Immigration has reshaped the economic and political landscape of the United States since the first settlers arrived in the 17th century. The westward expansion of the Europeans affected the country’s economic, social, and cultural aspects. The expansion increased the number of European settlers in the west. The westward expansion of these settlers created several political and social upheavals in the country.
Most of these crises revolved around slavery and federal landholdings. The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy aimed at taming the powers of these European Americans. The policy required these groups to avoid the affairs of the Western Hemisphere. The European Americans decided to use this policy to justify their intentions. The settlers continued to move westwards.
The expansion also created a political imbalance because of the issue of slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed these two states to vote over the burning issue of slavery. This expansion also led to the spread of slavery. This situation changed the political climate of America throughout the 19th century. The westward expansion also initiated the American Civil War in 1861. The Native Americans inhabited most of the Western Hemisphere. The European expansion removed most of these natives from their lands.
The Louisiana Purchase was a ruthless decision. The decision led to the eviction of many tribes from their lands. This occurred in the west of Mississippi. The Removal Act populated by Andrew Jackson encouraged more European Americans to move westwards. The settlers also established new reservation systems.
The settlers forced the Native Americans to occupy unproductive lands. The situation led to the creation of new public parks from various federal lands. This description explains why the political climate of the country changed after this westward movement.
This expansion also changed the country’s cultural and social landscapes. The Europeans gained more land and evicted the natives from their communities. This situation affected the socio-cultural practices of the people. They abandoned most of their traditional practices and religious beliefs. The Europeans also interacted with these natives and changed their language. The European settlers also gave the natives new names. Most of these new names sounded friendly to the Europeans.
The Native Americans began to embrace Christianity. Different settlers encouraged the natives to embrace Christianity. This westward expansion also resulted in greater socio-cultural changes in the country. The natives began to consume new foods. The settlers began to move westwards after the states won the infamous revolutionary war. The European Americans encouraged these natives to practice new agricultural methods.
The natives developed harsh feelings against the white men. These tribes encouraged their children to hate these settlers. This situation resulted in racial tension among the citizens. These practices or situations changed the socio-cultural climate of the United States. Many historians believe that this westward expansion encouraged racism and violence in the country. The westward movement also resulted in mutual adaption. The movement merged different cultural practices, religious beliefs, and traditional ideas.
This development explains how a new culture emerged in the country. New practices such as education and art became part of the American culture. The country’s image developed to portray one of the most diverse cultures in the universe. The country witnessed the proliferation of new actors, painters, sculptors, and writers. New intellectuals emerged thus making the country unique.
This explains why the new culture encouraged more people to think deeper, establish new relationships, and address every challenge affecting the people. The westward expansion caused both positive and negative forces. The agreeable thing is that it led to the establishment of a unique American culture.