Westward Expansion

The United States

1800-1861

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/westwardexpansion

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The Louisiana PurchaseMississippi River• Divides the eastern and western U.S.• Important to travel and trade• Ships can sail between the Gulf of Mexico and inland

North America

The Louisiana PurchaseLouisiana Purchase• President Thomas Jefferson bought New Orleans and land

west of Mississippi in 1803• He saw the importance of the river and purchased it from

France• This deal made New Orleans an important U.S. city

The Louisiana PurchaseWestward Expansion• The Louisiana Purchase opened the way to the west• This is the process of U.S. settlers moving west of the

Mississippi• Expansion: the state of growing, getting bigger,

expanding

Lewis and ClarkLewis and Clark Expedition

• Meriwether Lewis and William Clark• Set out to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean in 1804• Followed the Missouri, Yellowstone, and Columbus Rivers;

crossed the Rocky Mountains

Lewis and ClarkOregon Territory

• Lewis and Clark’s stories made others want to move west• They moved to the Oregon Territory• This is called the Northwest United States today

Lewis and ClarkOregon Trail

• The western route settlers followed• Known as the Oregon Trail• Settlers’ trail to the west of the Mississippi River

Texas and the AlamoIndependence

• Texas declared independence• They wanted to be an independent nation• Texans did not want to be controlled by Mexico

Texas and the AlamoTexas

• Mexico gained control of Texas in 1821• Texas declared independence• Mexican General Santa Anna responded with military

force

Texas and the AlamoThe Alamo

• Group of Texans stood against Mexican leaders at this church• The Texans were brave, but Santa Anna’s forces were too

strong• Every Texan died in the battle or was executed after

being captured

Texas and the AlamoTexas an Independent Nation

• Later Texans captured Santa Anna and he gave up Texas for his freedom• President Jackson wanted to annex Texas, but the

northern states did not• Texas was a slave state and remained an independent

nation until 1845• Video:

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/mexicanamericanwar/

California and GoldGold

• Settlers discovered gold in California in 1848• Gold is a highly sought after mineral• This lead to the gold rush

California and GoldCalifornia Gold Rush

• Large numbers of people rushed to California• They wanted to become rich• They became known as the “49ers” because they arrived

in California in 1849

California and GoldMining Towns

• Later, miners discovered gold in the Rocky Mountains• The Rockies produced even more gold than California• Mining towns cropped up throughout the region

Impact of Westward Expansion on Native Americans• Native Americans suffered• Settlers and fur trappers killed many buffalo which the

Plains people used to live• Many Native American tribes were forced to relocate to

reservations• Reservations were pieces of land set aside for Native

Americans• Large numbers died from being forced to travel great

distances• War Broke Out: battles at Sand Creek, Little Bighorn, and

Wounded Knee

Important InventionsInventions

• Played an important role in western expansion by making travel and communication faster and easier, thus improving the economy

Important InventionsSteamboats

• Boats powered by steam• Made travel much faster• Increased trade and expansion

Important InventionsSteam Locomotive

• Lead to the first cross-country railroads• Allowed people to move west at a faster pace• Allowed for the shipping of goods and resources

Important InventionsTelegraph

• Helped people communicate by long distances

Abolitionist MovementAbolitionist Movement

• Called for an end to slavery• Argued that

slavery was cruel and should be stopped• South wanted

slavery and the North supported the abolitionists

Abolitionist MovementHarriet Tubman

• An important African American abolitionist• An escaped slave who secretly returned to the South to

help others escape• The path she used was called the Underground Railroad

Abolitionist MovementUnderground Railroad

• A series of secret stops along a route that led north to free territory• An escape route to help

slaves• Tubman helped many

slaves make their way to freedom along this route

Suffrage MovementSuffrage Movement

• Movement demanded that women be given the right to vote• Women wanted

the same rights as men• Movement’s key

leader was Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Suffrage MovementElizabeth Cady Stanton

• Helped organize the women’s rights Convention in 1848• Between 100 and

300 people attended the Seneca Falls Conference• Stanton used the

conference to promote women’s suffrage

Suffrage MovementSojourner Truth

• Was an African American abolitionist who supported women’s rights• Born a slave, escaped in

1826, preached against slavery until her death• Her speeches pointed

out the hardships she faced as a woman and an African American