One group headed west were the Mormons, and their reasoning was not as innocent and ambitious. Mormons sought to avoid religious discrimination. Joseph Smith originally led them west, but after he was murdered, Brigham Young took command and led the Mormons into Mexico. This expansion led Americans to enter territories that belonged to other nations, such as the American settlement in Mexico. This caused conflict in Texas when they decided they wanted to govern themselves. Another example is the “fight” for Oregon after Polk was elected president. However this was in no way a battle. In reality, it was just a bluff put up by Polk, when his real plan was to make a deal with England over the territory. Now, all this expansion may have caused conflicts and battles with other countries, however these battles were insignificant compared to the inevitable war that the expansion caused: the Civil War.