Westward Analysis

The video “Westward” documented the formation of modern day United States of America from the original 13 colonies (chapter 3, slides). The westward expansion was met with obstacles such as the Native Americans, foreign nations like Mexico, the extreme journey, and the wild wilderness of the west itself (Westward). Despite all of that, the promise of gold and natural resources, land and the American dream drives the Americans to journey to the west, similar to why the Europeans explored the New World (chapter 2, slides). The first trip to the west was led by Daniel Boone, a man of great caliber. His group of 30 men travelled without any supplies and relied solely on the natural environment. On his journey, his group was ambushed by the Shawnee, who killed Boone’s eldest son the previous year. Surviving the ambush, Boone and the surviving members of his group continued their journey and later settled modern day Kentucky (Westward). Besides that, the land hunger also led to the Louisiana Purchase from Napoleon by President Thomas Jefferson. A mapping expedition led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark through the Rockies almost killed them. They survived the harsh conditions of the Rocky Mountain thanks to the aid of a 16-year-old Shoshone girl Sacagawea. This group later became the first group of Americans to reach the

He gained three years worth of income in just one season of trapping. He obtained help from the Crow, who have the knowledge across the wilderness and can help his wounded man recover. He also traded with the Crow. Even with his brilliant strategy to attain the aid of the Crow, he was attacked by a grizzly bear and almost died from the injuries. His contribution to the westward expansion is that his trails became the routes that settlers took to the west, and later, modern day Interstate 15