Westward Expansion Economic Development

Summary

This script discusses the westward expansion of the United States during the Gilded Age, focusing on the Homestead Act of 1863 and its impact on settlers. It explores the realities of manifest destiny, the role of railroads in opening the west, and the challenges faced by farmers due to globalization and monopolies. The script also covers the rise of organizations like the Grange and the Farmers Alliance, which sought to address farmer grievances and eventually influenced the Populist Party's formation.

Takeaways

• 🏰 Thomas Jefferson envisioned the American West as a land of small farms, independent farmers, and virtuous citizens.
• 🌾 The Free Soil Movement and the Republican Party supported the idea of the West as a territory for small white farmers, unchallenged by wealthy plantation owners.
• 📜 The Homestead Act of 1863 granted up to 160 acres of Western land to loyal Union citizens, aiming to discourage Confederates and encourage Union supporters.
• 🛤️ The U.S. government supported westward expansion by granting land to railroad companies and extending telegraph wires, despite the ongoing Civil War.
• 🚂 The railroads were crucial in opening up the West to settlement and global markets, and even influenced the establishment of U.S. time zones.
• ⛏️ The discovery of precious metals and minerals in the West drew thousands of settlers and led to the creation of boom towns, which often became ghost towns once resources were depleted.
• 🏭 Industrial innovations of the Gilded Age revolutionized farming, increasing harvest yields but also making farmers reliant on the global market and vulnerable to price fluctuations.
• 💵 The late 19th-century farmers faced financial difficulties due to high shipping rates, monopolies, and unfavorable government policies, leading to debt and bankruptcy.
• 🤝 In response to these challenges, farmers organized into groups like the Grange and the Farmers Alliance, advocating for increased railroad regulations and corporate buying and selling of equipment and produce.
• 🗳️ The Populist Party emerged from these alliances, advocating for the interests of farmers and pushing for policies to weaken the monopolistic power of big businesses, banks, and railroad corporations.

Q & A

What was the main topic discussed in the video script?

The main topic discussed was the westward expansion of the United States during the Gilded Age, focusing on economic development, land mining, and the impact of improved transportation systems like railroads.

What was Thomas Jefferson's vision for the American West?

Thomas Jefferson envisioned the American West as a territory made up of small farms, where independent farmers would till the soil, become virtuous citizens, and make an honest living without the influence of wealthy plantation owners and slave labor.

What was the Homestead Act of 1863, and who did it benefit?

The Homestead Act of 1863 granted up to 160 acres of western land to loyal citizens (Unioners, not Confederates), aiming to encourage westward migration and settlement, and to promote the Jeffersonian ideal of small, independent farmers.

How did the railroad companies contribute to westward expansion?

Railroad companies were granted land by the U.S. government, which they used to expand the railroad network. They also sold excess land to settlers and speculators, thus opening up the West to settlement and connecting it to world markets.

What was the significance of the discovery of precious metals and minerals in the West?

The discovery of gold, silver, and copper in several western states led to significant migration of miners and the creation of boom towns. However, these mining towns often became ghost towns once the easily accessible minerals were exhausted.

How did the industrial innovations of the Gilded Age affect farming?

Industrial innovations such as the twine binder, combine, reaper, thresher, and gasoline tractor increased harvest yields and decreased labor needs. However, they also made farmers reliant on a single cash crop and subject to the whims of the global market.

What were the challenges faced by farmers in the late 19th century due to economic policies?

Farmers faced high shipping rates due to railroad monopolies, unfavorable government policies, and the high costs of farm machinery and fertilizers. These factors, along with the devaluation of their crops due to overproduction, drove many farmers into debt and bankruptcy.

What role did organizations like the Grange and the Farmers Alliance play in addressing farmers' issues?

The Grange and the Farmers Alliance were organizations formed to advocate for increased railroad regulations, corporate buying and selling of equipment and produce, and better conditions for farmers. They eventually influenced the formation of the Populist Party.

How did the Populist Party emerge from the farmers' alliances, and what were its goals?

The Populist Party emerged as a political force representing the interests of farmers, advocating for policies to strengthen farmers and weaken the monopolistic power of big businesses, banks, and railroad corporations.

What was the impact of the Populist Party on American politics, and what happened to it eventually?

The Populist Party had a significant impact by bringing attention to the plight of farmers and influencing the Democratic Party to adopt some of its policies. However, it eventually merged with the Democratic Party, and its influence faded after the turn of the century.

