Westward Expansion: In what ways was the “West” real and in what ways was it mythical?
I need a strong introduction with a strong thesis. The intro is the most important part of the paper. Need to explain why it is mostly mythical (empty promises to people moving to the west for a better more successful lifestyle).
Summary
17.1 The Westward Spirit
While a few bold settlers had moved westward before the middle of the nineteenth century, they were the
exception, not the rule. The “great American desert,” as it was called, was considered a vast and empty
place, unfit for civilized people. In the 1840s, however, this idea started to change, as potential settlers
began to learn more from promoters and land developers of the economic opportunities that awaited them
in the West, and Americans extolled the belief that it was their Manifest Destiny—their divine right—to
explore and settle the western territories in the name of the United States.
Chapter 17 | Go West Young Man! Westward Expansion, 1840-1900 505
Most settlers in this first wave were white Americans of means. Whether they sought riches in gold,
cattle, or farming, or believed it their duty to spread Protestant ideals to native inhabitants, they headed
west in wagon trains along paths such as the Oregon Trail. European immigrants, particularly those from
Northern Europe, also made the trip, settling in close-knit ethnic enclaves out of comfort, necessity, and
familiarity. African Americans escaping the racism of the South also went west. In all, the newly settled
areas were neither a fast track to riches nor a simple expansion into an empty land, but rather a clash of
cultures, races, and traditions that defined the emerging new America.
17.2 Homesteading: Dreams and Realities
The concept of Manifest Destiny and the strong incentives to relocate sent hundreds of thousands of people
west across the Mississippi. The rigors of this new way of life presented many challenges and difficulties to
homesteaders. The land was dry and barren, and homesteaders lost crops to hail, droughts, insect swarms,
and more. There were few materials with which to build, and early homes were made of mud, which did
not stand up to the elements. Money was a constant concern, as the cost of railroad freight was exorbitant,
and banks were unforgiving of bad harvests. For women, life was difficult in the extreme. Farm wives
worked at least eleven hours per day on chores and had limited access to doctors or midwives. Still, they
were more independent than their eastern counterparts and worked in partnership with their husbands.
As the railroad expanded and better farm equipment became available, by the 1870s, large farms began to
succeed through economies of scale. Small farms still struggled to stay afloat, however, leading to a rising
discontent among the farmers, who worked so hard for so little success.
17.3 Making a Living in Gold and Cattle
While homesteading was the backbone of western expansion, mining and cattle also played significant
roles in shaping the West. Much rougher in character and riskier in outcomes than farming, these two
opportunities brought forward a different breed of settler than the homesteaders. Many of the long-trail
cattle riders were Mexican American or African American, and most of the men involved in both pursuits
were individuals willing to risk what little they had in order to strike it rich.
In both the mining and cattle industries, however, individual opportunities slowly died out, as
resources—both land for grazing and easily accessed precious metals—disappeared. In their place came
big business, with the infrastructure and investments to make a profit. These businesses built up small
towns into thriving cities, and the influx of middle-class families sought to drive out some of the violence
and vice that characterized the western towns. Slowly but inexorably, the “American” way of life, as
envisioned by the eastern establishment who initiated and promoted the concept of Manifest Destiny, was
spreading west.
17.4 The Loss of American Indian Life and Culture
The interaction of the American Indians with white settlers during the western expansion movement was a
painful and difficult one. For settlers raised on the notion of Manifest Destiny and empty lands, the Indians
added a terrifying element to what was already a difficult and dangerous new world. For the Indians, the
arrival of the settlers meant nothing less than the end of their way of life. Rather than cultural exchange,
contact led to the virtual destruction of Indian life and culture. While violent acts broke out on both sides,
the greatest atrocities were perpetrated by whites, who had superior weapons and often superior numbers,
as well as the support of the U.S. government.
The death of the Indian way of life happened as much at the hands of well-intentioned reformers as those
who wished to see the Indians exterminated. Individual land ownership, boarding schools, and pleas to
renounce Indian gods and culture were all elements of the reformers’ efforts. With so much of their life.
