Southern Expansionism

Southern Expansionism refers to the 19th-century movement where American settlers and politicians aimed to extend the United States’ territory into the southern regions, particularly in the South and Southwest. Motivated by the desire for more land, economic opportunities, and the spread of slavery, this expansion was driven by the belief in Manifest Destiny—the idea that Americans were destined to expand across the continent. It included acquiring territories like Texas and parts of the Southwest through wars, treaties, and settlement. This movement significantly shaped the nation’s geography and contributed to tensions leading up to the Civil War.