-
Period: to
American Westward Expansion
-
Manifest Destiny Begins
Manifest Destiny is a term for a common attitude during the 19th century of American expansion that the United States not only could, but was destined to, stretch from coast to coast. This attitude helped fuel western settlement, Native American removal and war with Mexico.
(Approximate date as it ranged for a period of time) -
Purchase of the Louisiana Territory
President Thomas Jefferson pays the French $15 million dollars for 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Thomas Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the newly purchased Louisiana territory and write about their adventures. -
Lewis and Clark Return
After two and a half years and 8000 miles, the expedition was over. Lewis and Clark brought back a huge amount of information about the unexplored western territory including. They made it to the Pacific North West Coast and afterwards returned to St. Louis. -
Creation of Oregon Trail
A route from western Missouri across the Great Plains into the Rocky Mountains to Oregon City, Oregon was founded by fur trappers on foot. The trail would be heavily used in the mid 19th century. -
War of 1812
America's second victory over Britain was won, making America completely independent. Pushing even more interest to travel West. -
Treaty of Ghent
The treaty of Ghent was signed. It ended the war of 1812. America gains full respect and independence. -
Andrew Jackson Runs for President
Andrew Jackson runs for president and wins. He changed many things in America, especially in regards to westward expansion. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal Act was passed by Congress during the Presidency of Andrew Jackson. It authorized the president to negotiate with southern Indian tribers for their removal to federal territory west of the Missippi River in exchange for their ancestral homelands. The purpose of this act was to increase interest in moving west, allowing Americans to feel safer if they did not have to cross Native Americans. -
Trail of Tears
(Date approximate, series of forced removals)
In 1838 and 1839, as part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma. The Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effects such as powerlessness of Native Americans and a huge amount of deaths. -
Heavy Use of the Oregon Trail
(No absolute date)
In 1841, the first group of settlers, the Bidwell-Bartleson party led by Thomas Fitzpatrick, left Missouri for the west. They traveled across the Platte River Valley and divided at Soda Springs, some heading for Oregon and others to California. By 1843, migration on the Oregon Trail began in earnest. More than a thousand pioneers traversed the trail in 1843, followed by increasing numbers in the succeeding years. (Olson and Naugle, 1997) -
Texas Joins United States
Texas declares independence from Mexico, despite their disapproval. The Republic of Texas accepted the United States annexation of the territory. Congress accepts the Republic of Texas into the United States as the 28th state. -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War was the first war fought on foreign soil. Mexico was unprepared to fight against the United States. President Polk still believed the U.S. had a manifest destiny to spread across the country. The fight was over disputed land that Mexico believed was theres but America believed they had rights to. The U.S. won and Mexico lost 1/3 of their territory. -
California Gold Rush
Gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mil in Coloma, California. This news of gold brought over 300,000 people in ships and wagons to California, they were called "forty-niners". -
Homestead Act
Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. The act 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 recieving ownership of land. -
Transcontinental Railroad
Construction of the railroad was a daunting task, it required the laying of over 2000 miles of track that stretched through some of the most difficult landscape in the United States. Once it was built, travel time between America's east and west coasts was reduced from months to less than a week. Allowing for maximum ease moving westward. -
Closing the American Frontier
In 1890 the U.S. Census announced that rapid western settlement meant that "there can hardly be said to be a frontier line." In just a quarter century, the far western frontier had been settled. Three million families started farms on the Great Plains during these years. America is now declared settled! (Digital History, 2000) (Approximate date)
