Assessment Brief

The course textbook states that in the mid-1800s manyAmericans felt a sense of uniqueness about the U.S. that helped drive westwardexpansion and that “this sense of uniqueness and mission had roots in Puritanutopianism and revolutionary republicanism but also owed much to the rapidgrowth and progress of the early nineteenth century” (379).  With this in mind, looking back over thecourse, explain how each of the following elements of U.S. history influencedattitudes on western expansion in the mid-1800s:  Puritan utopianism, revolutionaryrepublicanism, and mid-1800s’ economic growth. Be clear and specific in connecting each of these elements to westwardexpansion in the mid-1800s.  Then,explain how these elements conflicted with the attitudes and experiences ofNative Americans and Spanish with whom U.S. westward expansion came intocontact.  Clearly explain how NativeAmerican groups differed U.S. groups in their attitudes and experiences as thetwo came into contact on the western frontier. Then, clearly explain how Spanish groups differed from U.S. groups intheir attitudes and experiences as the two came into contact on the westernfrontier.