is known for the vast expansion of the United States. Slavery affected many aspects of the unity and discord between the Northern and Southern states, such as in political, economic, and social arguments. In addition, some cultural factors caused union and divergence between different groups of religious people. Westward expansion affected the United State politically, economically, socially, and culturally in ways that at times unified them, but also, in some cases separated them. During the period between 1815 and 1861 the political issues that occurred within the states caused separation and Unity at the same time. With the mass movement of people out west into Texas and California many of the disputes occurred because of slavery. The southern states wanted the new states to be slave states, while the northern states believed they should be free states. This argument continued to rage until 1850, when Henry Clay formed the Compromise of 1850. The compromise essentially decided that the disputed land of New Mexico was not part of Texas, and that California was not to be split into a slave and free state, it was to remain as just a free state. With this new compromise, and the Missouri Compromise that split the slave and free states at the 35th Parallel, the nation was split down the middle, creating two distinct sides of the country. This set the stage for the two sides of the Civil war. However the expansion west also created some unity between the states. For the most part, both the northern and southern states wanted to expand the United States boundaries to the Pacific Ocean. This led both sides to support the Mexican war and to accept the annexation of Texas. Westward expansion caused both ... ... middle of paper ... ...us groups like these, united many people together with similar ideals and ethics which, in some cases would provide for stronger unity on which side they would take during the Civil War. The political, economic, social and culture changes brought on by westward expansion in the United States had a great deal to do with its unity and separation. Politically and economically slavery caused the Northern and Southern states to combat over where it should be allowed and why. While socially, slavery posed a moral threat throughout the whole of the country, triggering unscrupulous feelings from both sides on the morality of the others existence. In addition, many people moving westward were looking for religious sovereignty or sanctuary from persecution. The westward movement of the United States proved to form the groundwork and eventual tipping point for the Civil War.

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