Westward Expansion

Settlement Map of the United States Settlement Map of the United States

Extent of Settlement in the United States

Journal IconWestward migration began before the Civil War. Migration began slowly as people traveled westward looking for a better life. The maps above show the extent of settlement in pink. The map on the left represents 1835-1850, while the map on the right represents 1850-1890. By comparing the two maps, you can see that settlement dramatically increased following the Civil War. What could have caused such a change in migration?

Based on your analysis of the maps, compose a list in your journal of possible factors that could have increased westward migration. If you need assistance on writing a journal entry, please visit the Developmental Module for more information.

Assignment IconOnce you have completed your journal entry, please save it with a file name of mod6_migration and submit it to the dropbox.