Final answer:
Pioneers were enticed to move westward, seeking rich agricultural land and opportunities promised by the concept of Manifest Destiny.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pioneers wanted to move west because it had rich agricultural land and was better than their own. In the mid-nineteenth century, people across the United States were influenced by the concept of Manifest Destiny which held that Americans had a divine responsibility to expand their territory and spread American values. This mindset, combined with the belief in opportunities for prosperity, led many settlers, including farmers, miners, and ranchers, to move westward in search of arable land and economic fortune.
Manifest Destiny and the Western Frontier
Manifest Destiny was a widely held belief that drove American expansion into western territories. Settlers were encouraged to 'Go west, young man' by the promise of available land and economic opportunities like gold prospecting during the California Gold Rush. The ideological push was further bolstered by government incentives and the allure of untapped resources, as well as the pastoral imagery presented by artists of the era.