Reasons for Expansion of the United States free essay sample

The United States in the nineteenth century evolved from settling on the Atlantic coast in the seventeenth century all the way to the Pacific Coast. Some civilians from the late 1830s and 1840s believed slavery to be the primary cause of western expansion. While this may be true, it was not the primary reason. There were many reasons for the expansion that were equally as important and impactful as slavery. The annexation of new states would allow the United States to grow economically and industrially. With John O’ Sullivan’s and the government’s view of â€Å"Manifest Destiny†, it was an American’s obligation to expand because of their national pride and superiority over Mexicans, African Americans, and Native Americans. The opponents of the addition of Texas and the Mexican War attacked slavery as being the primary and root cause of the expansion. It was not a primary reason, but was definitely a participating factor. We will write a custom essay sample on Reasons for Expansion of the United States or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Starting around 1829, Southern and Western states were urged and understood to be for the purpose of slave labor. The Reverend William Ellery Channing in 1837 said a letter to Henry Clay that the annexation of Texas would revive slavery in the South and add it to new parts of the country of the country where African American slavery never existed (Doc B). Texas was annexed on December 1845, followed by the Oregon Territory on June 1846. By expanding the nation further west to Texas and beyond to the coast of the Pacific Ocean, the cultivation of using slaves for free labor would cause slavery to be stronger and more protected in the United States. The land and fertile soil of Texas would allow new cotton industry, using slaves as laborers. The population of African-American slaves would escalate with the annexation of Texas. George McDuffie of South Carolina, in the position of a white, â€Å"superior† senator, thought the annexation of Texas for the benefit of slaves. Slaves would live in better conditions that they had previously been under and would be happier (Doc C). In the year 1846, the Mexican-American War that was provoked by Texas was admitted to the United States. Two years later in 1848, the United States obtained the Mexican Cession, ceding California and New Mexico to the U. S. , as well as Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico. With all this new territory, Southerners saw this opportunity to revive slavery, which was declining gradually by the work of abolitionists. California and Texas disturbed the balance of free states and slaves states in the nation. With all different objectives and viewpoints, the nation was near to division. The Compromise of 1850 allowed California to be a free state allowed into the Union. All the other parts of the Mexican Cession had inhabitants of the territory decide if they would be considered a slave or free state, also known as popular sovereignty. The United States purchased the Mexican Cession for $15 million and later had to pay an extra $10 million to Mexico for a small strip of Arizona and New Mexico land known as the Gadsden Purchase. That strip of land had a conducive railroad route to California. Slave trade was abolished in the capitol of the nation, but not slavery itself. Finally, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was replaced with a more effective Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, in which it was an American’s duty to return or help commissioners return a fugitive slave to his owner. With the Compromise of 1850 in place, slave was definitely able to maintain itself with the land expansion. While slavery was one of the key reasons for expansion, an idea of â€Å"manifest destiny† triggered American people to migrate west. It was an idea in which America was to be the great, superior and nationalistic country destined by God and history to expand and be a model country for the world. Manifest Destiny expanded all the way to the Pacific Ocean and would not be restricted to the North American continent. The desire for expansion was a selfless one; It was an attempt to better the nation for the superior Americans. By doing so, they inconsiderately pushed the indigenous people from their homeland, like in the Indian Removal Act of 1830. It was believed that the â€Å"American race† was superior to all the other races in America, like the Mexicans, Native Americans, and African Americans. Written in 1845 in the Democratic Review, John L. O’Sullivan states that â€Å"it will be idle for Mexico to dream of dominion† because the Anglo-Saxon white settlers took their land and built schools, farms and their own buildings (Doc D). An editor from the New York Sun in 1847 showed their supposed â€Å"superiorty† by stating that â€Å"the [Mexican] race us perfectly accustomed to being conquered†¦We offer them a position infinitely above any they have occupied† (Doc H). Manifest Destiny planted an idea in white Americans head that what they had to offer to America was the best for everyone. The Mexicans and Native Americans were pushed off of their land and forced to move for the expansion of the United States of America. The United States saw annexation as a way to increase their economy and industry. Senator Thomas Corwin of Ohio said in 1845 that they should grasp San Francisco as their own because it has the best harbor in the Pacific that no man could resist if he could take it (Doc E). James Polk saw expansion as a way to utilize North America’s vast resources. Rather than confliction and tension between Texas and the United States, annexation would peacefully solve those conundrums. With Texas annexed, the United States would be free to communicate with Texas and cross her frontiers. One important fact is that the United States had access to Texas’ ports and trade routes (Doc F). For the benefit of the Southern slave states, rich soil and bountiful land was able to be used for the growth of slavery and the King Cotton business that surrounded slavery. For the benefit of the Northern states, they would have more land to open their markets to so their businesses could prosper. While some Northern states did not recommend settling west in fear that they would leave the factory in the North. Before the time period of 1820-1860, America had laid its foundations by writing a Constitution and preparing the nation for growth and development. During the time period of 1820-1860, America was ready to settle west and utilize the rest of the country. For some Southern states, expansion and the annexation of new territories and states were justified by America’s â€Å"triple object of extending slavery, of strengthening â€Å"Slave Power†Ã¢â‚¬  in the United States (Doc A). Slavery was not the root cause for expansion. The belief of Manifest Destiny in which America was destined by God to expand their nation and superiority far and wide was seen as another root for expansion. The fact that new resources, land and routes would be open to the United States with ease if they annexed new states showed the expansion benefitted the nation. Although slavery was a factor that led to the expansion of the almighty United States of America, there were more root causes that allowed America to expand, progress, and ultimately become the country it is today.