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Railroad Expansion
Throughout the 1830s there was a huge railroad system set up that expanded the railroad system all the way west which allowed for easier expansion out west. -
Indian Removal Act
The Indian Removal act of 1830 allowed for the president to remove all Native Americans east of the Mississippi River. This act allowed for the European settlers to move west and seize the lands that the Native Americans previously owned. -
Gold Rush
The California gold rush was a rapid influx of people heading to the west to search for their fortune in gold. This caused major expansion in the west as towns were set up just for mining gold called “boom towns”. This surge of people heading west was a big part of the growth of the west. -
Trail of Tears
The trail of tears was the forced displacement of Native Americans to head west by the U.S government, nearly 65,000 Native Americans went down the trail. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny was the idea that it was the destiny of white settlers to expand all the way to the west until it was only oceans at their borders. This idea was started by John Sullivan who said that the expansion of all western territory was inevitable. -
Annexing Texas
On December 27th, 1845, the U.S signed Texas into annexation which was very controversial with the Mexican government who had very recently had Mexico declare independence. -
Mexican American War
The Mexican-American war was started due to high tensions between Mexico and the U.S after the annexation of Texas. Due to having popular support by the Mexican territories, the U.S decided to invade and took the capital of Mexico City. -
Oregon treaty
The Oregon treaty was a treaty between Britain and The United States which gave America the borders between Canada that it has today. The treaty allowed for all the land underneath the Rockies to belong to the U.S. -
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 was a deal signed in the U.S government that allowed for California to join the United States as a free state that did not allow slavery. This was one of five laws passed under this compromise. -
Mexican Land Purchase
The Mexican Land Purchase was the purchase of California, New Mexico, Arizona, and some other territories that took place at the end of the Mexican-American War. The purchase was roughly 15 million in cost instead of the 30 million the U.S offered to pay prior to the war.