Westward Horizons after the American Revolution
Treaties, Broken treaties, Wars and Manifest Destiny
A bright horizon to the West dazzled the young American nation. Westward expansion was an irresistible urge--the vision of conquering the west at times blinded the new lawmakers to potential longer-term consequences. New York and Georgia constituted two different faces of the same dilemma facing the new nation. Growth required geographic expansion. To solve money problems the government had to offer land in lieu of cash payment to debtors--like those who had served in the recent revolution. If the government did not actually own the land, it had to get it--one way or another.