Westward Movement

Westward movement. It refers to the mass movement that residents from the eastern part of the United States migrated to the western region, which began at the end of 18 and ended at the end of 19 and the beginning of the 20th century. This movement has greatly promoted the economic development of the United States. However, with the westward movement, a large number of Indians were slaughtered, and the survivors were forcibly driven to a more desolate "reservation". Their forced migration road is also known as the "tears road" of Indians.

The westward movement in the United States is a long-term and sustainable development process. Long before the independence of the United States, the American nation began to expand to the western part of the North American continent, but it was not until the independence of the United States that the westward movement of the United States became more active and planned, and it has continued to this day. Throughout the history of the American westward movement, it can be divided into the following three periods:

1. The period from the end of the War of Independence to the Civil War was the first period of American westward movement, mainly the initial development period of agriculture.

2. From the end of the Civil War to the end of World War II, it was the second period of American westward movement, which was mainly a comprehensive development period with industry as the mainstay.

3. From the end of World War II to the present, it is the third period of American westward movement, which is mainly a period of deep development with scientific and technological development as the mainstay.

In the process of the westward movement, there have been three huge immigration climaxes:

The first wave of immigrants appeared in1late 8th century and1early 9th century. Because the American government issued a series of land laws and bought a large area of Louisiana from France, immigrants flocked to the west to explore Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, laying the foundation for the growing grain-producing areas in the midwest.

The second migration climax occurred after 18 15, and two groups of immigrants moved in two directions. One is immigrants from coastal areas and Germany, who moved to the Great Lakes Plain, gradually opened up the whole area north of the Ohio River and established the base of grain production and animal husbandry in the United States. The other is immigrants from the southeast, who entered the plain area between South Georgia and Louisiana near the Gulf of Mexico. At first, small farmers and small producers cultivated this fertile land in this area. Later, large plantations mainly producing and selling cotton were gradually established, which expanded the slave economy in the south.

The third immigration climax came in the middle of19th century with the expansion and merger of American territory. At that time, the territorial expansion of the United States continued in two directions: in the southwest, 1845 annexed Texas, and 1848 seized half of Mexico's territory in the US-Mexico War; In the northwest, after long-term negotiations with Britain, a large piece of land in Oregon was acquired on 1846. Finally, the expansion of these two aspects merged in California, completing the occupation of the whole western region. At the same time, the discovery of gold mines in California caused a rush of immigrants to the west for gold. Later, some gold diggers turned to farming or opening stores and became permanent settlers in California; The other part went from California to the northwest to explore mineral deposits. /kloc-In 1950s and 1960s, due to a large number of small farmers moving in to engage in food production and the area west of the Rocky Mountains being divided into some states and quasi-states, mining camps developed into permanent residential areas.

Under the background of free market economy and territorial expansion, the westward movement of the United States is a social and economic development process of regional development based on large-scale population migration, with transportation as the guide, agriculture and animal husbandry as the main industrial direction and growth center as the driving force. As a result of the westward movement of the United States, the political and economic integration between the east and the west of the United States was completed, the development of capitalist industrialization was promoted, the agricultural revolution, industrial revolution and knowledge revolution in modern America were promoted, and the pioneering spirit of the American people was cultivated. In particular, the cowboy spirit and pioneer spirit of the United States in the development of the western region, which are not afraid of difficulties, dare to sacrifice, and constantly seek new lands and new wealth, later became the indomitable spirit and heroic optimism of Americans.

In short, the United States has developed millions of square kilometers of land in more than 200 years through the westward movement. Modern agriculture, animal husbandry and industry have been established on these lands, which has had a decisive impact on the growth of the United States as the world's number one economic power. Without the westward movement, there would be no America today.