Westward Expansion 1
Define Westward Expansion
Westward Expansion is when people in the United States moved west to find new land, homes, and opportunities in the 1800s. This caused the country to grow, but it also led to problems and conflicts with Native Americans and over slavery.
What was one main reason people move to California during the middle of the 1800s?
to mine gold during the Gold Rush
The name given to the route many Native people took after being pushed out of their homes by the U.S. military under the Indian Removal Act.
The Trail of Tears
Which territory (we know it as a state now) joined the US after it became an independent republic?
Texas
What 3 things made people want to move out west?
Land, Gold/farming (economic gain), Opportunity.
What did Lewis and Clark go on an expedition for?
to map out the land that was purchased west of the Mississippi River
What country originally owned Texas?
Mexico
What is Manifest Destiny?
The idea that the United States should expand west
Which battle during the war for independence in Texas later became known for a rallying war cry for fighters?
The Alamo
1848: James Marshall discovers gold at Sutter's Mill. Soon, word was out, and people rushed to California to strike it rich.
What was this event called?
The Gold Rush
What was the Louisiana Purchase?
A piece of land in the central United States that the U.S. government bought from France in 1803.
This policy forced many Native people out of their homes in the southeastern United States in 1830 during Andrew Jackson's presidency.
Indian Removal Act
Who owned the Louisiana Purchase before it was purchased by the US?
France
Which explorers were the first to venture into the American west?
Lewis and Clark
Which invention allowed for fast transportation over land?
Steam Engine / Railroad