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#The colonists game path too steep free#
Other events, such as the Homestead Act of 1862-which offered settlers the opportunity to homestead 160 acres of free land, the migration of Mormon pioneers seeking refuge, and the decision of the Mexican government to allow United States citizens to settle the Texas territory were all forces behind the expansion of the American West. By the end of the California Gold Rush, miners extracted a total of 750,000 pounds of gold, worth roughly $2 billion. Later, the discovery of gold in California in 1848 inspired hundreds of thousands to move west and mine the lands, despite the efforts of discoverers James Wilson Marshall and John Sutter to keep it quiet. It cost the government over $15 million (the equivalent of over $570 billion 1 in today’s market). In this purchase, the United States acquired the Louisiana Territory and opened 828,000 square miles of land for settlers. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 was one of the first events that encouraged people to move west. Some major events helped accelerate the movement. However, rumors weren’t the only force at work. Rumors of rich farming lands in Oregon, gold in California, and refuge across the country convinced many to take the risks of pioneer travel and pursue a better life. Major political and social events inspired many people to make the move west.