-
Louisiana Purchase
President Thomas Jefferson buys the Louisiana Territory (828,000 square miles of land) from France for $15 million dollars in 1803. This doubles the size of the U.S., and provides a large area to expand west. It included land from fifteen present U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. -
Period: to
Manifest Destiny
-
Lewis and Clark Expedition
In 1805, explorers Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean after mapping out the Louisiana Purchase. They began the American expansion of the West, and the movement they started brought civilization and progress to the rest of the country. Their mission was to explore the unknown territory, establish trade with the Natives, and affirm the sovereignty of the United States. -
Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears
The 1830 Indian Removal Act led to the forced migration of approximately 60,000 Native Americans.It was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson, authorizing the president to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. Between 1830 and 1840, the forced migration including the terrible journey of the Cherokee Nation of the infamous Trail of Tears, where more than four thousand natives died. -
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail marked the first mass migration of settlers traveling Westward. The trail was a 2,170 mile route from Missouri to Oregon and California that enabled the migrating of the early pioneers to the western United States. In 1843, 1,000 pioneers made the journey at one time, and it was the only feasible land route for settlers to go to the West Coast. People came to seek land, freedom from religious persecution, etc. -
"Manifest Destiny"
In 1845, John O'Sullivan initiates the phrase "Manifest Destiny" in an article on the annexation of Texas. This term described the attitude felt during the 19th century that the United States not only could, but was destined to expand Westward. This attitude helped fuel western settlement, Native American Removal, and war with Mexico. This word claimed the essence of this mindset. At the heart of Manifest Destiny was the belief in American cultural and racial superiority. -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It started after the annexation of Texas from Mexico. The aim of America was to expand Westward, even if it meant going to war.It pitted a politically divided and unprepared Mexico against the expansionist-minded administration of U.S. President James K. Polk. At the end, Mexico had lost and America had gained nearly all of present day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. -
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24th, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought some 300,000 people to California from the rest of the United States and abroad.The sudden influx of immigration and gold into the money supply reinvigorated the American Economy, and the infamous term "forty-iners" was coined. The Gold Rush also led to technological advances, such as steamships, and new railroads. -
Homestead Act
On May 20, 1862, the Homestead Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. It encouraged Western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. In all, more than 270 million acres of public land was given away to 1.6 million homesteaders west of the Mississippi River. -
Transcontinental Railroad
In 1869, the Transcontinental Railroad is complete, joining the Eastern and Western parts of the United States. This railroad has long been a dream for people living in the American West. The Western boom following the California Gold Rush in 1849 made the need for a transcontinental line apparent. The completion of this railroad made the American West easily accessible, creating a boon of trade, business, and population. -
Declaration of Expansion
In 1890, the United States Government announced that the Western Lands had been explored. The United States had spanned from East to West Coast. The Census Bureau announced that the frontier had ended, meaning there was no longer a discernable frontier line in the West, and that it was settled. For the first time in History, America was without a frontier. This had a huge psychological impact on many Americans, as the frontier represented danger, adventure, etc.
