Questions and Answers
What was the primary motivation behind Horace Greeley's famous phrase 'Go west, young man'?
To advocate for the spread of American capitalism and democracy
What was the New York Tribune's stance on American exceptionalism?
It believed that the US should benevolently conquer the continent
What was the main obstacle to westward expansion in the United States?
The presence of Native Americans on the land
What was the federal policy that allowed for westward expansion?
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What was the impression of city life given by Horace Greeley in his 1841 command?
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Study Notes
Horace Greeley's Exhortation
- In 1841, Horace Greeley, a publisher, encouraged people to leave cities and move west, citing the country's health benefits and opportunities away from urban crowds.
- Greeley believed that the West offered a better life than the factories of the East.
The Origin of "Go West, Young Man"
- The phrase "Go west, young man" is often attributed to Horace Greeley, but he likely popularized it through his speeches, letters, and editorials.
- The phrase was part of a larger context, highlighting the superior health, wealth, and advantages of the West.
American Exceptionalism and Expansion
- The New York Tribune, Greeley's newspaper, argued that the United States had a duty to expand across the continent, spreading American capitalism and democracy.
- This expansion was seen as a benevolent act, with the aim of conquering the continent.
Native American Presence and Federal Policy
- At the time, Native Americans controlled much of the land east of the Mississippi River and almost all of the West.
- The expansion of the United States relied on a federal policy of Indian removal, which involved forcibly relocating Native Americans from their lands.
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