The History of~The United States (Part 4: Expanding Westward)

As we left off from our last page (click here) we told of the time when the USA was new and even after the Revolution, it faced a series of hardships especially some political reforms as well as rebellions. Now that the USA has established itself, it's time to take the next step forward, expand US influence to move westward.

This page will the details of how America expanded westward, the messages to get people to move west, the territories purchased and some evil acts that helped the USA achieve it's goal to expand west.

As you may know that during the colonial times, Americans were eager to move out west. But the British wouldn't let them due to their agreements they have made at the end of the French and Indian War. But as America won it's Revolution, it wanted to do what the British denied them, the ability to move west. The US Government wanted to come up with some ways to get people to move out west and expand American influence. One of them was a message known as *Manifest Destiny*.

## Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was a subliminal message made by the US Government to get people to move out west and settle, with it expanding American Influence. This message became very prominent in the dawn fo the 19th Century when the USA was just an up and coming nation. It was used to make people think that it is their right (as Americans) to expand the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The Problem, is that the other regions in North America were still claimed by powers from Europe such as Spain which controlled the west and the southern region (which would be known as Mexico), and by the 19th Century with the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, he invaded and conquered the entire Iberian Peninsula, and with it he was given the Louisiana Territory which was owned by Spain since the French and Indian War.

## The Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson was growing concerned of Napoleon's quick rise to power and that could mean that Napoleon wishes to expand his own Empire to North America. As a result he sent envoys to France in hopes to negotiate a deal with Napoleon to keep this from happening.

Surprisingly, the envoys spent around $15 Million to buy the Louisiana Territory (as they originally wanted New Orleans and West Florida). With this purchase, the USA doubles in size. Allowing for more expansion of settlers.

Now, there's a commonly held misconception that Napoleon just "graciously" gave the USA the Louisiana Territory, almost as a very generous offer.

But, it's actually more complicated than that.

Napoleon actually had real plans to colonize in America and one of the reasons why he wanted the Louisiana Territory. But what he realizes that the one time French Colony: Haiti rebelled against France during it's own Revolution and driven out their French occupiers. This was a monkey wrench thrown at Napoleon and just saw the Louisiana Territory as useless and was actually waiting for somebody to take the land from him. Napoleon was also strapped for the money necessary to begin his campaign for Europe and to fight the British as they were blockading Napoleon.

With the Louisiana Purchase done, it was time to continue the expansion westward. President Thomas Jefferson appointed to men to a very important expedition: *Meriwether lews and William Clark*

**Meriwether Lewis:** A one time soldier and Politician, Meriwether Lewis was appointed by Jefferson to lead a great expedition westward. He was then appointed Governor of the Upper parts of Louisiana.

**William Clark:** Also a soldier and Politician, William Clark was also appointed to lead this expedition westward. He was then appointed to a Governor of what would be known as Missouri.

## Lewis and Clark Expedition

The Lewis and Clark expedition began in 1804 (shortly after the Louisiana Purchase). It began in what would be the city of *St. Louis* and they continued throughout the newly purchased Louisiana Territory and to the north and creating forts along the way. They even crossed the Rocky Mountains there and even met some notable Native American Tribes such as the Sioux, the Nez Perce and the Shoshone (prominent Native American tribes in the Rocky Mountain region) until they reached the mouth of the Columbia River (the natural border between modern day Oregon and Washington State).

Eventhough it was to explicitly to try to expand American influence Westward, but there was also scientific and geographical as well as geological objectives. It would also change the maps of the Pacific Northwest for the time. During the voyage, a Native American woman named *Sacagawea* aided the expedition as it journeyed to the Rocky Mountain region, most of the information is very sketchy but she had journey with them to negotiate deals with other Native American tribes.

On September 23, 1806, the expedition had ended with a real success of expanding American influence as well as the scientific and geographical studies. But the expanding west didn't end with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it would continue and through some evil, inhumane ways.

## Indian Removal Act

There was still so much open land to settle by the Americans. By 1830, the US Government had passed what is called the *Indian Removal Act*, which was a controversial move by the Government which basically allows the nation to expell any Native American that is inside the USA's realm of influence. By 1838 as the Americans continue to venture and settle into new lands, the Native American tribes in the south such as the *Chickasaw,* the *Chocktaw*, the *Muscogee* and more prominaently the *Cherokee* had to move from their native lands and move out west where there's lands not settled by the Americans (namely a place where would be Modern day Oklahoma). These Native American tribes had no say and there was nothing they can do but to agree with the US Government. The tribes moved out west, but only a few actually made it. This would be known to only some Americans as *"The Trail of Tears"*

Now, the Americans were quite excited to expand their country's realm of influence, which is good for the USA. But perhaps they were "too" excited, as they wanted territories that were owned by Britain and areas that would be owned by another North American Power: *Mexico*. Which would bring the USA to war with both Nations.

That is what the next page will cover. The USA goes to war with Britain with the *War of 1812* and then with Mexico with the *Mexcian-American War.* Click here to continue.