Territorial Acquisitions

Although new territorial acquisitions helped the United States by boosting its economy, yet it also harmed the US by causing tensions within the nation. The acquisition of new land, although it was supported by mostly all Americans led to major domestic conflicts. The bgest among these conflicts was the issue of slavery. With westward expansion the nother and the south became severely sectionalized especialy on this issue because the debate about whether these new western lands, which would eventually become states, should allow slavery or be slave free. This argument, although reached a tempory fix with the Missouri compromise in 1820, was heated and aided the north south division.Although westward expansion boosted the northern economy, it lagged the southern econnomy and caused even more divisions by doing this. The north came to depend largely on the west for raw materials to use in textiles, while hte west benefitted with the manufacturing of the industrious north. This caused less dependence of the north on the south which caused the southern economy to lag behind the northern and western economy. This was also furthered by the transportation revolution which was a lot of railroads being built to connect the north and the west which allowed for better trading. This caused the south to have even futher conflicts with the north because of these new lands to the west. The westward expansion also caused a rip in the national identity by allowing for an influx of immigrants. Although these immigrants helped the economy by bein low wage workers in the factories in the industrious north, thy cause more internal conflicts because of racism and conflicting cultures, especially religion.