in the 1800's why do you think americans felt it was so important to expand U.S. territory?

Answer 1

It was the Age of Imperialism. The European countries were expanding and starting colonies all over the world and the United States hadn't even filled out it's own land.

Answer 2

People came to the US with the dream of a great future in a new land. Many people went to California because of the Gold Rush.

In the West, there were many bandits, many of whom where ex-Confederates who never stopped fighting.

The Indians got pushed around and some fought back. Thus there were many massacres but it wasn't as racist as you might think.

Whites were killing each other as they were killing Indians, Chinese, Mexicans, etc.

By expanding the territory, the US government wanted to get the situation under control. Of course, many Native Americans or Indians depending on which name they prefer, still are very angry about how they were treated.

Answer 3

They wanted their hands on all the great land and resources, regardless of who lived there already. In the later 1800"s they wanted to try their luck at finding gold. Go West Young Man, Go West! There were many books written to entice the Easterners to come to the west. Of course, about the only ones that got rich were the mine owners.

Answer 4

There was the necessity of more territory, so they would be able to compete against the European powers. They also needed to establish more commerce routes. In that era if you control the flow of merchandises in your area you had power, and to rule the world you needed to rule commerce. At the time the British, were the powerful ones.

Answer 5

The Country was new and it was small. In time the population would grow and it did need more land to grow! It also did need the goods of the land to live off of and we had to get it before someone else did, so we stole it from the Indians!

Answer 6

There was a need for land. The country was on the grow and so was the population.

The site listed below explains it pretty well.

Answer 7

quite simply it was pure greed,the rich people had the most to gain just like the war of independance very little changed for the average person even though it was them that had to do the fighting ,so greed greed greed was the factor.

Answer 8

Big Wurster has got it right. It was the age of Imperialism. That's what countries did then.

Answer 9

Greed and Power! Also to gain additional resources like wood, water, iron etc...

Answer 10

industrialization, the wealth of the nation depended on the natural resources they could gain and become prosperous from.