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Expeditions of Lewis and Clark
Designated by President Jackson, the Lewis and Clark Expeditions purposes were to map a course to the Pacific Ocean and explore the "unknown and undiscovered" western territories. -
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Manifest Destiny
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The Indian Removal Act
This act granted President Andrew Jackson the authority to legally remove Native Americans, under the supervision of generals, living east of the Mississippi River. Jackson believed this would allow American settlers to move into this territory and have a much bette opportunity for possible success. -
Establishment of Indian Territory
Congress establishes Indian Territory, which coversparts of the present-day states of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas, far smaller than the "all lands west of the Mississippi" that whites had once promised. -
The Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars begin in the winter of 1835. After Seminole Indians refuse to leave their land in Florida, they are led by war chief Osceola in a fightagainst U.S. army troops in the swamps of Florida. The war costs the U.S. government more than $20 millionand the lives of fifteen hundred troops. Osceola is captured during a truce and dies in prison in 1838. The war continues until 1842, at which time most Seminole are moved west of the Mississippi River. -
Battle Of The Alamo
Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna launched an assault on the Alamo Mission near San Antonio de Béxar. -
Battle of San Jacinto
Battle which was led by General Sam Houston. Texas launched a surprise attack and destroyed Mexican Army and captured General Santa Ana, forcing him to recognize Texas's newly found independence. -
The Webster-Ashburton
This treaty resolved several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies, specifically, a dispute over the location of the Maine–New Brunswick border. -
Oregon Treaty
Britain and the United States sign the Oregon Treaty, granted the territory south of the 49th parallel to the United States. Though Britain had occupied this territory first, by 1845 American settlers significantly outnumbered British settlers in the area. -
The Gold Rush
Gold is discovered in California. The following year more than 80,000 people move to California in search of gold. -
Purchasing Territories
The United States paid Mexico $15 million dollars for the territories, Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and parts of Colorado. -
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalg
The treaty grants the United States all or part of the present-day states of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. It is a territorial addition second only to the Louisiana Purchase and virtually doubles the size of the country. -
The Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 1860 to October 1861. It became the west's most direct means of east-west communication before the telegraph and was vital for tying California closely with the Union just before the American Civil War. -
The Homestead Act
This gave free farms to families, based on family size. The only requirement was residence for a designated period of time. This prepared families on the east coast to surge westward in search of a better life.
