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the Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson buys the Louisiana Territory from France for 15 million dollars. This doubles the size of the United States. -
Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean
Lewis and Clark map out the Louisiana Territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean. -
Indian Removal Act
Congress passes a law to move the Native Americans from the Southeast to the west of the Mississippi. -
Trail of Tears
The Cherokee is forced to march from the East Coast to Oklahoma. Many Native Americans die along the way. -
Oregon Trail
Many people bean to travel west in order to find a new life. They called the trail the Oregon Trail. Over a span of 20 years, about 300,000 people came -
The Mexican-American War
A war fought over the rights to Texas. After the war, the United States paid Mexico 15 million dollars for land that would later become California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and part of several other states. -
The Gold Rush begins
After James Marshall discovers gold at Sutters Mill, word gets out and many rush to California -
Homestead Act
The U.S. government offers up free land to farmers who agree to live on the land for five years and make improvements to the land. Many people rush to places like Oklahoma to claim their land. -
The Transcontinental Railroad is completed
The Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroads meet at Promontory, Utah and finally the railroad is completed -
The U.S. Government
Finally the U.S. Government states that the West has been explored. This is significant because they finally did it.