How did the concept of Manifest Destiny shape the westward expansion, and how did reality differ from the ideal?

Manifest Destiny was a belief in the inevitability of the continued territorial expansion of the U.S. However, the reality of westward expansion often involved land grabs by wealthy interests, the displacement of indigenous peoples, and the exploitation of the environment and resources, diverging from the ideal of a virtuous and independent agrarian society.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Westward Expansion and Economic Development

The paragraph discusses the westward expansion of the United States during the Gilded Age, focusing on land acquisition, mining, and improved transportation. It highlights the role of the railroad in bringing settlers to the American West and the philosophy behind the expansion, including Manifest Destiny. The Homestead Act of 1863 is mentioned as a key legislation that granted land to loyal citizens, encouraging westward migration. The paragraph also touches on the challenges faced during the Civil War, such as destroyed infrastructure and the impact on families, which limited immediate migration despite the expansion efforts.

05:02

🏔️ The Impact of Mining and Railroads on Western Development

This section delves into the significant role of mining and the discovery of precious metals in attracting settlers to the western states. It outlines the short-lived nature of mining boom towns and the eventual dominance of large mining corporations by the 1880s. The paragraph also emphasizes the transformative effect of railroads on the western landscape, not only in promoting trade and transportation but also in shaping the concept of time through the establishment of time zones. The economic opportunities and challenges faced by farmers in the industrial age are also discussed, including the shift from diverse farming to focusing on single cash crops due to market pressures.

10:05

📉 The Plight of Farmers in the Global Market

The paragraph addresses the difficulties faced by farmers in the late 19th century due to the global market and monopolistic practices. It discusses how farmers, once self-sufficient, became reliant on a single cash crop and the global market, leading to financial instability when crop prices dropped. The high shipping rates imposed by railroad monopolies and the unfavorable government policies further exacerbated the farmers' struggles, driving many into debt. The response of farmers to these challenges is also highlighted, with the formation of organizations like the Grange and the Farmers Alliance to advocate for their interests and push for policy changes.

15:05

🗳️ The Rise of Populism and Political Advocacy

This section explores the formation of the Farmers Alliance and the Populist Party as political movements in response to the economic hardships faced by farmers. It details the goals of these organizations, such as advocating for increased railroad regulations and corporate buying and selling of equipment and produce. The paragraph also discusses the impact of the Panic of 1873 on the agricultural sector and how it led to a surge in membership for organizations like the Grange. The political influence of the Populist Party is examined, including its eventual integration into the Democratic Party and the lasting effects on American politics and policies.

20:06

🚂 Reflections on Westward Expansion and Its Discontents

The final paragraph invites reflection on the economic factors that drew settlers to the West, the benefits and drawbacks of railroad expansion, and the challenges faced by farmers in the late 19th century. It prompts consideration of Thomas Jefferson's idealized vision of the West and the reality of Manifest Destiny, highlighting the gap between the utopian aspirations and the complex economic and social realities that emerged.

Keywords

💡Westwood Expansion

Westward Expansion refers to the 19th-century movement of settlers into the American West. It was driven by the desire for new land and opportunities, facilitated by the Homestead Act and the construction of railroads. In the video, this concept is central as it discusses the various factors that drew settlers to the West, including land availability and economic prospects.

💡Economic Development

Economic development in the context of the video pertains to the growth and changes in the economy of the American West during the 19th century. This includes the establishment of industries such as mining, farming, and the expansion of railroads, which transformed the region's economic landscape. The video discusses how economic development was both a driver and a result of westward expansion.

💡Land Mining

Land mining, as mentioned in the video, refers to the extraction of valuable minerals such as gold, silver, and copper from the land. This was a significant factor in attracting settlers to the West, as it promised wealth and economic opportunity. The discovery of precious metals led to mining booms and the establishment of boom towns, which were often short-lived once the resources were depleted.

💡Improved Transportation

Improved transportation is a key aspect of westward expansion, with the video highlighting the role of railroads in opening up the West to settlement and economic development. The expansion of railroads allowed for the movement of people, goods, and ideas across the continent, which was crucial for the growth of the American West.

💡Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was a widely held belief in the 19th century that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent. The video discusses this concept in relation to the philosophy behind the westward movement, suggesting that it was seen as a divinely sanctioned mission to spread democracy and civilization.

