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American Revolution Ends
As a result of the American victory, the British seceded the land east of the Mississippi River. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Established a system for setting up governments in the Western territories so these new territories could eventually join the Union. -
Constitution Ratified
Became the "supreme law of the land" in 1789. -
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George Washington
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John Adams
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Thomas Jefferson
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Louisiana Purchase
President Jefferson purchases the Louisiana Territory from France $15,000,000. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark are sent out by Thomas Jefferson withe the purpose of discovering and exploring the newly purchased land and its waterways. -
Lewis and Clark Return
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James Madison
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War of 1812 Begins
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End of War of 1812
The US victory of the war allowed us to solidify our land gains. -
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James Monroe
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First Seminole War
Andrew Jackson invades Florida, burning and massacring Native Americans. (1814-1819) -
Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819
This treaty ceded Spain's Florida holdings to the United States in return for recognition of a fixed border between American Louisiana and Spanish Texas. -
Missouri Compromise
Missouri was to enter the Union and as a slave state and Maine as a free. Future slave states must be below the 36,30 parallel.
The compromise was created to maintain the balance of free and slave states in the senate. -
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John Quincy Adams
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Erie Canal
This waterway effectively linked the Great Lakes and the Northwestern Territories to New York. -
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Andrew Jackson
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Mormon Trek
This migration was the migration of Mormons from the East to Salt Lake City, Utah to escape mob violence and religious persecution. -
Indian Removal Act/Trail of Tears
The Indian Removal Act granted President Andrew Jackson funds and authority to remove the Indians by force if necessary. The Trail of Tears is the journey many Indian tribes were forced to travel on as they relocated to present-day Oklahoma. -
Establishment of Indian Territory
Congress establishes Indian Territory, which coversparts of the present-day states of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas. (far smaller than the "all lands west of the Mississippi" that they were promised). -
Battle of the Alamo
Fortress in Texas where four hundred American volunteers were slain by Santa Anna in 1836. "Remember the Alamo" became a battle cry in support of Texan independence. -
Texas Wins Independance
For many years there had been much struggle between Mexicans and Americans in the Texas region. Finally, they erupted into a large battle called the Texas Rebellion, with the American army defeating a large part of the Mexican army in the Battle of San Jacinto. -
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Martin Van Buren
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William Henry Harrison
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John Tyler
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Second Seminole War
Native Americans killed and driven out of most of Northern Florida (1835-1842) -
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Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a 2,200 mile journey from Missouri to Oregon (and other locations along the way). It was was one of the first major trails used by Americans to travel west in hopes of finding new opportunity. -
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James Polk
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Manifest Destiny
Coined by the journalist John L. O'Sullivan, Manifest Destiny referred to the belief of many Americans that it was the nation's destiny and duty to expand and conquer the West in the name of God, nature, civilization, and progress. -
Texas is Annexed
Texas is annexed into the Union. -
Mexican War Begins
After Texas was admitted to the Union and claimed all land north of the Rio Grande River, Mexico became furious, as Mexico believed that the land belonged to them. -
Califorina Gold Rush
James Marshall discovers gold at Sutter's Mill in California, thus beginning the California Gold Rush. The following year more than 80,000 people move to California in search of gold. -
End of Mexican War; Mexican Cession
After Mexico's defeat, The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed and agranted the United States all of the present-day states of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. -
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Zachary Taylor
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Millard Fillmore
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Franklin Pierce
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Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase was the 1853 treaty in which the United States bought from Mexico parts of what is now southern Arizona and southern New Mexico. Southerners wanted this land in order to build a southern transcontinental railroad. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act allows the slavery question to be decided by popular sovereignty; triggers bloody battles between pro- and anti-slavery groups in Kansas. -
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James Buchanan
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Third Seminole War
When Colonel Loomis declared an end to the Third Seminole War, the government believed that only about 100 Seminole were left in Florida. In December 1858, the US recruited two bands totaling 75 people, who agreed to removal to the West. -
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Abraham Lincoln
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American Civil War Begins
American Civil War begins in South Carolina at Fort Sumter. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act encouraged settlement of "unoccupied" western lands. People could now claim 160 acres of land. The only requirement on their part was that they paid a small administration charge, built a house on the land, and lived on the land for at least 5 years. -
American Civil War Ends
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The Alaska Purchase
The US purchased Alaska from Russia for 7.2 million dollars. -
First Transcontinental Railroad
This railroad helped connect the eastern US to the west. It made it even easier than before to travel and migrate out west. -
Spanish-American War Begins
The U.S. Congress declares war on Spain. -
Annexation of Hawaii
U.S. wanted Hawaii for business and so Hawaiian sugar could be sold in the U.S. duty free. Queen Liliuokalani opposed, so Sanford B. Dole overthrew her in 1893. William McKinley convinced Congress to annex Hawaii in 1898 -
Spanish-American War Ends
The Treaty of Paris is signed by representatives from the U.S. and Spain. After extensive debate, the treaty is ratified by the U.S. senate on February 6, 1899. Under the treaty, the U.S. acquires control over Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines.
