Westward Expansion In America In The 1800s
Essay by 24 • March 31, 2011 • 1,512 Words (7 Pages) • 3,466 Views
How do you see progress, as a process that is beneficial or in contrast, that itÐ'Ò's a hurtful process that everyone at one point of their lives has to pass through it? At the time, progress was beneficial for the United States, but those benefits came with a cost, such cost that instead of advancements and developments being advantageous factors for humanity, it also became a harmful process in which numerous people were affected in many facets of life. This all means that progress is awsome to achieve, but when achieved, people have to realize the process they had to do to achieve it, which was stepping on other people to get there.
Westward expansion was the greatest method to achieve the grouping of the natural resources found and use them as needed. To gain access to the western part of the country the white settlers had to pass through the Native Americans. While pushing westward the white culture clashed with the plain indians and their culture. As a result of this clash bloody battles surged and the white settlers were victorious and the government restricted the Native American lands to small portions. The government supported assimilation, which was the plan to unite the Native American culture with the white one.
White settlers started moving westward to settle the land gained by the victory over the Native Americans. A major factor that caused this major movement, other than by the victory of the war, was the homestead act. This act provided and granted 160 acres of free land to any citizen who was the head of a house or family. While moving, the settlers were challanged by the new enviornment of the plains and they had to start adapting to the new enviornment. While moving west, all farmers were supported by the government on technical aspects and on agricultural education.
After settlements were established, farmers opposed the government. The farmers united to form their opposing union that would lead their opposing movement and solve their common problems that they had with economic distress and railroads. The grange and farmersÐ'Ò' alliances surged with the quest to get the government to support them. The rise of the populist party caused a scare and panic to other government groups, but it didnÐ'Ò't last, the populist party collapsed.
Natural resourses was the main reason why there was a westward expansion in the first place. Those resources were key to the development of progress as a whole of the whole nation. Blackgold, known as oil, was used for many things including gasoline and refinements. Steel was important because it was found that it was light,more flexible, rust resistant metal than iron. New uses for natural resources was key to progress.
Railroads played an extremely important role in providing national transportation and time and space were conserved. Even though this process of using the railroads was a big step in development for society, to do it and make it happen, the working conditions on the immigrants that worked on the railroads was extremely harsh Due to the creation of the railroads, opportunities surged, meaning new towns and markets were being made around the railroads, construction and manurfacturing factories arose around the area aswell. In general, apart from the progress railroads promoted, it caused panic and national problems to many.
With the needs of manufacturing the natural resources, immigrants from all over the world came to America in search for job opportunities.Nativism affected the chinese immigrants in search for jobs because the white americans saw the chinese immigrants as invaders to their jobs. The immigrants needed the jobs so much that they would go through cheap but very cheap labor to gain money, and this is were the politicians come in and play their role. Politicians, knowing how bad the immigrants needed their jobs, established cheap labor to many immigrants, and from that they gained a considerable amount of money and became very wealthy. Also these business owners had the support of the politicians so that the politicians can help them economically and any other ways but in change, those business owners that to vote for them. An addition to the cheap labor, working conditions were harsh and the immigrants were exploited.
Immigrants started to look out west in the search to accomplish their dream to obtain land. Even though many immigrants ran away due to persecution in their countries, many also went to America because of personal desire. After arriving to America they worked hard to try and have enough money to move west in search of land.After moving west and settleing in the area after having enough money to achieve it, they promoted agricultural progress. Agriculture was common within immigrants and it was their method of survival in the west. After getting their land and achieving their goals, they looked towards the future and start imply technological advancements.
The process of manufacturing all the natural resources that were brought by the railroads from the west was to be done by immigrants that would accept cheap labor, this process was called industrialization. Companies arise to the world of society, many of those companies own factories that manufactured and made useful natural resources. Also technology starts to play an important role in American life and on the future meaning that technological companies surged. All this manufacturing made by the factories that were owned by the companies promoted a general advancement.
The companies used business strategies to outsmart opposing companies. Successful businesses gave money
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