💡Homestead Act

The Homestead Act of 1863 is a law that granted public land in the West to settlers. The video explains how this act was a significant policy that encouraged westward migration by offering up to 160 acres of land to citizens, with the aim of promoting the development of the frontier and creating a class of independent farmers.

💡Railroad Companies

Railroad companies played a pivotal role in the development of the American West, as discussed in the video. They were granted land by the government to build railroads, which in turn facilitated westward expansion by providing transportation and access to previously remote areas. The video also notes that railroad companies profited by selling excess land to settlers.

💡Cattle West

The term 'Cattle West' refers to the cattle-raising industry that developed in the American West, particularly in the late 19th century. The video mentions that this was a significant part of the economy of the West, although it was relatively short-lived compared to other industries like mining.

💡Industrial Innovation

Industrial innovation in the context of the video refers to the technological advancements that revolutionized farming and industry during the Gilded Age. Examples include the invention of machinery like the twine binder, the combine, the reaper, and the gasoline tractor, which increased the efficiency of farming and contributed to the economic development of the West.

💡Populist Party

The Populist Party emerged as a political force in the late 19th century, advocating for the interests of farmers and laborers against the power of large corporations and banks. The video discusses how this party grew out of the frustrations of farmers with economic hardships and monopolistic practices, and it eventually influenced the Democratic Party's policies.

Highlights

Westward expansion during the Gilded Age included land mining, improved transportation, and the introduction of railroads, which brought settlers to the American West.

Thomas Jefferson envisioned the West as a land of small farms where independent farmers would thrive, contributing to a virtuous republic.

The Homestead Act of 1863 granted up to 160 acres of western land to loyal citizens, encouraging settlement, but excluding Confederates during the Civil War.

Railroad companies were granted land by the government to promote westward expansion, contributing to economic growth and the transportation of goods.

Although the Homestead Act aimed to promote small farms, large corporations and wealthy aristocrats soon dominated, exploiting settlers.

Mining booms, driven by the discovery of gold, silver, and copper, created short-lived boomtowns that later became ghost towns as resources were depleted.

Railroads not only promoted settlement but connected the West to global markets, enabling the shipment of meat and crops to distant cities and countries.

Railroad companies divided the U.S. into four time zones in 1883 to standardize schedules, which remain in place today.

New machinery during the Gilded Age, such as the twine binder, reaper, and gasoline tractor, revolutionized farming by increasing yields and decreasing labor.

Farmers who focused on cash crops, like wheat and corn, faced significant challenges due to falling crop prices and monopolistic railroad practices.

Railroad monopolies charged farmers high shipping rates, sometimes making it cheaper to burn crops for fuel than to ship them to market.

Farmers organized into groups like the Grange and Farmers Alliance to push for regulations on railroad rates and to address their economic struggles.

Despite the efforts of farmers' groups, large monopolies continued to dominate, contributing to rising farmer debt and financial hardships in the late 19th century.

The Populist Party, representing the interests of rural farmers, gained political traction but ultimately merged with the Democratic Party in the 1896 election.

Despite initial failures, the Populist Party's ideas influenced later progressive movements, including federal regulation of private industry and workers' rights.

Transcripts

welcome all so today we're going to talk

a little bit about westwood expansion

and economic

development and a couple of things that

we're going to talk about

are land mining and improved

transportation

um which brought railroad which brought

settlers to the american west during the

gilded age

now i know we talked a little bit about

the american west or the wild wild west

um in our last video but we're going to

go over a couple of different things

manifest destiny and get kind of more

into the philosophy behind

expansion of the west so one of the

biggest questions was who owned

the west

and when thomas jefferson imagined the

ideal environment for the republic to

thrive he pictured a country made up of

small farms

independent farmers who would make an

honest living tilling the soil and in

doing so

they would become virtuous citizens

before the civil war

the free soil movement and the

republican party embraced this idea for

the american west a territory reserved

for small white farmers

unchallenged by the wealthy plantation

owners who could buy up

vast tracts of land and employ slave

labor now the indigenous

residents of the west obviously didn't

figure into this this

vision except for being obstacles to

remove

during the civil war the republican

trolls controlled congress

worked to make the dream of the farmer's

paradise

paradise a reality by passing the

homestead act in 1863

which granted up to 160 acres of western

land to loyal citizens

to loyal citizens so unioners not

confederates

the united states government also helped

westward expansion by granting land to

railroad companies and extending

telegraph wires across the country

now again this was still during the

civil war 1863

so while we are making strides

to um toward expansion and toward

all of this economic growth remember

that we still are in the middle of the

war

um and so a lot of this

seems kind of odd to have happened

during the war

but it was also to discourage unioners

or sorry to score discourage

confederates

um because you know you you go to your

loyal citizen you get free lands

you can move west you can start a new

life um but that

that invitation wasn't extended to

confederates

and i think it was also a

[Music]

