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The U.S. purchased over 828,000 square miles of territory from France, doubling the size of the country and opening up the vast western lands for exploration and settlement. -
Texas declared its independence from Mexico following the Battle of the Alamo and secured it with the victory at the Battle of San Jacinto, establishing the Republic of Texas. -
The Republic of Texas was annexed and admitted to the Union as the 28th U.S. state, fulfilling the U.S. goal of Manifest Destiny and leading directly to war with Mexico. -
This treaty ended the Mexican-American War. Mexico ceded vast territory (the future states of California, Nevada, Utah, etc.) to the U.S. for $15 million, completing the contiguous U.S. expansion to the Pacific. -
Edwin Drake drilled the first successful oil well in Titusville, Pennsylvania. This event launched the global petroleum industry and set the stage for the age of oil. -
From 1861-1865, there was a devastating conflict between the Union and the Confederate States (which included Texas) over the issues of slavery and states' rights. The Union victory led to the abolition of slavery. -
From 1865-1890, following the Civil War, Texas became the center of the "Cattle Kingdom." Millions of longhorn cattle were driven north on trails (like the Chisholm Trail) to Kansas railheads, transforming the Texas economy. -
The Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met at Promontory Summit, Utah, creating the first continuous rail line across the continent. This dramatically sped up westward migration and commerce. -
From 1886–1887. severe blizzards and drought across the Great Plains devastated cattle herds, bringing the era of open-range ranching to an end. It forced ranchers to adopt new methods, including fencing and better stock management. -
A conflict resulting in the U.S. becoming a major global power. The U.S. acquired territories like Puerto Rico and Guam and gained temporary control over Cuba, beginning its imperial era.