Westward Expansion and Population Growth

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Westward Expansion and Population Growth

• 1790-1860

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Main ideas

• In the early 1800s, the US was expanding.
• It was physically growing westward.
• The population was increasing.
• Cities were growing.
• Immigration was on the rise.

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The Westward Movement

• Andrew Jacksons rise example of western
  influence
• Before 1850, 50 of Americans were under 30
• The demographic center (term A) moved past the
  Ohio River by 1860

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Frontier Life (SG Question 1)

• Frontier life was rugged and grim.
• All necessities were scarce (food, clothes,
  shelter)
• Disease, depression (from loneliness) and
  premature death were common

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Primary SourceFrom The Effect of Climate on the
Health of Americans, Thomas Cather, 1836

• The appearance of the people, particularly those
  who dwell to the Eastward of the Alleghanies,
  proves that the climate is unhealthy. The men are
  almost invariably bad complexioned, lathy, wall
  sided, round shouldered fellowsI don't suppose
  that a set of such looking men could be met with
  anywhere else than America. The women are
  generally thin and pale faced, with smallish
  ricketty figures.
• Taken from http//xroads.virginia.edu/HYPER/DETOC
  /fem/health.htm

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Western Landscape Revered or Threatened? (SG
Question 2)

• Ecological Imperialism
• Tobacco exhausted the soil
• Ideal livestock conditions attracted thousands of
  settlers
• Over-hunting nearly wiped out several species.

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• Pristine, natural beauty
• Painted by Catlin (see next slide)
• Spirit of nationalism American land is a
  treasured resource
• Eventually, this view led to the national park
  system.

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George Catlin American painter

• Catlin painting of Native Americans hunting
  Buffalo

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The March of the MillionsPopulation Growth (SG3
causes problems next slide)

• Causes
• High birthrate
• By 1850, US pop. Still doubling every 25 yrs!
• By 1860 33 states
• US 4th most populous nation in Western world
• 1790 2 US cities over 20,000 (Philly and NY)
• 1860 43 cities over 20,000!

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• Another Cause
• Immigration
• Peaked in 1840s and 1850s from Ireland and
  Germany
• Europe was overcrowded
• America Freedom
• Land was abundant in US
• Steamships shortened
• travel time to 12 days

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The March of the MillionsPopulation Growth (SG3
problems )

• Problems of Urbanization (urban growth)
• Smelly slums
• Poor street
• lighting
• Corrupt police
• Poor Sanitation
• Impure water /
• sewer systems
• Rats and pigs
• Disease

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Review questions

• All of the following are true of the growth in
  the US in the early 1800s except
• A. immigration added to the population
• B. The rural population grew faster than the
  urban one
• C. High birthrates were partly responsible.
• D. The nation expanded in a westerly direction

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Answer 1

• B. The rural population grew faster than the
  urban one

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Review Questions

• Short answer
• Name at least two of the species that was
  dramatically over-hunted to the point of near
  extinction in the 1800s.

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Answer 2

• Beaver
• Buffalo
• Sea Otter