distraction from what was going on

some kind of good news in the midst of

this horrible conflict

however at this time a lot of a lot of

citizens were not able to migrate during

the civil war i mean even though we are

expanding the railroads and we're

expanding the telegraph wires they're

getting cut

um bridges are getting burned railroads

are getting destroyed i mean this is

the war and lots of

women and children are left by

themselves

widowed because their husbands and their

sons have gone off to war and been

killed

so it's not very feasible for them

to go and get this land under the

homestead act um so

the migration that we will see from the

homestead act comes later

after the civil war um you know into the

1880s

um but this is where it started in 1863

with the homestead act

okay so after the civil war um the dream

of independent farmers remained but the

reality was more complex

i mean just as big businesses were

coming to dominate the factories of the

eastern cities

so too were powerful corporate interests

beginning to elbow out the independent

farmers miners cowboys who had built the

image of the west

as the land of opportunity for the

rugged individual

so now we're going to move on to

developing the west so what we're seeing

here

is that while jefferson had this master

plan of

making the west somewhere that you can

go and and single families they can go

and get attractive land they're going to

farm that land and they don't really

have to worry about all the aristocracy

like they would

like they would in the east so actually

what we start to see

here um is we see some

some land grabs going on we see some

aristocrats coming in taking the land

then running it out or

um letting you know kind of maybe almost

taking it out from under

white settlers who were promised that

land by the federal government so this

doesn't actually work out the way it was

planned

so a variety of factors enticed american

settlers and immigrants to head west in

the late 19th century

um chief among these was the

availability of jeep land

logging and ranching hundreds and

thousands of people obtain land through

the homestead act

through it the united states government

transferred more than 270 million acres

of public land into private hands 270

million acres

that is a lot of land the discovery of

precious metals and minerals also drew

people to the west miners discovered

gold silver and copper

in several western states this was not

just in california

um north dakota south dakota new mexico

the discovery of silver and the comstock

load in

in nevada in 1858 promoted the largest

rush of prospectors since the california

gold rush decade a decade earlier

hoarders hordes of miners looking to

strike it rich

created short-lived boom towns um as we

talked about in our last video that

swiftly turned into abandoned ghost

towns

um when the community is exhausted the

easily accessible

minerals so this was not something that

lasted

that lasted too long and as we talked

about in our last video

the mining west was relatively

short-lived

um the cattle west was the shortest

lives um but

you know these miners would move to this

town

there would be a period of lawlessness

and then they would get things under

control when they finally get things

under control well

all the gold or minerals were gone and

it was time to move on and

the town became a ghost town so this was

very very common

in mining boom towns by the 1880s

only large mining corporations had the

money and machinery necessary to

undertake the difficult work

of extracting ore from the earth so

again

we see this jefferson's

vision for what the american west should

have been

versus actually how it pans out and i

think we'll see that in a lot of

scenarios

and we see that in a lot of scenarios

today um

with politics and certain policies you

know in a utopian world

certain things would work out well you

know the government would give

white families a bunch of land and they

would be able to develop it and prosper

and and be happy in the west that's not

what happened because there's always

going to be somebody who's going to take

advantage

and these wealthy aristocrats

saw this opportunity and they really

used it to exploit

white solar

and i'm going to put up a picture of

virginia city um but

this is a very expansive mining town

probably one of the biggest

mining towns in the west and this is

circus 1876

and so i will link that either

on your module or i'll try to import it

into this video

