Southern Expansion And Its Impact On The United States Essay

Southern expansionism took on many forms in the United States between the years 1789 and 1860. Examining southern history for these years shows how slave-grown cotton played a major factor in southern expansion, specifically through the issues of the Louisiana Purchase, soil erosion, the desires of yeoman farmers and planters, Indian removal, the interstate slave trade, the independence movement in Texas, the Mexican War, filibusters in Central America, and especially concerning relations between the southern and northern states. However, southern history shows us that while the growth of southern cotton did in fact play a large role in the rationale for expansion, but there are other concerns involved here. Most notably, the constant dilemma of the slave to free state representation in Congress additionally played a large role in why so many southerners decided to pack up and head west. These two reasons can be explained as the two most primary concerns involving the sudden growth o f southern expansion. Despite cotton being one of the major factors that led to southern expansion, it can be proven by examining southern history that the constant struggle between northerners and southerners to balance the ratio of slave to free states in Congress additionally played into expansion. Starting chronologically was the issue of the Louisiana Purchase. This was an issue for many Americans because when Thomas Jefferson, the president of the United States at the time, agreed toShow MoreRelatedThe Secession Crisis Of 1860-18611637 Words   |  7 Pagesand 1861, many events had impacts on the United States that lead up to the secession crisis of 1860-1861. Slavery had great impacts on the country, such as the economic effect of the South overestimating its importance due to the prevalence of slave grown cotton. 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