What Role Did Westward Expansion Play In The Westward Expansion

The westward expansion was one of Americans biggest desire to take the western territories that were claimed by other countries. Westward expansion played a pretty big role in the divisions during the 1840s and 1850s in the United States. The exploration of new land leads to an unknown abyss, to gain access to the western part of the country the white settlers had to pass through the Native Americans, or a horrific predator waiting to attack. Complication with Texas led to the Mexican War and shortly after the Wilmot Proviso began. The big decision to include Missouri on the new states list depended on if it would be free or full of slavery. Many people believed in the Manifest Destiny and those same people had to deal with the coming election. Overall use of expansion is to ensure a country has the manpower and resources for future perseveration of its nation. After the war of 1812 many of America’s attention turned to exploration/settlement of its territory to the West which had been greatly influenced by the Louisiana Purchase. It is still argued that one of the most significant times in history for the United States was the acquisition of an enormous land west of the Mississippi River in 1803 by President Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had a plan for the nation that depended upon …show more content…
Army captain Merriweather Lewis and William Clark, to explore this new territory and into the Oregon territory before the Europeans “The Lewis and Clark Expedition”. A 2-year trip with the help of a native Sacagawea, they returned from their journey to inform Thomas Jefferson of the resources and natives they encountered. Lewis and Clark exploration established fur trade and making contact with more than 72 Native American tribes. Their scientific data alone provided great advances, including the discovery of 178 new plants and 122 previously unknown species and subspecies of