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Westward Expansion
Westward expansion was prompted by Euro-Americans who believed that their destiny was to gain territory as far west as possible. -
Indian Removal Act
The United States Congress passed the Indian Removal Act to move Indian tribes east of the Mississippi river. White settlers wanted the Indians land to grow cotton. This opened 25 million acres of land to white settlement and to the expansion of slavery. Some tribes moved peacefully but others refused to trade their cultivated farms in exchange for land promised in the Indian territories. This refusal led to The Trail of Tears. -
Trail of Tears
In the winter of 1831 the Choctaw was under threat of invasion by the U.S. army and became the first nation expelled from their land.They made the journey to the Indian Territory on foot, without food, and without any help from the government.Thousands of people died along the way.This process continued and in 1836 the government drove the Creeks from their land for the last time.3,500 of the 15,000 Creeks did not survive the trip. -
Texas Annexation
After Texas won their independence in 1836 the U.S. refrained from annexing them due to threats of war from Mexico. In 1845 the annexation of Texas was approved and Texas became the 28th state which gained even more territory for the U.S. Texas was a Pro-Slavery state. -
Oregon Trail
The Oregon trail stretched around 2,000 miles and through 6 states. This was a major route people took when migrating to the western part of the U.S. These people were seeking new opportunities and wanted to contribute to the growth of America. -
Mexican-American War
After the Annexation of Texas tensions became high between the U.S and Mexico. In 1846 a war started over a border dispute. Mexico claimed the Nueces River was Texas's southern border but the U.S Insisted the border was the Rio Grande River. The treaty of GH was signed confirming the Rio Grande River was the border. -
Mexican Cession
Under the terms of the treaty Mexico ceded and agreed to give the U.S. the rest of its territory north of the Rio Grande river in exchange for 18 million dollars. This land included California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico. The U.S. allowed the citizens in that land to remain there and gave them the option to become U.S. citizens. -
California Gold Rush
The California Gold rush peaked a lot of people's interests. People from all over started to migrate west to find gold. This led to rapid population growth, new towns, and California's statehood. -
Gadsden Purchase
This was an argument between the Unites States and Mexico. The U.S. agreed to pay Mexico 10 million dollars for a small part of Mexico that later became New Mexico and Arizona. This purchase was necessary so the U.S. could build a southern transcontinental railroad. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act provided any adult citizen or intended citizen could claim 160 acres of government land to live on it and cultivate it for 5 years. The purpose of this was to encourage settlement in the west by giving people free land to live on. This was a major impact in westward expansion because it promoted migrants, settlers, and formally enslaved people to live in the west. -
Pacific Railway Act
As southern states seceded Congress agreed to a Pacific route and the construction of a railroad. This act offered government incentives for men to assist in developing the first transcontinental rail line. This act employed thousands of immigrant workers. This led to reduced travel time for traveling across the country, and connected the East and West coasts. This also opened more settlement in the West by providing more jobs, development of communities, and bringing the country together.