um but it's very very expansive

so these are huge mining towns that you

know were developed and then

kind of unabandoned um but aside from

gold and minerals the biggest

contributor to the development of the

west was the railroad

i'm eager to promote trade and

transportation federal state and local

governments they granted land to

railroad companies the companies used

that land to triple the miles of

railroad track in the united states

between 1860 and 1880

all the while turning a tidy profit

selling excess land to settlers

and speculators the railroads opened up

the west

by not only to not only to settlement

but to the world market

making it possible to ship meats and

crops to distant cities and even across

oceans to do so the railroads even

transformed time itself in 1883

the railroad companies coordinated their

schedules by dividing the united states

into four time zones

which are still standard today so

when you're driving across the united

states and you have to change your

clocks

remember you could thank the

transcontinental railroad for that

little

tidbit all right so

farmers in an industrial age now we're

going to look at

the industrial innovation of the gilded

age um and it all it

this this has a lot to do with the

ever-changing environment

after the civil war from agricultural to

developmental

um or industrial

excuse me um and the shifts from

farming to factories and and all that

jazz

so the industrial innovation of the

gilded age also revolutionized farming

new machinery increased the speed of

planting and harvesting crops

invented in the 19th century the twine

binder the combine

the reaper the thresher gasoline tractor

all increased harvest yields and

decreased the amount of labor needed to

produce them because remember we don't

have slavery anymore so what are we

going to do how are we going to

how are we going to harvest all these

crops and get them shipped up north to

the

to manufacturing plants to be turned

into textiles cigars whatever

um but this new productivity it came at

a pretty steep price

so thanks to the railroads farmers were

now at the mercy of the competitor

competitive worldwide market unlike

easier substance farmers who had grown a

variety of crops and produced everything

necessary for their families

american farmers now focused their

efforts on growing a single cash crop

this was usually corner wheat especially

in the west

and buying everything else they needed

so when crop prices were high the

farmers did well but if crop prices

dropped

the farmers were in trouble and again

this goes back to thomas jefferson's

ideal world um you know this was

going to be really good for everybody

really good for all the white settlers

but actually

it didn't turn out that way um and this

is what happens when

expansion kind of gets ahead of itself

and while

globalization is a good thing in many

respects

to the little man this was not a good

thing

and in the late 19th century you know

farmers were in trouble because of this

and to some extent they were the victims

of their own success

the more they produced the less it was

worth which really stinks

but farmers also found themselves

contending with unfavorable government

policies and unchecked corporate

monopolies

because we're getting into the era of

the robber barons

the us government enacted high

protective tariffs for industry and a

deflammatory monetary policy

both of which place farmers at a

financial disadvan disadvantage

railroad monopolies charge shipping

rates so high that in some cases it was

cheaper for farmers to burn their crops

for fuel

than to ship them to market i'll read

that again

in some cases it was cheaper for farmers

to burn their crops for fuel

than to ship them to markets farm

machinery and fertilizer were also

subject to steep markups all of these

factors

combined to to drive farmers into debt

and bankruptcy

so this really really hurts the farmers

um this was this was a bad deal i mean

when you can burn your crops that's more

you know cheaper than to just sell them

on the world market to get it to get any

kind of profit

there's an issue with this kind of

economy and here in lies the problems

with monopolies so

because of this there were some some

organizations that popped up

like the grange and the farmers alliance

and this was

all geared around the frustrations with

their circumstances that led them to

band together into corporate

organizations the order of the patrons

of husbandry

commonly called the grange was formed in

1867.

