The main topic thus far in History class is the Westward expansion. I never really thought about why people wanted to move West. I'm sure alot of people had their reasons for why they chose to do so. However, the West had many advantages and disadvantages to offer. For example, money was a big issue and in life sometimes "money is everything".
Different areas did not obtain the same policies or laws like others. Many individuals looked for the beneficiaries of living, money and rights. Land grant acts were passed and many became overjoyed. The Homestead Act was established saying that certain settlers were offered 160 acres of land if they built a house and farmed for five years. Just like in today's society, "Buy one, get one half off" you think you are getting a bargain but you really are not.
Religious freedom is another advantage the West displayed. Many things were established over time such as, Methodists and Mormons. Sometimes religion tends to be a big part of peoples lives'. It is believed that many Catholics pick their President based on their plans and ideas as well as their religious beliefs. Religion in general, is your overall perspective on different issues.
Next, personal and political freedoms were also looked upon as a big factor. Women began to have more rights than usual. If so, why is it that men are paid more than women and yet they do the same work and have the same position? Even African Americans got a chance to have a voice. The West changed many policies in good ways as well as bad.
All in all, people moved to the West in hope of a better life. You hope for the best and maybe one day blessings will come your way. For instance, many people leave their homeland to get away for many different reasons such as poverty, slavery, and disrespect. You only get one life to live. In the words of Maria Robinson, "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending". Overall this is the way these people wanted and chose to live.
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I enjoyed this blog mainly because it describes some freedoms people got while settling west. Like what we were taught last class, many miner societies were very racially diverse, and got along. Not only did blacks, Asians, and whites get along, but also women had the same freedoms. Anyway, like you said, religious freedom was also a great thing for western settlers so that they wouldn’t get criticized for their practices in the east. Unfortunately these freedoms would mainly go to settlers and not the Natives.
This was a good blog. I like how you explained how many people could move west and create a life for themselves that they would not be able to seek elsewhere. Many people were given opportunities and rights in the west that they would not have recieved in the east.
I enjoyed your blog. it had a lot of interesting facts. i never t bout really thought about people moving west either. i dont believes blacks where treated any different from what they were being treated in the past. the people moving west where really rigged. because they of all the work they had to do.
Your blog was super-easy to read, and I'm saying that as a good thing. The spaces in between the paragraphs are great; keep that up!! In addition, I liked how you picked everything out and explained the pros and cons of being in the West. It never occurred to me that different areas of the West would have different rules; I just assumed everyone would do the same stuff. You discussed all the new freedoms people have, and it made it clear that, while the West did have its difficulties, people really would experience a whole new life there that they wouldn't have had back in the other states.
BORAH!
I ENJOY READING YOUR BLOG. IT WAS VERY EASY TO FOLLOW. I LIKE HOW YOU MENTION THAT MONEY IS EVEYTHING IN THE WEST BECAUSE I DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS WHEN THAT WAS MENTION. I KNOW THAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE THAT BUY ONE GET ONE FREE IS JUST A SCAM. ANOTHER THING IS THAT YOU BLOG EXPLAINS PEOPLE'S FREEDOM SETTLING IN THE WEST. BUT OVERALL YOU BLOG WAS WONDERFUL.
I liked reading your blog. It had alot of information. It also had a lot of details which were good. I liked how you went into detail with each reason of why people moved west, in your paragraphs. Good Job. :]
Your blog was really clear, I liked it. I think it's really interesting that even back then, there was always a catch to everything. The Homestead Act was really a big scam if it all came down to money. To put all of your earnings and hard work into a piece of land for 5 years seemed like a huge unprofitable commitment, and I can't believe so many people signed onto it. I mean, it must've looked good on paper to be able to own your own land, but the freedom came with so many intense conditions. I guess it shows how desperate these people were.
Good blog. Unlike the rest of the blogs on western migration your blog told about the reasons and advantages as to why the settlers migrated west. I didn't know that they were moving west to gain religious freedom i kind of thought they had that already, I guess not.
Nice blog! I loved it! Once again, you've done it! I completely understood your essay, it wasn't choppy or gramatically incorrect. I could easily read it. I love the details you added such as 'religious freedom'. I agree with the idea of religious freedom. All different kinds of religious people are given equal opportunities in the West during the Westward migration. Nice job! Keep it up!
Borah baby!
Great Blog! I like the way you actually explained why people moved west. In my opinion, i dont think that the West actually mad it better for a lot of people. IF you did not have money, then it had no advantage to you. Also i like how you included the "buy one get one half off", because that is basically what it was.People thought they were seeking better oppurtunities, but not as good as they thougt.
This was a very good blog about the reasons why people moved to the west. I learned the first theme of this essay is some people make decisions that will make their life better. For example: when Catholics pick the president based on his ideals, they choose him because when he is chosen he will be able to establish those ideals to the country. The second theme is, not all the decisions people take, will actually make their life better. For example: It seemed that going getting a grant from the homestead act, would make you rich, but in actuality the people who would make profit would be the speculators. These are the themes; I felt when I read your essay.
i liked reading this blog. i liked how you descibed some of the freedom the the settlers had like getting their own land and practicing their own religious ideas
I like reading your blog. I like that you put a lot of emphasis on that the people traveled west to make a new life for themselves and their family. Many races made the same journeys to get to were they are today.
Yes...
MONEY IS EVERYTHING!!!
But anyways, I didn't know that I was getting ripped off when I bought a buy one get one half off. I also didn't know that the west provided better religious freedom.
Nice blog. It seemed that you use a lot of facts in your blog. I liked how you talked about the expansion and what kind of people expanded and how life was for them. Good blog!!
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