In 1750, Ben Franklin noted that the colonial population was growing (*): doubling every 25 years. This has influenced Thomas Malthus, who said that “food supply could never keep pace with population growth” and this has influenced Charles Darwin.
(*) English-speaking whites, and their black slaves going supernova. They inhabited a continent cleared of its indigenous population by diseases, had powerful agricultural technologies and close tied to Britain, center a the Industrial revolution.
The growth numbers were confirmed in 1890. If you are wondering how? The first population census was done 100 years before.
By the time of USA independence, USA had 3.5 million people. By 1900, it had 76 million. Part of this change was from Europe and Africa, but represented not more than 1/3 of it.
In 1850, new territories (I will talk about it later) skipped 1st stage of government and went straight to bicameral legislature (absolute rule by Federal officials). Culture change too. “White savages” or “banditti” became “Pioneers”.
Conclusion:
Population boom turned the Country with power centers in the east and subordinated territories in the west into a violent empire of settlers, feeding on land, and displacing everything in its path.
Scale in Space 