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President Polk
A political leader of the nineteenth century; Polk, a Democrat, was president from 1845 to 1849. An ardent believer in manifest destiny, he led the United States into the Mexican War -
Louisiana Purchase
The territory sold by France to the US in 1803, comprising the western part of the Mississippi valley and including the modern state of Louisiana -
Lewis and Clark/Sacagawea
expeditionary men that explored the Louisiana Purchase from St. Louis in Missouri to the Pacific coast from. They were accompanied by a Shoshone Indian guide and interpreter She joined the Lewis and Clark expedition in what is now North Dakota and guided their travels through the wilderness and across the Rockies -
Winfield Scott
was one of the most important American military figures of the early 19th century. After fighting on the Niagara frontier during the War of 1812, Scott pushed for a permanent army that adhered to standards of professionalism. -
Adams-Onis Treaty
the United States and Spain defined the western limits of the Louisiana Purchase and Spain surrendered its claims to the Pacific Northwest. In return, the United States recognized Spanish sovereignty over Texas. -
"Remember the Alamo"
A battle cry in the Texans' struggle for independence from Mexico, later used by Americans in the Mexican War. It recalled the desperate fight of the Texan defenders in the Alamo, a besieged fort, where they died to the last man. -
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
resolving several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies. -
Thomas Jefferson
American Democratic Republican statesman, 3rd president of the US 1801–9. He played a key role in the American leadership during the War of Independence and was the principal drafter of the Declaration of Independence -
Texas Annexation
the United States Congress passed a "Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States" and Texas was subsequently admitted it to the Union as the 28th state. The Texas border dispute with Mexico quickly led to the Mexican-American War during the presidency of James Polk. -
War with Mexico
A war fought between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. The United States won the war, encouraged by the feelings of many Americans that the country was accomplishing its manifest destiny of expansion. -
Oregon Territory
Land claimed by both the United States and Great Britain. This was an ongoing dispute until the Treaty of 1846, which set the boundary at the 49th parallel, where it is today -
Mexican Cession
refers to lands surrendered, or ceded, to the United States by Mexico at the end of the Mexican War. The terms of this transfer were spelled out in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848. -
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
officially entitled the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits and Settlement between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, is the peace treaty signed on February 2, 1848, in the Villa de Guadalupe Hidalgo -
Zachary Taylor
was the 12th President of the United States, serving from March 1849 until his death in July 1850. -
Gadsden Purchase
was an agreement between the United States and Mexico, finalized in 1854, in which the United States agreed to pay Mexico $10 million for a 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico that later became part of Arizona and New Mexico.