Westward Expansion

Louisiana Purchase

1803 purchase of the Louisiana territory from France. Made by Jefferson, this doubled the size of the US.

telegraph

A device that used electrical signals to send messages quickly over long distances

Westward Expansion

A movement westward for jobs, land, hope, the gold rush, adventure, a new beginning and the transcontinental railroad. It lasted from 1850-1890

steam boat

A steam engine connected to two huge paddle wheels mounted on a raft- created by Robert Fulton.

War of 1812

A war (1812-1814) between the United States and England which was trying to interfere with American trade with France.

steam locomotive

provided faster land transportation

Impressment

British practice of taking American sailors and forcing them into military service

mining

removing minerals and other important and valuable material from the Earth

Boom Towns

Communities that grew suddenly when a mine opened

Cause: The US wanted to expand it territory

Effect: Many people packed up wagons and traveled west to begin a new life.

Cause: Natives were forced to move and were treated poorly on their journey.

Effect: Over 4,000 Native Americans died on the Trail of Tears.

Cause: Over time, gold in boom towns became harder to find.

Effect: People abandoned these towns and they became ghost towns.

Cause: James Marshall, a carpenter in California, found gold in the American River

Effect: People rushed to California to find their fortune.

National Road

First national road building project funded by Congress. It made travel and transportation of goods much easier because it was one continuous road that was in good condition.

California Gold Rush

Mass migration to California following the discovery of gold in 1848

Texas Revolution

the 1836 rebellion in which Texas gained its independence from Mexico

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad connecting the west and east coasts of the continental US

Trail of Tears

The Cherokee Indians were forced to leave their lands. They traveled from North Carolina and Georgia through Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas-more than 800 miles (1,287 km)-to the Indian Territory. More than 4, 00 Cherokees died of cold, disease, and lack of food during the 116-day journey.

Indian Removal Act

The act that forced natives from their homeland to land west of the Mississippi River

Manifest Destiny

the belief that the United States should expand west to the Pacific Ocean

frontier

the border between a settlement and unsettled land

Goals of Lewis and Clark's expedition

To explore unknown territory, map Louisiana Territory, establish trade with natives, reach pacific, relations with Indians, discover plants and animals

Ghost Town

Town that has been abandoned due to lack of economic activity

Oregon Trail

Trail from independence Missouri to Oregon used by many pioneers during the 1840s

Lewis and Clark

Two explorers sent by the president to explore the Louisiana Purchase

Mexico

Which state originally owned Texas before it became part of the United States?

strained

Which word best describes the relationship between Native Americans and the US government during the westward expansion era?

prospector

a person who searches for important and valuable materials from the Earth

expedition

a trip or voyage taken by a group of people with a specific purpose

Erie Canal

an artificial waterway connecting the Hudson river at Albany with Lake Erie at Buffalo

Pony Express

delivery system that used horses and riders to deliver mail and communication quickly from east to west

pioneer

early settlers traveling west