Westward Expansion
Why was control of the Mississippi River important?
Trade and transportation.
Who sent Lewis and Clark on their expedition?
President Jefferson.
What cultural groups lived in Louisiana Territory?
French, Spanish, Native, African, American.
Who was the first U.S. governor of Louisiana?
William C. C. Claiborne.
Who could vote in 1812 Louisiana?
Free white men, 21+, taxpayers.
What did the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 create?
Rules for new states.
What was Jefferson’s main goal for the expedition?
Find a water route to the Pacific.
Why did Louisiana keep the parish system?
French and Spanish tradition.
Why was governing Louisiana hard for Claiborne?
Many cultures and languages.
What did Louisiana’s voting rules show about democracy?
Answer: It was limited.
Why did settlers move west in the early 1800s?
Land and opportunity.
Who helped the Corps of Discovery as a guide and interpreter?
Sacagawea.
What made Louisiana’s legal system unique?
Mix of French, Spanish, and U.S. laws.
Why did Claiborne leave old laws in place at first?
To keep order.
What boundaries did the Constitution set?
Sabine River, Mississippi, lakes, Gulf.
Why was the Neutral Ground established?
To avoid war with Spain.
Why was Sacagawea’s presence politically important?
She showed the group was peaceful.
Why was smuggling and piracy a problem?
It weakened U.S. control.
What did Claiborne demand from Louisiana citizens?
Loyalty to the U.S.
What new identity did Louisiana gain in 1812?
Free and independent state.
Why was the Port of New Orleans so valuable?
It connected U.S. trade to the world.
What kinds of information did Lewis and Clark bring back?
Plants, animals, maps, geography.
What event in 1811 showed resistance to slavery in Louisiana?
The German Coast Uprising.
How did Claiborne reassure citizens about their rights?
Promised liberty, property, and religion.
How did the Constitution both protect and limit?
Promised rights but restricted voting.