WestWard Expansion

After the civil war many Americans were eager to move west to claim cheap land and to start a new life. However westward expansion destroyed many Native Americans and their way of life.

There are many reasons why the settlers moved west. Once gold was discovered many people rushed westward in hopes of becoming rich. Another reason people moved west was because it had very fertile land. An act of Congress, the Homestead Act gave settlers 640 acres of land. (Document 2) In 1866 15,000,000 acres of land was opened for settlement. Another reason p...