Major Events of Westward Expansion

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What was the Louisiana Purchase?

The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal in 1803 between the United States and France, in which the U.S. acquired approximately 827,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million.

Who were Lewis and Clark?

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were explorers who led the Corps of Discovery Expedition from 1804 to 1806 to explore the newly acquired western portion of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase.

What was the Oregon Trail?

The Oregon Trail was a roughly 2,170-mile route used by American pioneers to migrate westward to the Pacific Northwest between the 1830s and 1860s.

What was the significance of the Gold Rush?

The California Gold Rush began in 1848 and attracted hundreds of thousands of people to California in search of gold, leading to rapid westward expansion.

What was the Homestead Act?

The Homestead Act was a federal law passed in 1862 that granted 160 acres of public land to settlers, free of charge, to encourage westward migration.

What is Manifest Destiny?

Manifest Destiny was the 19th-century doctrine or belief that the expansion of the US throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

What was the Trail of Tears?

The Trail of Tears refers to the forced removal and displacement of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands in the Southeastern United States to areas west of the Mississippi River during the 1830s.

What role did the Transcontinental Railroad play in westward expansion?

The Transcontinental Railroad, completed in 1869, connected the eastern U.S. rail network with the Pacific coast, facilitating faster travel and commerce across the United States.

What led to the Texas Revolution?

The Texas Revolution was sparked by tensions between Texan colonists and the Mexican government over issues like governance and slavery, leading to Texas's independence in 1836.

Who were the forty-niners?

The forty-niners were the thousands of gold seekers who traveled to California during the Gold Rush of 1849 in search of fortune.

What effect did the Mexican-American War have on westward expansion?

The Mexican-American War, fought from 1846 to 1848, resulted in the U.S. acquiring significant western territories, including California and New Mexico, through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

What was the impact of the railroads on Native American tribes?

The construction of railroads often led to the displacement of Native American tribes, loss of hunting grounds, and conflicts with settlers and the U.S. government.

What was the significance of the Alamo in westward expansion?

The Alamo was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution where a small group of Texan defenders were besieged by Mexican forces, becoming a symbol of resistance and sacrifice.

How did the concept of Manifest Destiny impact U.S. foreign policy?

Manifest Destiny influenced U.S. foreign policy by justifying territorial expansion as a divine right, leading to acquisitions like the Oregon Territory and the Mexican Cession.

What was the Santa Fe Trail and its importance?

The Santa Fe Trail was a trade route connecting Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico, active from 1821 to 1880, playing a crucial role in commerce and migration.

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