What were the main factors driving continental expansion in the antebellum period?

Question

What were the main factors driving continental expansion in the antebellum period?

Answer 1

There were three driving factors: economic, social and political

Economic factors can be seen in the California Gold Rush of 1849.  People moved to California to try and strike it rich finding gold.  The West was also a place people could go to get a new start on their economic life.  If someone was in debt they could simply disappear to the frontier.

An example of social factors leading to westward movement is the Mormon migration to Utah.  They were persecuted by their neighbors in New York, Illinois, Missouri and finally left to Utah.

Political reasons for expansion are the movement of people to places in order to spread or prevent the spread of slavery.  This can be seen in Kansas, where non-slave holding supporters of slavery went there in order to try and make Kansas a slave state, and the same with abolitionist who wanted to make Kansas a free state.