Manifest Destiny
Westward Trails
Land Acquisitions
Conflicts & Laws
Gold Rush & Economy
100
What is the belief that Americans were meant to settle land from the Atlantic to the Pacific called?
Manifest Destiny.
100
Name one trail people used to travel west to Oregon or California.
Oregon Trail (or California Trail, Santa Fe Trail, Mormon Trail).
100
Which purchase doubled the size of the United States in 1803?
Louisiana Purchase
100
Which law (signed in 1830) forced many Native American tribes to move west of the Mississippi?
Indian Removal Act.
100
In which state did the Gold Rush begin?
California
200
Give one simple reason why people believed in Manifest Destiny
Many believed it was America's duty to spread democracy and civilization; or people wanted land and new opportunities.
200
Which trail did the Mormon pioneers mainly use to reach Utah?
Mormon Trail.
200
Which land acquisition made Texas a U.S. state in 1845?
Texas Annexation (annexation of the Republic of Texas).
200
Who was the U.S. President that signed the Indian Removal Act?
Andrew Jackson
200
Around what year did the California Gold Rush start?
Around 1849 (starting in 1848 with major migration in 1849).
300
How did Manifest Destiny influence the idea of moving west?
It encouraged settlers to move west for land and resources and helped justify U.S. expansion.
300
List two hardships emigrants commonly faced on the Oregon Trail.
Examples: disease, running out of food, river crossings, bad weather, accidents.
300
What was the Mexican Cession and when did it happen?
The Mexican Cession was land Mexico ceded to the U.S. after the Mexican-American War in 1848 (Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo).
300
Name one major battle of the Texas Revolution.
Battle of Gonzales, Battle of the Alamo, or Battle of San Jacinto. (First was Battle of Gonzales.)
300
Who usually made the most money during the Gold Rush: miners or merchants?
Merchants usually earned the most, selling goods and services to miners.
400
Explain how the idea of Manifest Destiny could cause conflict with Indigenous peoples.
It led to taking Indigenous lands and forced relocations, causing loss of homes, culture, and lives.
400
Explain why people used the Santa Fe Trail and how it was different from the Oregon Trail.
The Santa Fe Trail was mainly a trade route between Missouri and Santa Fe (in Mexico then the U.S. Southwest), while the Oregon Trail led settlers to Oregon/California for farming and settlement.
400
Explain how the Louisiana Purchase affected U.S. territory
The Louisiana Purchase added a huge area west of the Mississippi to U.S. control and opened land for settlers.
400
Give one cause and one effect of the Mexican-American War
Cause: Annexation of Texas / Manifest Destiny / disputed border. Effect: Mexican Cession to the U.S.; increased tensions over slavery.
400
Describe one way the Gold Rush affected people who already lived in California (Indigenous people or Mexican Americans).
ndigenous people and Mexican Americans were pushed off land, suffered from violence, loss of resources, and discrimination.
500
Describe one positive outcome and one negative outcome that supporters of Manifest Destiny might have claimed.
New land and opportunities for settlers. Possible negative: Displacement and suffering of Indigenous peoples.
500
On a map, identify where the California Trail generally led (name endpoint and one starting region).
The California Trail led from the Midwest (e.g., Missouri) to the goldfields or California settlements on the Pacific coast.
500
Describe one effect the Mexican Cession had on people living in those lands.
Mexican Americans often lost land, legal rights, or property; Indigenous people lost territory and faced new U.S. laws.
500
Explain in 3–4 sentences how Westward Expansion increased tensions between the North and South over slavery.
New territories raised the question whether they would be slave or free states; Northerners opposed expansion of slavery, Southerners wanted to protect and spread it — this increased sectional tensions leading toward the Civil War.
500
Explain two economic changes the Gold Rush caused in California or the U.S.
Example changes: rapid population growth in California, boom towns and businesses, increased trade and migration; increased U.S. interest in Pacific ports and routes.