Innovations in business and technology transformed the speed and productivity of mining and agriculture which ultimately stimulated the economy in the U.S. As such more settlers out west farming more land and sending farm products eastward caused more people to move west and more development of land out west.
Full Answer
How did the growth of the west affect the economy?
With costs depleting the value of their crops, farmers often had nothing left to pay their debts and live on. As the population of the West increased, dusty trading posts and modest towns became vibrant cities. The railroads and the resources of the West combined to create a network of busy urban centers across the region.
How did the railroad affect farmers in the west?
Railroad executives explained that it was more expensive to run their trains in the West, but the farmers saw the railroad owners getting very rich while they were barely making a living. Most farmers had to borrow money to keep their farms going, and many were heavily in debt.
Why did settlers move to the west in the 1860s?
In the 1860s increasing numbers of white settlers ventured west. Industrial developments such as the expansion of railroads, as well as the discovery of gold and silver and the growing cattle ranching trade accounted for this migration to the region that had long been viewed as the "Great American Desert."
What problems did the new cities of the west suffer from?
The new cities of the West suffered from many of the same problems that gripped the older urban areas of the East. Workers and their families often lived in over-crowded, unsanitary slums, urban areas characterized by the most extreme conditions of poverty, run-down housing, and crime.
What factors contributed to the settlement of the West?
Gold rush and mining opportunities (silver in Nevada) The opportunity to work in the cattle industry; to be a “cowboy” Faster travel to the West by railroad; availability of supplies due to the railroad. The opportunity to own land cheaply under the Homestead Act.
What events had the greatest impact on the settlement of the West?
The California Gold Rush was a major factor in expansion west of the Mississippi. That westward expansion was greatly aided by the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, and passage of the Homestead Act in 1862.
How did the Industrial Revolution affect westward expansion?
Now western settlers were spurred onward by the development of the transcontinental railroad, a major byproduct of the period of industrialization that had begun in earnest. The expansion and immigration of the late 1800s merged with this industrialization to provoke the growth of American urban society.
What struggles did settlers experience settling West?
Once they embarked, settlers faced numerous challenges: oxen dying of thirst, overloaded wagons, and dysentery, among others. Trails were poorly marked and hard to follow, and travelers often lost their way. Guidebooks attempted to advise travelers, but they were often unreliable.
Which industries had the greatest impact on westward expansion and why?
Overview. Land, mining, and improved transportation by rail brought settlers to the American West during the Gilded Age. New agricultural machinery allowed farmers to increase crop yields with less labor, but falling prices and rising expenses left them in debt.
What was the biggest impact of westward expansion?
Westward Expansion had the biggest impact on the economy and there were several positive outcomes as a result of Manifest Destiny. First, Westward Expansion led to the creation of many new technologies including steamboats, canals and the transcontinental railroads.
How did the westward expansion affect the economy?
Because slavery was the backbone of America it helped the expansion a lot. Moving westward helped expand the amount of agriculture that was being produced there for it was helping boost the economy because they were able to make more money because they had more land.
How was the westward expansion successful?
The canal and railroad systems, which grew up in the North, facilitated a much larger volume of trade and manufacturing while reducing costs a great deal. Great cities sprang up throughout the North and Northwest, bolstered by the improvement in transportation.
How did the industrialization of the West change American lives?
The industrial revolution caused rapid urbanization in America, with people moving from the countryside to the cities in droves. In 1800, only 6 percent of the population of America lived in cities but by 1900, that number had increased to 40 percent. By 1920, the vast majority of Americans lived in cities.
What were the 3 main problems the early settlers faced?
Food shortages, disease and illness, establishing relations with the native Powhatan Indians and the lack of skilled labor were the pri- mary problems the early settlers faced.
What was the problem with westward expansion?
The philosophy drove 19th-century U.S. territorial expansion and was used to justify the forced removal of Native Americans and other groups from their homes. The rapid expansion of the United States intensified the issue of slavery as new states were added to the Union, leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.
What challenges did the early settlers face?
Lured to the New World with promises of wealth, most colonists were unprepared for the constant challenges they faced: drought, starvation, the threat of attack, and disease.
What historical events happened during the Wild West?
Go to the TWMag.com forum and tell us which event you feel had the most impact in shaping the West.Lewis and Clark Expedition: 1804-1806. ... Ashley-Henry Expedition of 1822. ... William Becknell & the Opening of the Santa Fe Trail in 1822. ... The Texas Revolution. ... The Comstock Lode. ... The Battle of Glorieta Pass.More items...•
Which of these events first allowed many more settlers to move west?
encouraged to learn many languages. forbidden to learn English. Which of these events first allowed many more settlers to move west? the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
What was the influence of the West on the American economy?
American 19th Century Economic Growth in the West As transportation improved, new markets continuously opened to take advantage. The steamboat made river traffic faster and cheaper, but the development of railroads had an even greater effect, opening up vast stretches of new territory for development.
What was the settlement of the West?
The Western Settlement (Old Norse: Vestribygð [ˈwestreˌbyɣð]) was a group of farms and communities established by Norsemen from Iceland around 985 in medieval Greenland.