Chapter 17 - Westward Expansion

Apuntes

Chapter 17 - Westward Expansion Study Guide + Flashcards for the Midterm Essay Part 1 - 10 Ideas in English Learn these ideas in order. Together, they give you the story you can use to build a 250+ word essay. 1 Many Americans believed in Manifest Destiny, the idea that the United States was destined to expand across the continent. 2 The federal government encouraged people to move West through the Homestead Act and the Pacific Railway Act. These policies provided opportunities for land and helped expand the railroad system. 3 People moved West looking for land and economic opportunities. Many became farmers, while others searched for gold and other minerals or worked in the cattle industry. 4 Life in the West was difficult. Farmers faced drought, harsh weather, irrigation problems, expensive railroad rates, and debt. 5 As more settlers moved West, they wanted land that was already occupied by Native Americans. The government used treaties and reservations to relocate Native tribes, but these agreements often failed to protect Native lands. 6 After gold was discovered in the Black Hills, White settlers entered Sioux territory. This violated the agreement with the Lakota an...