Question

In the blue sidebar, what led to westward expansion following the Civil War?

What words appeared in a New York newspaper before the Civil War that caused the growth of the west?
What happened at Sutter's mill in California in 1848 and what happened by 1849?
In the 1860s, what caused places like Colorado and Arizona to grow?
What law allowed folks to build farms out west with very little cost?
The opportunity to own cheap, fertile _________ encouraged settlement in the west.
The West represented a chance for ________ for formally enslaved African Americans?
What mineral discoveries drew people west?
When many veterans of the Civil War returned home, life seemed dull to them. So they went west because ____________ awaited them.
_____________ advances, like the railroad allowed people to get to the west faster.

Answer 1

Westward expansion following the Civil War was driven by Manifest Destiny, the discovery of gold in California, the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, and the Homestead Act of 1862.

Step-by-step explanation:

Westward expansion following the Civil War was primarily led by several factors. Firstly, the concept of Manifest Destiny, which emphasized the responsibility to conquer and inhabit new territories, encouraged settlers to move westward. Secondly, the discovery of gold in California in 1848 triggered a mass migration of people to the west in search of fortune. Additionally, the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 made transportation to the west faster and more accessible. The Homestead Act of 1862 also played a significant role by offering free land to those willing to move west.