Going to the west was preferred because they were promised the ability to buy cheap land, which meant you could build a new life there. By getting a land plot, ex slaves could create farms and sell the crop.
Explanation:
This is what I put. I'm not 100% sure it's right though (the last sentence may not be) but I know the land part is!!
Political parties start on the local level, move to state level, and then to national level. Due to progressive reforms, local party organizations are usually weak.
