Manifest Destiny/Louisiana Purchase/Corps of Discovery
What is Manifest Destiny?
Manifest Destiny was the idea that the United States had a “God given right” to take over every part of North America.
What are cow chips? What were they used for?
It is a dried cow dung. They used it as fuel.
Name a state or piece of land that the U.S. obtained.
Could be any of these:
Florida, Land from the Texas Annexation, Oregon Country, land that was ceded by Great Britain, land from the Mexican Cession, Gadsden Purchase, Alaska
What was the name of the act called that gave people free land?
The Homestead Act
What is the Trail of Tears?
The Trail of Tears was a route the American Indians had to take while being forced to relocate from the southeast to the Indian Territory, which was present day Oklahoma. The journey lasted from 1838-1839.
What was the Louisiana Purchase?
It was a purchase in 1803 where the US bought the Louisiana territory from the French. President Thomas Jefferson purchased the land for $15 million dollars.
This doubled the size of the US and opened up possibilities for westward expansion. This was an important purchase because the US wanted to become as big and as powerful as possible.
What was the Oregon Trail?
It was a way to get to new land out west because at the end of the trail was a great deal of land.
A 2000 mile route to the west for thousands of settlers to take when migrating to the western part of the US.
Why was the Pony Express necessary?
Telegraph lines only reached from the Atlantic coast (Eastern U.S.) to St. Joseph, Missouri. During the civil war, Northern states wanted more rapid communication with California and with the increase in settlement in the lands in between the Midwest and the West Coast. There weren’t railroads at this time. It took about a month for mail delivered by stagecoach to get from the Mississippi River to California.
How did the building of the railroad impact Native Americans?
The railroad was built through Native American land. Their land and homes were taken. The U.S. army was sent to “clear” the land by killing and removing Native Americans from their land.
How did westward expansion impact women?
Any woman traveling alone faced dangers and for black women, the dangers were compounded by their race. Despite the risks, black women did migrate west. Women weren’t considered equal to men back then.
We learned that Americans believed in Manifest Destiny. What problems/conflicts occurred during this time?
The US was very determined to take control of all of North America but the parts of North America were not empty. They were places that Native Americans had always lived.
The growth of the US meant the spread of slavery west. As slaves were spreading to other states in the United States, the issue of slavery intensified.
States had dividing views over slavery which would eventually lead to the civil war.
Name 2 reasons that made living on the land that they got from the US government hard.
Could be any 2 of these:
Technology wasn't as advanced/ Land wasn't always the best, it could be dry, difficult to irrigate
disease/ snowstorms/lean crops/flash floods/ plowing the land was difficult
Why were orphans preferred as riders for the Pony Express?
To be a rider, there was a risk of dying. If the riders were orphans, the company wouldn’t have to deal with family members or other issues.
Why were Chinese workers recruited to work on the railroad?
They were hard workers and willing to work for lower wages because most Chinese workers had come from extreme poverty.
How was the African American experience different from White Americans on the frontier?
African-American pioneers were facing hurdles that were so much higher than white pioneers [including having to prove they were free and paying up to $500 to show they wouldn’t be a financial burden on new communities]. They were not treated with the same respect a white man would be given.
List 2 accomplishments of the Corps of Discovery.
Could be any 2 of these:
Documented natural resources.
Documented 200 plants and animals and at least 72 Native American tribes
First of those who colonized America to see Yellowstone and enter into Montana and produce an official description of these regions.
After the expedition, the maps that were produced allowed the further discovery and settlement of this vast territory in the years that followed.
Why did people want land? List one reason.
Land meant Wealth!! People could grow crops and raise animals.
People wanted a new life and better opportunities in America.
Some people went for fun and because it was an adventure!
What is the definition of Annexation and Cession?
Annexation - addition or incorporation of a territory into a county or city
Cession - the formal giving up of rights, property, or territory by a state
What is a boomtown and what can they turn into?
Whenever gold was discovered in a new place, miners would move in and make a mining camp. Sometimes these camps would rapidly grow into towns called boomtowns.
The Americans called 5 Native American tribes “civilized.” Why was this a problem?
It is very subjective. These 5 tribes were “civilized” according to white people.
Give a brief summary of the Corps of Discovery.
Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana territory and sent Lewis and Clark to form a crew to explore the unexplored land. They used a keelboat, built forts along the way, and encountered many Native American tribes.
How are dugout houses different from houses today?
They are made out of dirt, literally dug out to be formed. Today, houses are made out of bricks/stone/ other sturdy materials.
What ended the Pony Express? What is the code that was used for this technology and how did it work?
After telegraphs reached from the east to west, the Pony Express ended.
Morse code was used to send messages. Morse code was a series of lines and dots. Each letter and number was assigned a unique combination of lines and dots.
What was the purpose of the golden spike used on the transcontinental railroad?
The golden spike marked the end of the building of the transcontinental. It was hammered in during the “Golden Spike Ceremony”.
What was the “Indian Problem”?
American Indians were a problem because they were in the way of American westward expansion. To them there were 2 solutions, either “Removal” or “Civilization.”