* Belief in the United States' God-given right to expand its territory from coast to coast
* Promoted by politicians, journalists, and writers in the 1840s and 1850s
* Used to justify the annexation of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and the acquisition of Oregon Country
Land Speculation
* Many people hoped to make money by buying land in the West and then selling it for a higher price
* Land speculators often encouraged people to move West by spreading positive information about the region
Religious Freedom
* Some people moved West to escape religious persecution
* The Mormons, for example, were driven out of Illinois in the 1840s and eventually settled in Utah
Gold Rushes
* The discovery of gold in California in 1849 triggered a massive migration of people to the West
* Thousands of people flocked to California from all over the world in search of fortune
Economic Opportunity
* The West offered many economic opportunities that were not available in the East
* Farmers could find cheap land to buy
* Miners could search for gold and silver
* Businesspeople could open new stores and factories
Adventure
* Some people simply moved West for the adventure of it
* They were drawn by the challenge of living in a frontier environment