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Thomas Jefferson purchases Louisiana territory
Who? Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte
What? The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States
Where? United States
When? 1803
Why? Jefferson wanted to double the nation and provide new farmland for citizens -
Lewis and Clark expedition
Who: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
What: An expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase.
When: May 14, 1804
Where: St. Louis to Fort Clatsop
Why: To explore the extended western portion of the United States. -
War of 1812
Who? United States and Britain
What? A war between the United States and its indigenous allies versus the United Kingdom.
Where? United States
When? 1812-1815
Why? Britain made it harder for the United States to trade with European allies while also having impressment of US seamen. -
Missouri Compromise
Who? Northern and Southern States
What? A compromise that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state to balance the North and the South.
Where? Primarily affected Missouri and Maine but also prohibited slavery in lands north of the Louisiana Purchase
When? March 3, 1820
Why? Tension between the North and the South over slavery. The compromise was an attempt to keep free states and slave states balanced. -
Indian Removal Act
Who? Andrew Jackson and Native Americans
What? A law that relocated all Native Americans to the west of the Mississippi
Where? Eastern United States
When? May 28, 1830
Why? Jackson and others wanted to open up more land for the United States so he forced all natives to move West -
Oregon Trail
Who? Pioneers, families, farmers, etc
What? A path followed by people seeking a new life in Oregon territory
Where? Missouri River to Oregon
When? Path was established in 1830s but widely known by 1843
Why? People wanted better economic opportunities and heard of fertile land and natural resources in Oregon -
Manifest Destiny
Who? White American settlers
What? A cultural belief that White Americans were destined to expand across the U.S.
When? 1845
Where? United States
Why? To expand their territory -
Mexican-American War
Who? The United States and Mexico
What? A war between the United States and Mexico over Mexico not recognizing Texas as a US State after they took it over in 1845
Where? Southwest United States and Mexico
When? 1846 - 1848
Why? Mexico refused to recognize Texas as part of the United States after its annexation in 1845 -
Gold Rush
Who? First started with James W. Marshall
What? A rush where 300,000 people made their way to California for the prospect of finding gold
Where? Northern California
When? 1848-1855
Why? People wanted gold because it was a precious metal and would sell for a lot -
Compromise of 1850
Who? Northern and Southern states
What? Legislative acts meant to address the issue of slavery. California as a free state, strengthened fugitive slave act, banned slave trade in Washington DC, defined north and west borders for texas, established government for Utah
Where? North and south United States
When? 1850
Why? To address slavery to prevent the Union from collapsing -
Homestead Act
Who? Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, George Henry Evans, Horace Greeley.
What? Provided 160 acres of land for those in western territories for a small fee, provided they cultivate the land.
Where? Western United States
When? May, 20, 1862
Why? To cause more migration and development in the western part of the United States -
Transcontinental Railroad
Who? Led by Leland Stanford, Collis P. Huntington, Charles Crocker, and Mark Hopkins.
What? A 1,911-mile continuous railroad line that connected the eastern U.S. rail network with the Pacific coast
Where? Council Bluffs, Iowa to Oakland Long Wharf
When? Constructed 1862-1869
Why? To further connect the eastern United States to the western part