Initial Post Instructions
For the initial post, pick two (2) of the following historical events:
 The Lewis and Clark Expedition
 The Missouri Compromise
 Independence of Texas
 Mexican War of 1846-1848
 The California Gold Rush
Then, address the following for your selections:
 Which of your two selections do you consider most impactful on Westward
Expansion during 1800-1848? Explain why.
 Analyze the effects of the ideology of Manifest Destiny on the two historical
events that you chose from the list.

SOLUTION

The Lewis and Clark Expedition greatly impacted the westward expansion during the period 1800-1848.  The expedition that commenced in 1803 and ended in 1806, was geared towards crossing newly acquired lands after the Louisiana purchase. Thomas Jefferson was motivated to find water way from St Louis to the Pacific, as this would facilitate commerce. Additionally, he also wanted to acquire more land, and so he tasked Captain Meriwether Lewis to explore lands and attain maps west of Mississippi river (Corbett et al., 2016). Lewis and his close friend Lieutenant Clark embarked on the expedition westward, which lasted for more than 2 years. They encountered harsh weather, difficult terrain, and diseases. They interacted with Native Americans, with some being friendly while others were hostile. Nevertheless, the excursion was considered a major success as it played a major role in providing new information on geographic, social, and ecological aspects of the unexplored parts of North America.

The California gold rush began in 1848, and people moved from other parts of the country and abroad to California in search of gold that was believed to be in large amounts. This situation contributed to a rampant growth in population. While some were lucky to find gold, others didn’t find anything. Please click the purchase button to access the entire copy at $5