Why did the people want to move to the west?

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To obtain free land from the federal government i

Main reason was to obtain free land from the federal government in the western states, provided that you agreed to live on the land.

Also some people were drawn to the rather lawless and hazardous environment of the west, I guess you would call them "adrenaline junkies"

And of course the gold rush of 1849 in California was a major draw for those wanting to strike it rich