5.2_Study Notes on Westward Expansion (1844-1877)

Time Period Overview
- 1844-1877: A crucial era in American history focusing on westward expansion and its implications.
- Key event: Election of President James K. Polk in 1844, who was a strong proponent of expansion into the West.
Major Theme
- Westward migration as a catalyst for significant conflict, ultimately leading to the Civil War.
- Rooted in American identity and concept of manifest destiny.
Historical Context
- Westward migration has deep historical roots, originating in the colonial era.
- The Proclamation Line of 1763 restricted westward expansion, which fueled colonial grievances against British rule and contributed to the American Revolution.
- Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence expressed the desire for westward migration, reflecting the sentiments of independence and self-governance.
Territorial Expansion
- Post-Revolution, Americans rapidly claimed territory, including the significant 1803 Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the nation’s size and provided land for farming.
- This migration was crucial especially for southern cotton farmers who needed fertile soil as their crops depleted nutrients from the land.
Social Dynamics
- The West served as a 'pressure release valve' for population tensions, providing an outlet for those in overpopulated eastern areas.
- Migration to the West held a mythological significance for Americans, tied to national identity.

Manifest Destiny
- Term popularized by John O'Sullivan, characterized by the belief that the U.S. was divinely ordained to spread across North America.
- Posed as a nationalistic idea promoting the belief in U.S. superiority in liberty and self-government.
- Justified aggressive expansion at the cost of violence against Native Americans and other nations (notably Mexico).
- Quote from O'Sullivan: "by the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted to us."

Economic Opportunities
- Migration was driven by the desire to access natural and mineral resources, primarily in Texas, California, and Oregon.
- Texas officially became a U.S. state in 1845, leading to conflict with Mexico.
Government Incentives
- Policies encouraging settlement were rooted in Jeffersonian ideals, promoting the U.S. as an empire of liberty for common farmers.
- Preemption Act of 1841: Granted squatters the right to purchase land they were occupying (up to 160 acres) before public sale at low prices, resulting in increased migrations.
- Homestead Act of 1862: Offered 160 acres for free to settlers who would live on and improve the land for five years, spurring significant migration to western territories.
- Effects of these laws allowed most of the western territories to be settled by 1890.
Religious Refuge
- Mormons, seeking to escape persecution after the murder of their founder Joseph Smith, migrated in large numbers to the Utah territory in 1847, under the leadership of Brigham Young.
- Over 16,000 Mormons settled near the Great Salt Lake, demonstrating the role of religion in migration patterns.
Interest in Trade with Asia
- Growing interest in expanding trade with Asian countries, particularly Japan, which had been closed to foreign influence for 200 years.
- In 1854, Commodore Matthew Perry used diplomatic pressure and military intimidation to open Japanese ports for limited trade with the U.S.

Impact on Native Americans
- westward migration often led to conflict with indigenous populations.
- Federal treaties designated lands as Indian territory were frequently violated by new settlement policies, leading to displacements and violence against Native Americans.