Write a paragraph of four to five sentences describing some of the reasons why American settlers moved to the western United States during this time.

There were several different reasons why American settlers moved to the west during the era of westward expansion. This included:

1) Cheap farmland - This allowed individuals to have a significant amount of land that would otherwise be impossible to own in the more populated states.

2) Homestead - This was land given by the federal government to individuals in order to grow crops and cultivate on. These lands were all west of the Mississippi River and allowed for the increased population of territories annexed by the US during the 19th century.