the grange called for increased railroad

regulations and corporate buying and

selling of equipment and produce

at its height the grange had more than

700

000 members mainly in the upper states

of illinois iowa minnesota and wisconsin

so if we look at this date 1867 i mean

that's not

far i mean two years after the close of

the civil war um so

pretty soon after the civil war people

started to migrate and take advantage of

this homestead act but as we talked

about before

during the civil war the migration

really wasn't that um

that that what really wasn't possible to

the degree that it was

after the close of the civil war

in the late 1870s an even larger

organization called the farmers alliance

spread among southern and western

farmers farmers the farmers alliance

established exchanges

that would issue loans to farmers and

sell their crops and propose that the

federal government loan money to farmers

at low interest rates

and create warehouses to store their

crops

by 1890 the farmers alliance had more

than 3 million members

strictly segregated the alliance did not

accept african-american farmers into its

ranks

they created a separate colored farmers

alliance

with more than one million members

so the majority of this of the country

at this time the majority of these

settlers were not happy

with the way things were going and they

were organizing

and doing something about it although

neither the grange nor the farmers

alliance

affected long-term economic change for

farmers these corporative

corporate organizations would emerge on

the national politics

political stage as the populist party of

the 1890s

so while these organizations in

themselves didn't really

affect overall economics the political

party that would come out

of these alliances would

backing up a little bit the farmer's

alliance was established in texas with

the goal of ending ending the crop lean

system

that had thrown so many farmers into

poverty so the crop lean system operated

in

the cotton growing south among

sharecroppers and tenant farmers both

white and black

who did not own the land that they

worked these workers took out loans to

obtain

seeds tools and other supplies they

needed to grow their cotton but after

the harvest they were required to pay

back the loans in the form of cotton

crops

and then when cotton prices tanked these

workers were sometimes left with nothing

and their crops were collected by

creditors they were not making a profit

they were not getting

their crops and nothing the farmer's

alliance was not the only alliance that

sprang up

obviously we just talked about the

grange that was found in 1868 in new

york

to advocate on behalf of the rural

communities in that area

from 1873 to 1875 local chapters of the

grains were established across the

country and membership

skyrocketed this was partly due to the

panic of 1873

which was a financial crisis that

resulted in a number of bank failures

and the bankruptcy of several national

uh several of the nation's railroads

the panic of 1873 depressed wages for

workers and the prices of agricultural

products plummeted

saddling farmers with massive amounts of

debts that they had little hope of

paying off

this is a very this was just almost like

a um stock market crash but in cotton

um and in um in the railroads

because obviously we didn't have the

stock market yet but

this was a major major crash and it

affected everybody but especially the

farmers in rural areas

who were getting more debt and no money

in 1891 the people's party also known as

the populist party or the populists were

found as were founded as a

political party representing the

interests of the nation's agricultural

sect sector the farmer's alliance is a

major part of the populist

populist coalition excuse me guys i

can't talk today

the people's party nominated james b

weaver a former u.s representative from

the state of iowa

as its candidate in 1892 presidential

election

campaigning on a platform designed to

strengthen farmers and weaken

monop monopolistic power of big

businesses banks and railroad

corporations

the people's party gen garnered 8.5

percent of the popular vote

that is a lot for a third party

candidate

usually third-party candidates don't

even get you know

three percent of the vote so that 8.5

percent was it was a big deal

because of the mass appeal the populist

movement the democratic party began to

champion many of its policies goals

so while the populist party didn't

necessarily make a huge difference

eventually the democratic party saw that

this was a major concern

of the rural farmers and took up these

concerns as part of their party

campaign efforts and eventually there

would be change because of this

the democratic party began to champion

many of its political goals

of the populist movement in an 1896

presidential election

the democrats nominated william jennings

bryan as its candidate and the populist

agreed to support him

the people's party was thus founded into

the democratic party and began to fade

from the national scene

the effect of the fusion of the populist

party in the democratic party was a

disaster

in the south though there had always

been conflict within the populist

movement

about whether african americans should

be included the democratic party in the

south

was unmatchingly racist and though brian

performed

strongly in areas of greatest populist

influence

he lost the election to republican

william mckinley

and the people's party can continue to

function and fielded candidates in both

the 1904 and 1908 presidential elections

but the heyday

of the party's influence was over

although the people's party was formally

disbanded in 1908 the progressive

movement would take up many of the goals

and causes of popular populism including

anti-trust

legislation greater federal regulation

of private industry

and stronger support for the nation's

agricultural and working classes

so this was not something that was

settled

um in 1867 in fact

here we are at 1908 and we are still

not getting much done for the populist

party however

the populist party has now gained

traction um

through the democratic party and the pop

and the progressive movement

and this would be that we would see

changes into the 1920s 1930s because of

this and especially because of

the existence of rubber barons and

monopolies

and then all of these workers rights

that are going to be coming up

as part of an issue as we're developing

the west and going to a

more factory-based society

rather than an agricultural based

society

so some of the things i want you to

think about as we're going to be going

into

continuing with this unit is you know

what were the major major economic

factors that drew settlers to the west

in this time period and were there

benefits what were the benefits and the

drawbacks of the expansion of the

railroad

um and why did farmers face difficulties

in late 19th century

what do you think was the biggest issue

they faced and why

and you know also how did thomas

jefferson's idea

of an ideal west of an ideal manifest

destiny

movement where white settlers would be

going and developing this land on their

own and

you know kind of frolicking that

frolicking in the field rose-colored

glasses kind of

outlook on what manifest destiny in the

wild west should look like how was that

how did that differ and why did that

differ in reality