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Louisiana Purchase
The U.S. acquired a large territory from France doubling its size and opened the westward expansion. -
War of 1812
Conflict between the U.S. and Britain over issues like trade restrictions and impressment of American sailors, leading to a sense of national unity. -
Missouri Compromise
This agreement admits Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining a balance in Congress and addressing the contentious issue of slavery. -
Indian Removal Act
President Andrew Jackson signs this law, leading to the forced relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands, culminating in the Trail of Tears. -
Mexican American War
Fought over territorial disputes, this war results in the U.S. acquiring present-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. -
Civil War
A brutal conflict between the Northern states (Union) and Southern states (Confederacy) primarily over slavery and states' rights, leading to significant loss of life and eventual Union victory. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Issued by President Abraham Lincoln, it declares the freedom of all enslaved people in Confederate-held territory, redefining the war's purpose -
13th amendment
Ratified to abolish slavery in the United States, it marks a significant step toward civil rights. -
15th amendment
This amendment prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, although many barriers remain for African Americans in the South. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The Supreme Court decision upholds racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, entrenching Jim Crow laws in the South.