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Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
This act said that escaped slaves had to be returned to their owners. Slaveholders has to capture any slaves that they assumed were runaways and take them to a judge. The judge would decide if they were a runaway or not. The slaves that were accused did not get a trial by jury. -
Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson sent James Monroe over to France to negotiate the sale of the port of New Orleans which was in the Louisiana territory. Napoleon (the leader of France) did not need the Louisiana territory anymore and needed more money to wage war with Britain. The entire territory was purchased then for $15 million. -
Oregon Trail
The Oregon trail was 2,000 miles long. It started in Independence, Missouri and ended in northern Oregon near the Columbia River. It was used by explorers and pioneers traveling on wagons pulled by horses, mules, or oxen. It was used until 1880. -
Acquisition of Florida - Treaty of Adam-Onis
There were slaves running from the US into Florida territory that was owned by Spain. There were also Seminoles that would come and raid land in Georgia. Andrew Jackson was sent to patrol the border and send Seminoles back. Instead he invaded Florida. President Monroe was then advised to send a message to Spain, “govern or get out.” Spain decided to give up Florida. -
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise added Missouri and Maine to the US. Maine was declared a free state and Missouri was declared a slave state. Any future territories or states north of the southern border of Missouri had to be free states. -
Trail of Tears
Andrew Jackson ignored the orders of a treaty with the Cherokee. U.S. troops rounded up about 15,000 Cherokee and put them in prison camps. Local residents burned the native’s homes. Troops then sent the Cherokee west in groups of about 1,000 on a path known now as the Trail of Tears. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
This treaty was signed to end the Mexican-American war. As a result, the border between Texas and Mexico was established as the Rio Grande river. The US also acquired the Mexican cession which included the modern states of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. -
Annexation of Texas
Stephen F Austin brought around around 300 settlers into Texas that was owned by Mexico. They decided they did not want to be apart of Mexico anymore and started their own revolution. In the end, Texas won its independence and was its own country for 10 years. The US then decided to annex (add on) Texas in 1845 under President Polk. -
Gold Rush
After John Augustus Sutter discovered gold on his land people came in from all directions. There were trappers, farmers, sailors, lawyers, preachers, and people of all kinds. Because of this San Francisco, California was build up. -
Compromise of 1850
This compromise was created by Henry Clay. This affected New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California, and Western Colorado. It admitted California as a free state and made slave trade illegal in the District of Columbia. It made New Mexico and Utah allow slavery and made the Fugitive Slave Act become stricter. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
This act demanded stronger laws to protect slavery. Special commissioners got the power to order the return of slaves to their owners. Slaves did not have a voice in this situation. This act mainly strengthened the abolitionist movement. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska act added Kansas and Nebraska to the US. It allowed settlers in these territories decide whether they wanted slavery in their state. This contradicted and canceled the Missouri Compromise. -
Homestead Act
This act was created to give African Americans the opportunity to own land and to promote the development of the American West. To get land, you had to be 21 years old, pay a small fee, improve or work on the land, and build a residence on the land. -
Transcontinental Railroad
This was a railroad created by two companies called Union Pacific, who started building in the Utah, and Central Pacific, who started building Nevada, near the Sierra Nevada mountains. This railroad reduced travel time from the east to west coast.
