The migration westward was a way for brave souls to pursue their personal dreams and also to fulfill the mission of manifest destiny—the belief that American expansion was fated to happen. Various populations made the journey west for various reasons. Many settlers were lured by timber, gold, silver, or rich, unspoiled lands for farming and ranching. Some went just for the adventure or the desire for a fresh start. A few groups of settlers were distinct in their shared ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations, or specific purpose for making the journey.
See if you can match each group of settlers with their primary motivation for heading west.
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Forty-Niners
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To live without laws
To prospect for gold in California
To escape a rebellion
To see the Pacific Ocean
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Forty-Niners descended upon California by the tens of thousands in hopes of striking it rich in the Gold Rush.
Forty-Niners descended upon California by the tens of thousands in hopes of striking it rich in the Gold Rush.
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Missionaries
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To seek gold in California
To build hospitals and schools
To spread their faith to new communities
To set up settlements in Utah
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While frontier missionaries did provide communities with schools, hospitals and other necessary infrastructure, their primary motivation was to establish their faith on the American frontier.
While frontier missionaries did provide communities with schools, hospitals and other necessary infrastructure, their primary motivation was to establish their faith on the American frontier.
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Chinese immigrants
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To escape a rebellion
To work on transcontinental railroads
To prospect for gold in California
To set up Chinatowns
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The primary motive for Chinese immigration to the U.S. mainland was to participate in the California Gold Rush.
The primary motive for Chinese immigration to the U.S. mainland was to participate in the California Gold Rush.
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Mormons
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To enjoy religious freedom
To legally have more than one spouse
To convert Native Americans to Christianity
To learn new farming techniques
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Mormons headed west to the state of Utah to establish settlements where they could practice their religion without persecution.
Mormons headed west to the state of Utah to establish settlements where they could practice their religion without persecution.
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