Territorial Acquisitions

During the still premature ages of the United States, territorial acquisitions would mainly help the progression of the country through economic development and political compromises, whereas little of the growth hindered the republic, the only major case being the foreign political tension. In 1820, the North and South collided with the slave debate after Missouri lit the fuse with its proposal for statehood. While many would argue that this deterred the progression of the republic because it created more political tension between the North and the South, this is only half of the argument. It is more accurate to say that the Missouri Compromise following this explosion of the slave question helped to ease political tension by creating a compromise that both parties were somewhat satisfied with. From this perspective, it is evident that the Missouri Compromise helped the United States in its progression. Furthermore, the economic growth during this time period was largely because of the general growth of the country. As more land became part of the country, more immigrants came flocking to the United States to collect the oppurtunities promised to them back in their homeland. This influx in immigrants not only increased the agricultural economy of the West, but also brought forth a working class that could support the growing manufacturing demands of New England. In combination with the new transportation systems developed to allow foreigners westward, the economy of the United States experienced an entirely new economy. This entire growth was because of the growing movement for Manifest destiny and the desire to move westward.