how did western expansion influence national politics? course hero

What was the impact of westward expansion on American politics?

Westward expansion, particularly west of the Mississippi River, had profound effects on American politics. The Monroe Doctrine set forth a policy of Manifest Destiny that the United States should extend from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast.

Was the expansionist doctrine based on racial superiority?

Despite the fact that the expansionist doctrine was based partly on the notion of racial superiority—O'Sullivan referred to the “superior vigor of the Anglo‐Saxon race”—it appealed both to supporters of slavery, who wanted Texas annexed, and to antislavery advocates, who favored adding California and Oregon to the Union.

How did the Monroe Doctrine justify expansion into the west?

A few decades later, American politicians used the Monroe Doctrine in conjunction with the policy of Manifest Destiny to justify expansion into the American West. Those who advocated Manifest Destiny believed that it was the right or “destiny” of the United States to span both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

What was the foreign policy of the 1840s?

American politics in the 1820s and 1830s had been dominated by domestic issues: the banks, tariffs, and internal improvements. In the 1840s, foreign policy- “American expansion,” more accurately-took center stage. The shift was due in part to the political opportunism of John Tyler, William Henry Harrison's vice president.

How did westward expansion affect the United States?

However, westward expansion provided the United States with vast natural resources and ports along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts for expanding trade, key elements in creating the superpower America is today.

How did westward expansion influence democracy?

This expansion led to debates about the fate of slavery in the West, increasing tensions between the North and South that ultimately led to the collapse of American democracy and a brutal civil war.

What were the 5 reasons for westward expansion?

What were 5 reasons for westward expansion?free land railroad gold and silver adventure and opportunity cattleWhat were some challenges the cowboys faced on the long drive?Violent storms, wind, rain, moving rivers, stampedes, rustlers, hot sun, discrimination, and 15 hours on the saddle38 more rows

How did western expansion affect the sectional tensions between the north and the South?

Expansion lead to economic promise and fueled the manifest destiny but it also lead to sectional tension over slavery. The north contained a lot of abolitionists while the south was commonly pro-slavery, this increased sectional tension because each side wanted to see their ideals extended into the west.

What were the political reasons for westward expansion?

Suggested Teaching InstructionsGold rush and mining opportunities (silver in Nevada)The opportunity to work in the cattle industry; to be a “cowboy”Faster travel to the West by railroad; availability of supplies due to the railroad.The opportunity to own land cheaply under the Homestead Act.More items...

How did politicians justify westward expansion?

Contents. Manifest Destiny, a phrase coined in 1845, is the idea that the United States is destined—by God, its advocates believed—to expand its dominion and spread democracy and capitalism across the entire North American continent.

What were the political reasons for manifest destiny?

The idea of Manifest Destiny arose in response to the prospect of U.S. annexation of Texas and to a dispute with Britain over the Oregon Country, which became part of the union.

What were the three main reasons for expansion?

After the Civil War the U.S. began expanding its control and influence beyond North America to other countries. Reasons the U.S. tried to influence other nations: (1) Economic (2) Military (3) Moral.

What was the westward expansion quizlet?

What is westward expansion? Americans migrating west. To acquire land from another person or country. You just studied 40 terms!

How did westward expansion lead to the Civil War quizlet?

With westward expansion, more states entered the Union. This led to fierce debates about the spread of slavery to these new lands. This eventually became a factor leading to the Civil War.

How might the expansion of the United States Impact America politically?

This expansion created a number of political crises that revolved around the expansion of slavery, dispossession of Native Americans and federal landholdings in the West.

What were the positive effects of westward expansion?

As it doubled the land area of the U.S., it also increased goods, services and wealth. Some advocates said that not only did the movement increase the size of the country, expanding to other countries and not just states, but it also added to farm lands needed to produce products and poultry.

How did the Civil War affect freedoms?

Civil war lead to the infringement on civil liberties where freedoms that were protected under the constitution had to be put aside due to state of emergency. President Lincoln suspended Habeus Corpus and shuttered dissenting newspapers while curtailing freedom of speech during the war to prevent dissemination of Union secrets or Confederate sympathetic messages that could have driven up their recruitment. Civil law was suspended in confederate states which were placed under martial law during the the Civil war and there was massive confiscations of private property belonging to Confederates and their sympathizers. Another way civil liberties were infrdged upon was through the restriction on commerce prohibiting supply ships to the south under the Anaconda plan.

What was the purpose of the Slave Power?

