5.2_Study Notes on Westward Expansion (1844-1877)

Manifest Destiny: Description & Context

A term popularized by John O'Sullivan in the mid-$19$th century describing the belief that the United States was divinely ordained to spread across the North American continent to foster the development of liberty and self-government.

Manifest Destiny: Causes

Driven by intense nationalism and a sense of American superiority, it was fueled by the ideological belief that providence had gifted the continent to the U.S. to spread its 'great experiment' of federated self-government.

Manifest Destiny: Impacts

It justified aggressive territorial expansion and led to severe conflict and violence against Native Americans and other nations, such as Mexico, while ultimately serving as a catalyst for the American Civil War.

Proclamation Line: Description & Context

Established in $1763$, this line was a British-imposed boundary following the Appalachian Mountains that prohibited American colonists from settling in lands further west.

Proclamation Line: Cause

The British government sought to restrict westward movement to manage the newly acquired territory after the Seven Years' War and to prevent costly conflicts with indigenous populations.

Proclamation Line: Outcome

It fueled significant colonial grievances against British rule, contributing to the growing desire for independence that led to the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.

Louisiana Purchase: Context & Description

Acquired from France in $1803$ during Thomas Jefferson's presidency, this massive land deal doubled the geographic size of the United States.

Louisiana Purchase: Cause

The acquisition was driven by the necessity for new, fertile land, particularly for southern cotton farmers whose crops rapidly depleted the nutrients in existing soil.

Louisiana Purchase: Impact on Westward Migration

By providing a vast new territory for farming and settlement, it significantly accelerated the pace of migration and laid the groundwork for the nation's rapid westward growth.

Social Safety Net: Description & Context

Often described as a 'pressure release valve,' the West provided an outlet for the American population during periods of high tension in the eastern states.

Social Safety Net: Cause

The migration was caused by overpopulation and rising social tensions in eastern urban areas, leading people to seek new opportunities in less crowded territories.

Social Safety Net: Impact

It mitigated internal social unrest and helped build a mythological national identity centered on the frontier and the promise of land ownership for the common man.

James K. Polk: Context & Beliefs

Context & Description: James K. Polk was elected President in 1844, an event that defines the start of a crucial historical era (1844-1877) focused on territorial growth. Beliefs: He was a strong proponent of expansion into the West, aligning with the nationalistic concept of Manifest Destiny which held that the U.S. was divinely ordained to spread across the continent.

James K. Polk: Impact

Context & Description: Polk's administration actively encouraged migration to the West to provide new land for farming and to act as a population pressure release valve. Impact: This aggressive westward migration served as a major catalyst for significant