AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Causes of Westward Migration (Day 118/309)
Oct 31, 2023
Welcome to today’s explanation of Causes of Westward Migration in my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!
Trails West, National Geographic
By the 1840s, migration to western lands had steadily increased. Trailblazers and mountain men carved paths, like the Oregon Trail, which were then utilized by many Americans seeking change to their circumstances.
The Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Some of the early migrants were fueled by religious motivations. Protestant missionaries journeyed to the Oregon territory to spread Christianity to American Indians. Mormons sought refuge in present-day Salt Lake City to practice their religion free from persecution.
Emigrants Crossing the Plains, Wikimedia Commons
A major motivation for many Americans was economic opportunity. Land in the west was inexpensive and, due to the Romantic style of writing, it was depicted as being astonishingly fertile. When gold was discovered in 1849, mass migrations ensued.
Sarah Bowman, The Great Western as Landlady, Wikimedia Commons
Others moved west to live in a like-minded utopian community, such as the Kansas Vegetarian Colony, or for more opportunities for freedom including single young women and African Americans.
The 1840s were marked by increased westward migration. Americans seeking religious refuge, mission work, economic opportunities, utopia, and freedom journeyed into lands occupied and controlled by other nations and American Indian tribes.
Join me tomorrow as I explain Manifest Destiny in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!
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