Evolution of American Society with regard to expansion between 1815 and 1846

p 4 1 EVOLUTION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY WITH REGARD TO EXPANSION BETWEEN 1815 AND 1846 Following the War of1812 , Americans started to feel the spirit of nationalism . Proud of what they achieved , Americans started to expand westward . This dramatic rise in expansion helped mold the American society as it separated from the Old World . This migration produced profound effect on the nation 's economy . Alan Brinkley , American History A Survey 11th Ed (USA : McGraw-Hill , 2003 , 221

Likewise , the westward movement also played out in the Civil War Ibid p

It brought people of diverse backgrounds to convene and associate with each other , some with favorable outcomes , others were deemed disastrous . Ibid

The expansion fever is indeed a major step unification of the United States

Several reasons were cited for this westward expansion : population and economic burdens , vast lands in the West , and the weakened Indian resistance making them migrate to the West . Ibid The growth of population in the East grew dramatically that people started to notice how dense the areas had become . By 1820 , the population had reached 9 .6 million . Ibid

The increasing population was caused either naturally or through immigration . Ibid

European immigration rapidly grew in the country , most of whom were Germans and Irish .Ibid , 263

The influx of Germans and Irish in the country was mainly due to liberal revolution that plagued Germany and potato famine that ravaged Ireland . Ibid , 265

Such migration to the country affected the population that some people started to pack up and look for a new home

Furthermore , the growing population also affected the economy of the region . The lands in the east were all occupied , with some becoming depleted already . Ibid , 221

This caused the settlers to find new agricultural lands . Their search led them to the west . Settling in the west , they started to cultivate the lands , raise families , created communities and institutions such as schools , churches , and stores . Ibid , 222

It served as the foundation for the formation of American society Additionally , trading started to look up for the white settlers Mexico , which controlled Texas and California at that time , proved to be a perfect opportunity for white settlers to move eastward . Ibid , 223

Mexico opened its trade and the white settlers grabbed it . They sold their trades at a low price and eventually were able to depose of the Mexicans and Indian traders in the area . They would also settle in the region , with some of the settlers marrying Indian and Mexican women Ibid , 224 After the War of 1812 , the federal government sought a policy that would move Indian tribes to the west . The government also created a factor system ' which provided the tribes with goods at a certain cost . Ibid , 221

This did not only help the Native Americans but also the government in transacting with them . In 1830 , the Indian Removal Law was passed which enabled the President to do land exchanges . Ernest May and Winthrop Jordan , The American People A History to 1877 (Illinois...