What problems existed in the western lands?

There were problems in the western lands. The main problem was dealing with the Native Americans. After the Native Americans were forced to move to the west in the 1830s, the Native Americans weren’t happy to see the Americans expanding west of the Mississippi River in the 1850s and beyond. New policies were developed to deal with the Native Americans, and these policies didn’t consider their needs. Native Americans were forced onto reservations, and their way of life was disrupted. This led to many conflicts between the government and the Native Americans that resulted in many casualties on both sides. There were battles that were constantly occurring in the second half of the 1800s between the army and the Native Americans.

Another problem with the western lands was that the land was very difficult to farm. The farming methods used east of the Mississippi River wouldn’t work west of the Mississippi River. The land was much more difficult to plow, and new farming techniques were needed. Steel plows were used to plow the land because the wooden plows would break because of the tough soil. Seeds had to be planted deeper in the ground because there was less moisture in these lands. The winters could be brutal, and the summers could be incredibly hot. Farming was more challenging in the western lands.

The western lands offered Americans new opportunities but also created new challenges.