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Louisiana Purchase
The United States bought the land in the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million from France in 1803. The Louisiana Purchase covers 530 million acres of land west of the Colonies (In North America) past the MIssissippi River. Jefferson, the current president of the U.S, bought this territory in order to double the current size of their nation at the time and to give their future generations an inexhaustible amount of farmland. This marked the start of westward expansion in the U.S. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were set out on an expedition by Jefferson to explore the land bought in the Louisiana Purchase, to explore the Missouri River, and to find a route on land that leads to the Pacific Ocean. The Expedition was from May 14, 1804, to Sep 23, 1806. The expedition provided new geographical, ecological, and cultural information that had not been discovered before this time and would greatly assist the U.S with its goal of westward expansion. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 started on June 18, 1812 and ended February 17, 1815. This war started between the U.S and Great Britain due to Great Britain's interference in the U.S' naval trade and the capture of their seamen. This war established a clear boundary between Canada and the U.S, and helped free up restrictions on international trade. The war ended in a draw with the Treaty of Ghent; Great Britain agreed to relinquish their claims of northwest territory and both sides agreed to fight slavery. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement between the northern states and the southern states of the U.S. This compromise would allow Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, and for Maine to become a free state. This compromise also drew a line across the 36th parallel, dividing the U.S. into free states and slave states. This compromise was made to stop the Union from seceding or trying to cause a war with the northern states, which ultimately failed later on anyways. -
Monroe Doctrine
President James Monroe created the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, which was a message towards the European powers that told them two things. The U.S will remain neutral in all European affairs and those European affairs shouldn't reach the U.S lands. The Europeans will also not try to harm any free state or and U.S state, doing so will be treated as an act of war against the U.S. This doctrine was important for stopping European powers from colonizing U.S lands. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was an act signed by president Andrew Jackson that granted the Indian tribes west of the Mississippi in exchange for their current land where they reside. This allowed the U.S to spread to these new lands (The lands the Indians used to reside in). The Indian Removal Act resulted in an ethnic cleansing of the U.S, and an increase of slavery. -
Oregon Trail & Territory
The Oregon Trail was a 2,170 mile trail leading towards the west from the east that allowed travelers access to the newly bought land from the Louisiana Purchase that still has to be developed. The Oregon trail allowed for the mass migration of people to travel into the west which is self-explanatory for how it helped develop Westward Expansion. -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War was an invasion of Mexican territory by the U.S due to boundary disputes and because of the annexation of Texas. The war ended with the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which allowed Mexicans the right to move or remain in the U.S and forced Mexico to secede 55% of its territory which the U.S acquired later. -
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush was a massive migration of people in the U.S to California due to the discover of a mass amount of gold found in California. The Forty-niners were the names of the prospectors looking for a get rich quick plan in Cali. This migration helped with the expansion westwards of the U.S and helped fuel the economy as well. -
The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a collection of 5 bills, all aimed to resolve slavery issues with the new states added to the U.S following the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This compromise admitted California in as a free state, and gave Utah & Mexico their own free choice to choose to be a free or slave state. It drew a new boundary between New Mexico and Texas and also enacted the new Fugitive Slave Law which allowed slaveowners to capture back their escaped slaves much easier. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was drafted by Democratic senator Stephen A. Douglas. The act created two new territories, Kansas & Nebraska, and repealed the Missouri Compromise by allowing states to have popular sovereignty. This means that the settlers in a state can decide on their own whether their state would be a free state or a slave state. This new decision would be a turning point in westward expansion, allowed slavery to expand anywhere, as long as the people agreed in those states. -
The Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Act of 1862 were a series of laws passed by the U.S government to encourage westward expansion by giving citizens a very cheap but decent plot of federal land (160 acres) if they agree to live on this land, farm on the land, and improve the land within 5 years. They have to pay a small registration fee but this doesn't affect the pros that the lands give. This act helped blow up westward expansion in America and people everywhere started getting new land, manifesting their destiny.