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The United States acquires the vast Louisiana Territory from France, doubling the size of the country and providing room for westward expansion.
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The United States and Britain clash again, with notable events like the burning of Washington, D.C., and the Battle of New Orleans.
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Congress addresses the balance between slave and free states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.
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President James Monroe declares that the Americas are off-limits for further European colonization and influence.
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The forced removal of the Cherokee Nation from their ancestral lands in the Southeast to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).
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The United States acquires territory in the Southwest, including California, through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
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The discovery of gold in California leads to a massive influx of settlers and prospectors, shaping the future of the region.
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President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring freedom for slaves in Confederate-held areas during the Civil War.
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President Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the site of the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg, emphasizing the principles of liberty and equality.
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The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, abolishing slavery throughout the United States.