How the "West" Came to Be

 

The 1653 act of the Virginia House of Burgesses aimed to encourage westward exploration for the purposes of wealth acquisition and development of the country. The act was passed in a context of rapid English colony expansion in the region, with the western borders already reaching the Blue Ridge Mountains

.

Here are some motivations behind the passage of the 1653 act:

●

The Virginia House of Burgesses, recognizing the potential for economic gain and territorial expansion, sought to incentivize individuals to explore uncharted territories

.

●

By granting exclusive trading rights and land ownership for 14 years to those undertaking the exploration, the act aimed to stimulate economic activity and westward settlement in regions "where no English ever have been and discovered"

.

●

The act specifically mentions Colonel William Clayborne, Captain Henry Fleet, and Major Abram Wood, who were all representatives in the House of Burgesses and likely driven by a desire to amass wealth and develop the country

.

The sources mainly focus on the exploits of Colonel Abraham Wood, who is believed to have discovered and named Wood's Gap and New River

. While the 1653 act aimed to incentivize westward exploration, it is important to note that the sources do not explicitly link Wood's explorations to the act.