A small gathering of rich slave owning elites had managed to seize power in Southern states despite slave owners being a minority of the whites there and were attempting to subvert the federal government for the selfish goal of amassing personal fortunes. Northern abolitionists felt threated by this group which could spread slavery throughout the country and gain complete control of government cutting out the northerners on important decisions for the Union. Let us not forget that there was a national cake in the form of a budget to be shared and neither side wanted to lose their share or seat in the "room where it happens" (in this case Congress)

What was the power of the slaves?

Slave Power was the term used by abolitionists to reference the unchecked power held by the rich slave owning political elite of the South who were in control of the political power of southern states and were seeking to seize control of he central government. Northerners felt threatened by the spread of slavery as an institution and the unbalanced power of pro-slavery forces in the federal government which could leave them without much say in the running of the Union. In case slavery was left unchecked it could not only deny people the freedom that was supposed to be the essence of founding the nation but also increase the control of slave owning political forces over abolitionist Northern forces and the whole continent would become a slavery zone.

What was the effect of the Westward Expansion?

Westward expansion, particularly west of the Mississippi River, had profound effects on American politics. The Monroe Doctrine set forth a policy of Manifest Destiny that the United States should extend from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast. This expansion created a number of political crises that revolved around the expansion of slavery, ...

What was the main political issue of the first half of the 19th century?

The spread of slavery into the West became the main political issue of the first half of the 19th century. To maintain a balance between free and slave states, a compromise was reached in 1820 in which Maine was admitted as a free state and Missouri as a slave state. The southern boundary of Missouri formed the 1820 Missouri Compromise line in which slavery would not be allowed north of this line, with the exception of Missouri. This issue came to a head after Texas was added as a slave state in 1845. This resulted in the Mexican-American War and the eventual addition of California as a free state to balance Texas. The political balance of power in Congress between free and slave states was precarious, and it came to a head with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. Although both states are north of the Missouri Compromise line, this act allowed Nebraska and Kansas to vote whether to be free or slave. Violence erupted in Kansas over these elections, and the Civil War began a few years later in 1861.

What was the southern boundary of Missouri?

The southern boundary of Missouri formed the 1820 Missouri Compromise line in which slavery would not be allowed north of this line, with the exception of Missouri. This issue came to a head after Texas was added as a slave state in 1845.

What was the Monroe doctrine?

1 Monroe Doctrine. In 1823, President James Monroe, in an address to Congress, outlined a foreign policy known as the Monroe Doctrine. In this address, Monroe stated that European powers were to stay out of Western Hemisphere affairs, and that the United States had the right to claim independent lands in the New World.

What was the American West?

The American West was not empty land but rather inhabited by hundreds of various Native American groups. The forced removal of Native Americans from their lands for westward expansion is a tragic history. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the United States began a policy of forced removal of tribes west of the Mississippi River.

What was the result of the Mexican American War?

This resulted in the Mexican-American War and the eventual addition of California as a free state to balance Texas. The political balance of power in Congress between free and slave states was precarious, and it came to a head with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854.

What act was passed to grant land to settlers?

In 1862, Lincoln signed the Homestead Act , which granted public lands in the West for settlement, particularly for agricultural or ranching purposes.

How did the Westward Expansion affect American politics?

This expansion created a number of political crises that revolved around the expansion of slavery, dispossession of Native Americans and federal landholdings in the West.

How did the Westward movement change Native Americans?

The Westward movement changed the way of life for Native Americans and Americans. Those who moved West had to adapt to the land and climate. They had to become innovative and create organizations to safe guard their new way of life. The Native Americans were forced to give up their way of life and their land.

How did the Federal Government help Native Americans?

The Federal Government aided in the acquisition of land along with protection against Native Americans, the improvement of transportation to the west, and giving incentive for western settlement. Both Governments did however, contribute greatly to the increase of farming efficiency.

Who were the front runners for the presidency in 1844?

The election of 1844. The front runners for the presidency in 1844 were Henry Clay for the Whigs and Martin Van Buren for the Democrats. Before the parties' nominating conventions, the two men met and agreed to keep the issues of expansion and slavery out of the campaign.

What was the political issue in the 1820s?

American politics in the 1820s and 1830s had been dominated by domestic issues: the banks, tariffs, and internal improvements. In the 1840s, foreign policy— “American expansion,” more accurately—took center stage. The shift was due in part to the political opportunism of John Tyler, William Henry Harrison's vice president. A former Democrat who had broken with Jackson over nullification, Tyler became president when Harrison died after just a month in office. Tyler really did not support the Whig program; his vetoing of bills that would have reestablished the Bank of the United States and raised tariffs led to the wholesale resignation of his cabinet (except Secretary of State Daniel Webster) and lost him what little support the Whig party had earlier given him.