The late 1800's not only brought an inpouring of foreign immigrants, but also an influx in internal migration. In the 1960's the California gold rush shifted east to Colorado and Nevada as "59ers" poured into the Midwest in search of the newly discovered gold and silver deposits. With the building of various railroad networks, and eventually the Transcontinental Railroad, pioneers could more easily travel across the nation. The increase in western population led to intensified Indian Wars as pioneer populations pushed further onto Indian lands. These relations only worsened with the 1862 Homestead Act and 1887 Dawes Act. Migrators worked on railroads and in mines, buying cheap land in the Great Plains region. Boom-towns sprung up around the industrial zones and trade thrived. The new invention of electricity, especially the telephone, simplified western life and connected the western United States to the east for the first time in U.S. history. This is represented by the angel in the painting (Lady Liberty). The shift from light to dark imagery in the painting shows the uncertainty of the western migration but the calming expression on Lady Liberty also represents the opportunity. (Sarah B.)

This image shows all the aspects of Americans push west. People poured to the newly acquired territory, especially in years like 1849 when gold was discovered in California, people poured into the new states and territories for free land (Homestead Act of 1862) and promise of wealth. Initially they traveled out in wagons pulled but by 1869 when the transcontinental railroad was completed, pioneers were traveling out west very quickly for a reasonable price. This meant more people to almost completely kill off the once abundant buffalo on the Western plains and more people to attack Indians and force them onto reservations. The Homestead Act in 1862 granted 160 acres of free land to anyone who was willing to farm on and improve the land. The invention of the telegraph in 1844 and eventually the telephone facilitated communication transcontinentally. "Boomtowns" along major railways prospered and those that weren't located on railroad tracks quickly died into "ghost towns". Western Expansion had a huge impact on the United States, from attracting more immigrants to almost killing off whole populations of animals.  (Jenna L.)

This photograph captures the essence of western migration beautifully. You have the central icon of possibly Columbia laying power lines and carrying a book. This demonstrates the unity the nation had with the invention of the telegraph, the ability to communicate quickly in a sense was what led the way to the west like a lamp lighting up the land. A train is following closely behind as another example of the togetherness of the nation. There is still the rough and tumble group represented in the bottom portion but they seem much softer than earlier depictions of frontiersmen, they have the Indians running away and a light practically showing them where to go. In the corner you have the settlements that people were able to set up easily now, because of the governments helping hand, through the Homestead Act. All of these aspects roped together show a metaphorical tsunami across the land. If you observe the far left hand side the animals and Indians are reacting to the rest of the picture as if they are indeed running from a giant wave. Expansion was impossible to stop with so much pushing it forward. (Cassie B.)