• In this essay, I will present 3 or more reasons, citing textual evidence that answers the essential question, “Why do people move?”, and close with how it relates to today.

     

    First, John Quincy Adams’s Presidency, a conflicting outcome of the election of 1824, was the root of political parties. American History textbook, page 307, “These parties grew out of the conflict between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.” As the founding father’s Presidencies came to a close, new Presidents came into view, Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams were soon going to be major contributors to the country’s system now. Jackson and Adams, (The second President Adams’s son) were huge supporters of political parties, some that now rule the country. As Jackson became President, the Country was big in Democracy, the government that stems from the idea of rule of man, majority rule. This idea blossomed once again more from the influence of what some call ‘The Age of Jackson’. Under Jackson’s presidency, he allowed more Americans suffrage, the right to vote though despite the growing democratic spirit, many still didn’t have that right, Jackson expanded those ‘rights’ to White males with or without land, women, and people of color who were out of the equation even though the Constitution’s contradicting regulation. Jackson’s term was coming to a close and the election of 1824 came, with the string candidates, Andrew Jackson and Henry Clay once again, their following came majorly from the western states, and John Quincy Adams, who was favored in New England states. The votes were close, though the House voted for Adams to become president. Throughout Adams' Presidency, he pushed for a program of a lot of internal improvements, and economic growth, and many new political parties grew with the contradicting views of Adams and Jackson. As many beliefs grew, so did the separation of parties, many of the Democratic-Republicans, mostly in the Northeast with many manufacturers and factory owners,  joined a new party called the Whigs, organized by Henry Clay. Much like the previous Federalist beliefs, the Whigs believed in a strong economy, internal improvements, and higher tariffs. The Whig's beliefs mainly benefited the richer of the people, the Democratic-Republicans, known as Democrats, opposed that, they believed that the federal government shouldn’t have any interference with the economy and the people should have the power, and were opposed to tariffs. The Democrats had a bigger following in the South because the prices from the northern states were affecting them, and because of that pushed for westward expansion. Jackson won the next election by a landslide and in his last term he implied many good things for the common people implied a lot of individual rights that positively impacted the US’s history.

     

    Second, to successfully migrate, settlers utilized available paths and materials to head west. American History textbook, page 332, “Other settlers pushed west across the Appalachians to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, they loaded their animals and wagons onto flatboats,”. The conflicts between the Native Americans and the American settlers began in their early days of settling. This sadly didn’t subside in Jackson’s, Adams's, or Van Buren’s Presidencies in the slightest, tension only continued to become increasingly more extreme. Both sides had their own biases and stereotypes, Natives disliked how their European customs threatened their way of life. In contrast, American settlers thought that Native Americans were dangerous and untrustworthy. Because of that, it led them to do horrible things to expand their lands west, such as the Trail of Tears, and other gruesome, shameful acts. The Americans started flooding the lands west of the Appalachians with new migrants, because of the different, better farming conditions, with a huge abundance of water and trees, and because of that, animals and businesses were huge new selling points to moving west. As a lot of the nation was now heading west, new technology from internal improvements was made to make the hard travel easier, such things are, things like new roads known as corduroy roads, essentially logs laid flat, like corduroy, for swampy areas where flat roads are harder to build. And a national highway, running from Cumberland, Maryland, to Wheeling, in Western Virginia. Another huge new invention was the steamboat, and canals, though steamboats were risky, the boat was much faster than the average push boat and more efficient in deeper waters. Canals helped farmers and business owners ship their goods from one place to another without lugging them around, making it much easier and more efficient for them, the biggest canal at the time was the Erie Canal, it was an instant success and led states to build their own. Many new settlers wanted to go to Oregon Country, a region with more fertile soil, rainfall was abundant, and full of vast forests that many farmers and manufacturers value. Though the journey west was not a walk in the park, it was harsh and horrible. Some people stopped in the dense forest areas and were known as mountain men, many were fur traders and trappers, but food was a lot more scarce, making their lives difficult. The other settlers came and came by the Oregon Trail. Many died on this trail, by disease, starvation, and as they got to the mountains, freezing to death. Through the horrible hardships, more than 50,000 people reached Oregon Country to start better lives for themselves and their families.

     

    Third, In hopes of abolishing the dictatorship of Texas, people of various graphics fought for independence from Mexico. American History book, page 347, “Volunteers from the United States and other nations, along with African Americans and Tejanos, joined the fight for Texan independence from Mexico,”. In the early 1800s, Texas was part of a Spanish providence the colony of New Spain, or New Mexico. Spain permitted Moses Austin to colonize Texas with a land grant. Though Austin died, his son took over, Stephen Austin, however, Mexico soon gained independence from Spain, but still let settlers on their land. Texas’s cheaper, fertile lands compelled more and more settlers, making the US interested in buying. Mexico, however, at the time wasn’t interested. Mexico started implementing new laws that most Americans would oppose and have been ignored, such as only worshipping in Catholic churches, going against the First Amendment, and anti-slavery, which had previously been ignored.  General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was the one to change their mind however because of his dictatorship he gained in his rule of Mexico. With Santa Anna in control, the Americans figured that many Tejanos, people of Mexican descent, were born in Texas. Though Tejanos didn’t necessarily want independence from Mexico, they all wanted to eliminate their dictatorship. Soon, Santa Anna came with his huge army, while on the run, groups of Texans declared Independence for the Republic of Texas on Merch 2, 1836. Sam Houston was soon given command of its army, with Volunteers from the US, African Americans, Tejanos, and other nations helping them. When Santa Anna reached the San Antonio, the Texans were ready already at a mission called the Alamo, poorly equipped, under lieutenant colonel William B. Travis on February 23rd, 1836, began the siege of Alamo. An Alamo is to capture a city, or in this case fort. Being an ill equipped, small army, they needed help and soon gained volunteers but still faced defeat. The eventful fall at the Alamo sparked cries for revenge, with the new help of volunteers, many from the United States, Texans marched to San Jacinto, where the general and army of Mexico was. The Battle of San Jacinto was short lived, though the Texans were greatly outnumbered, the use of the element of surprise helped them tremendously. Killing 630 Mexicans, capturing 700 more, the Texans were able to capture Santa Anna along with the rest, forcing him to sign away their independence. Under the new “long star republic”, the voters soon elected Sam Houston, President of the new republic of Texas. However, the new country faced new problems, being bankrupt, attack from many Indians, and more. Many Texans argued that being a part of the US wi;; fix those dilemmas, but the US refused on the account of political parties and dispute. Although, a few years later with many more settlers, Texans finally was annexed into the US in the winter of 1845.

     

    In conclusion, people move on account of many factors, considering new job opportunities, like in Oregon Country, or Texas, or political views, also with war being involved as well. The country’s development, including expanding lands, war, etc., it has also forced some people out of their lands, making them move out of their decision. Along with economic differences, depending on what field of expertise you practice, you may want to move based on for example, in that time you may want to move south or north depending on if you prefer primarily manufacturing, or farming. This relates to today because many of these factors still apply, some on less, or more intense scale. The U.S. now has many more opportunities, so for example people may now go to college, have the freedom to work hard, and reach their goals, (if they're realistic). People can also move to start a new business, to where the economy or work conditions are better for them and exercise their limited government and individual rights. People now, still experience some of the same hardships of the prior difficulties, with political parties, war, etc. but many also have more opportunities here in America, which makes moving better for them.