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In 1700 there were around 250,000 colonists living in the American colonies.
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Many people wanted new land to farm and hunt. They began to move west of the Appalachians.
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In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from the French for $15 million.
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The Cherokee Nation is forced to march from the east coast to Oklahoma. Many thousands die along the way.
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The United States officially claims Texas as a state, eventually leading to the Mexican-American War.
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A war fought over the rights to Texas. After the war, the United States paid Mexico $15 million for land that would later become California, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of several other states.
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James Marshall discovers gold at Sutter's Mill. Soon word is out and people rush to California to strike it rich.
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The First Transcontinental Telegraph line is finished. The Pony Express shuts down.
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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.
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Yellowstone National Park is dedicated as the nation's first national park by President Ulysses S. Grant.
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The U.S. Government announces that the Western lands have been explored.
