American History

    The defeat of the British Army during the American Revolution opened many possibilities for the newly-founded republic. The colonial powers were busy contesting for power in Asia and Africa  a condition which expanded US influence in both Canada and Latin America. The door to the central Mississippi region was partially opened the French sold its possessions in the region to the United States to finance its wars in Europe. Spanish possessions (todays New Mexico, Texas, California, Arizona, and Florida) were economically and politically unstable  the Spanish army was grounded as a result of the French invasion of Spain. With the weakening of the colonial powers in these areas, there was a potential opportunity to expand  the result being a constructive fortitude of unprecedented American expansionism.
   
    In 1803, Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana territory from the French. At the same time, a small US army unit led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark headed across the continent. The goal of the expedition or mission was to find a route to the Pacific Ocean using the Missouri and Columbia river systems. After two excruciating years, Lewis and Clark returned to the West. Their findings concerning the land, its natural resources, and the inhabitants became the basis of future migration policies. In the political arena, these findings led to 1) informal consensus regarding the value of westward expansion 2) opportunity to expand the electorate, as such, the creation of new administrative districts 3) initiative to increase revenue measures (taxes and capital gains). Indeed, with the conclusion of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the American public became aware of the opportunities in the West. At a glimpse, the West became the synbol of opportunity, power, and wealth. It became the future so to speak of a young republic. Thus, when the roads were opened to the West, people flocked. Land was barely an issue. There was so much for everyone. Indeed, this was a situation when the laws of economic scarcity rarely applied. The abundance of resources encouraged the growth of the region, as exemplified in the evidences.

    The Westward expansion may be viewed as a classical example of radical development. A significant portion of the American population migrated to the West to find wealth and good opportunities. Development became an individual course, as it was impossible to incorporate the basics of American politics in the area. On the other hand, the West also served as the basket yard of the republic in the next 200 years.