American West
After the Civil War, the country sought to move westward for new opportunities and new lands. The idea of Manifest Destiny was surging through the country, and many families looking for a new start and new opportunities headed West. The movement West was thought of as progress for America as it expanded the boundaries of the countries and opened new opportunities for many Americans. In American psyche the American West stands as a place of new opportunity, they based this belief off the idea of Manifest Destiny, which was sweeping through America. People were focused on connecting the coasts by railroads to unite the country. Going into the West we tried to increase the size of our country and bring people together. The West has shaped our national character into that of determination. People were determined to create a new life for themselves in the West and to find new jobs and opportunities in the West. The American West provoked people to be self-reliant and determined into creating a better life for themselves than in the East.
Many families packed up their belongings and traveled to the American West to seek new opportunities and jobs.
This picture displays the movement of many families and their livestock moving west to try and find better opportunities.
Railroads were very important to the American West as it was the only way to unite the west coast to the east coast, and provided many jobs to people moving west.
This picture symbolizes the movement westward into unknown land and moving away from the industrialized east.
The American Psyche of the West is a lot of open land and new opportunity, the most iconic figures from the west were cowboys.