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Daniel Boon
Founder of Boonesborough, Kentucky, and a militia officer during the Revolutionary War -
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Eli Whitney
Inventor of the Cotton Gin, which was a key invention of the Industrial Revolution and helped shape the economy of the South -
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Marcus and Narcissa Whitman
Killed in the Whitman massacre by the Cayuse, who believed that they were responsible for the measles epidemic that killed all their children and half of their adults. -
Louisiana Purchase
France sold the Louisiana territory to the United States for $15,000,000 -
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Lewis and Clark Expedition
A group of selected US Army volunteers led by Captain Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant Willian Clark with the objectives of exploring the Louisiana Territory, get to the West Coast before the Europeans, study the areas flora, fauna, and geography, and establish trade with the local Native American Tribes -
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Oregon Trail
A trail first used for trade and travel. First began with the Pacific Fur Trade company, stopped being used after the railroad was built. -
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War of 1812
Fought between the USA, the United Kingdom, its North American colonies and its Native American Allies, the war was by America for many reasons, including the trade restrictions set by Britain due to its war with France. By the end most of the conflicts had been resolved and no borders were changed. -
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John Charles Fremont
Explorer for US Army, first candidate for the anti-slavery Republican Party to run for president. Took California from the Bear Flag Republic in 1846, but was convicted for mutiny and insubordination after proclaiming himself military Governor of California. Retired and settled in California after President Polk commuted his sentence and he led one last expedition. Made a massive fortune during the California Gold Rush, but was soon bogged down with lawsuits over land claims. These were settled. -
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Indian Removal/Trail of Tears
The removal of the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole, and Cherokee people from their lands, to out west. Thousands of Native Americans died on the journey. -
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Texas Revolution
Began in the Mexican province of Texas, where, due to many cultural conflicts with the Mexican government and American settlers, fights started. By mid-December, 1835, the Mexican Army had been completely removed from the area, but infighting stopped any political or government movement. Mid-February 1836, Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna promised to bring Texas back into Mexico, and were almost successful, until a surprise attack by Sam Huston captured the president. -
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The Mexican-American War
Following the US annexation of Texas, this war was costly for both sides and ended with the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, giving America the Territories of Alta California and Santa Fe de Muevo México. America also agreed to pay $15 million to pay physical damage of the war, and assumed $3.25 million of debt owned by the Mexican government to US citizens. Mexico. in turn, recognized their loss of Texas and cited the Rio Grande as the national border with the USA -
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The Donner Party
Led by George Donner and James F. Reed, the group set out for California on May 1846, traveling by wagon trail. After going on a bad path, the group was trapped, some dying before help could come, and the rest resorting to cannibalism. -
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California Gold Rush
Beginning with James W. Marshall at Coloma, California discovering gold. Around 300,000 people were brought with the news, from the US and abroad. The gold-seekers faced substantial hardships on the journey. This Rush started with just panning from rivers, but soon, more sophisticated methods of gold recovery were developed and these were later adopted around the world. The effects of the Gold Rush were substantial, including the growing of the settlement San Francisco. -
Manifest Destiny
A widely held belief that the US and its settlers were destined to expand across North America. -
The Battle of Little Bighorn (Custer's Last Stand)
A large victory for the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho, this battle ended in the death of George A. Custer and 5 of his Calvary's 12 companies. The last stand attempted by Custer is a famous event in US history -
The Massacre at Wounded Knee
Troops led by Colonel James W. Forsyth entered the camp of Spotted Elk's band of Lakota to disarm them. A deaf tribesman named Black Coyote refused to hand his over, resulting in the death of 150 Lakota men, woman and children, with 51 more wounded, some of whom died later.