Western Development

From the 1840s to the 1890s the Western land beyond the Mississippi had been shaping and developing over time. Aspects in the natural environment such as the land and climate played a major part and were substantial in shaping the West beyond the Mississippi and the lives of the people who lived and settled there. Other factors such as Manifest Destiny, agriculture, the myth of the frontier, mining, and the railroads assisted in this development because they all affected the west in negative and positive ways. These other factors were just as important are the affect of the natural environment. One can see the numerous factors that affected the West through the numerous documents.

The natural environment was extremely important in shaping the development of the West and the lives of those who lived and settled there. It played a significant role. The land and climate affected the way the area prospered and developed and how the people survived living there. There were droughts, bad land and lack of resources. The West had very dry and arid terrain. Document A illustrates the geographical aspects of the West. The area west of the Mississippi had mostly mountains, desert. These aspects were terrible