During the time when North America was still being settled by European colonists, it was possible for settlers to go west and to claim land. The east coast was the first part of North America to be colonized by Europeans (being closest to Europe), so that land was the first to be claimed. After all the land was claimed in the east, there remained land in the west, still available to be claimed (given that the prior claims of native Americans were generally ignored).
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The prospect of free land was the main motivation for the rapid settlement of the last frontier. In 1893, unlimited free land was available, and it gave the people optimism and dreams of a better way of life.
Just the thought of being frer and having their own land and home place drive them westward
because the wanted to expand and strrengthen the union. A bigger country is a more powerful one.
1-free, cheap land
2-religious missionary causes
3-gold rush
4-curious exploration- Lewis and Clark
rocky mountains
Proclamation of 1763
You could be thinking of the railroad.
Trappers and mountain men were instrumental in exploring and settling the land west of the Mississippi. They had survival skills, and taught them to the new inhabitants of the Wild West.
The proclamation of 1763 simply banned the colonists from settling west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was issued as an attempt to work out a peaceful agreement with the Native American tribes living in the west. The colonists, however, completely ignored the proclamation and continued attempting to colonize the west.