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United States
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Louisiana Purchase
The French sold the Americans 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River in a treaty called the Louisiana Purchase. The treaty was signed on April 30, 1803. The Americans wanted Louisiana because of the Port of New Orleans. This was the most widely used port, because it was at the bottom of the Mississippi River, and that river was their main way of trading goods with other states. Americans got tired of relying on the French, and bought Louisiana and other present day states. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
After the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson wanted people to explore the newly bought land. He chose Meriwether Lewis, who solicited the help of William Clark. They collected a military Corps of Discovery together. The expedition of the Corps of Discovery shaped a rough route to the Pacific and made an initial pathway for the nation to spread westward from ocean to ocean, fulfilling what would later become an obvious destiny to many Americans. -
War of 1812
The Star-Spangled Banner was written during the War of 1812. Some causes of the war was the British trying to restrict U.S. trade, the Royal Navy’s impressment of American seamen, and America’s desire to expand its territory. The ratification of the Treaty of Ghent on February 17, 1815 ended the war. Many people celebrated this was as a "second war of indeoendence". -
Treaty of 1818
The Treaty of 1818 established the boundary between the United States and Canadian territories at the 49th parallel. This treaty is also known as the Convention respecting Fisheries, Boundary and the Restoration of Slaves, and it secured fishing rights for some American fishermen, provided for joint control of Oregon territory, and marked the beginning of America and Britain's better relationship. This was the last permanent loss of territory for the United States. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
The Adams-Onis Treaty, also known as the Transcontinental Treaty, settled boundary disputes between the United States and Spain. The Louisiana Purchase didn't fully specify the boundaries of the land the United States purchased from France, and the U.S. and Britain disagreed over it. This treaty established the line of demarcation between the new republic and Spanish territorial claims. The countries agreed that the U.S.' western boundary should begin at the mouth of the Sabine River. -
Missouri Compromise
Representative James Tallmadge introduced a bill that would prohibit slavery in Missouri. On March 3, 1820, Congress passed a bill granting that Missouri statehood would be a slave state under the condition that slavery was prohibited in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of the 36th parallel. The Missouri Compromise was criticized by many people on both sides of the slavery debate, but it succeeded in keeping the Union together for more than 30 years. -
Indian Territory Founded
The federal government began moving the Five Civilized tribes to the west of the Mississippi River. Their removal gave the president authority to give them specific lands and Congress approved. Tribes other than the original 5 also moved here, but they all kept their own government. -
Texas Revolution
The TexasRevolution was the military conflict between the Mexican government, led by General Santa Anna, and Texas colonists. It resulted in the establishment of the Republic of Texas after the final battle on Vince's Bridge. The Battle of the Alamo was the most famous battle in the Texas Revolution. -
Iowa Territory
President Martin Van Buren signed the bill that created the Territory of Iowa. He appointed a governor and secretary for the new territory, and three justices of the territorial supreme court. The people were to elect the legislature. This territory included all the land west of the Mississippi River and north of Missouri, as far as the Rocky Mountains and the northern boundary of the United States. -
U.S. - Canadian Border Established
Representatives of Great Britain and the United States sign the Oregon Treaty, which settles a dispute with Britain over who controlled the Oregon territory. The treaty established the 49th parallel from the Rocky Mountains to the Strait of Georgia as the boundary between the United States and British Canada. -
Mexican Cession
The United States said that their southern boundary should be the Rio Grande, which was farther south than the original boundary set by the Nueces River. After the U.S. cavalry ignored an order from Mexico to retreat to the Nueces River, they started fighting. 3 weeks later, Congress declared war on Mexico. The United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo shortly after the war ended. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 consisted of laws admitting California as a free state, creating Utah and New Mexico territories with the quwstion of slavery, which was decided by the popular opinion, which settled a Texas-New Mexico boundary dispute in Texas' favor, which ended the slave trade in Washington D.C. -
Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase, also known as the Treaty of La Mesilla, was an agreement between the United States and Mexico where the U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for a 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico, which later became part of Arizona and New Mexico.