Description
The American West
The Westward expansion was the 19th-century movement of American settlers across the US to the Pacific Ocean. Driven by Manifest Destiny, economic hardship, government policies like the Homestead Act and hopes for a better life. This expansion transformed the nation but led to the forced displacement and devastation of Indigenous populations. The American West has symbolized hope, courage, and new opportunities throughout U.S. history, but Native populations and early settlers faced harsh conditions and suffered many hardships.
