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- Who: President Thomas Jefferson
- What: The United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France.
- When: 1803
- Where: The Louisiana Territory (doubling the size of the U.S.).
- Why: To secure access to the Mississippi River and promote westward expansion.
- Who: President Thomas Jefferson
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- Who: The United States and Great Britain
- What: The U.S. declared war against Britain.
- When: 1812
- Where: Eastern and Great Lakes regions of the United States and Canada.
- Why: Conflicts over trade, impressment of American sailors, and westward expansion.
- Who: The United States and Great Britain
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- Who: United States and Spain
- What: The treaty ceded Florida to the United States.
- When: 1819
- Where: Florida, U.S. southeastern territory.
- Why: To resolve border disputes and promote U.S. territorial expansion.
- Who: United States and Spain
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- Who: President James Monroe
- What: A policy statement opposing European colonization in the Americas.
- When: 1823
- Where: The entire Western Hemisphere.
- Why: To assert U.S. influence and sovereignty in the Western Hemisphere.
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- Who: President Andrew Jackson
- What: Legislation to forcibly relocate Native American tribes from their ancestral lands.
- When: 1830
- Where: Various Native American lands in the Southeastern U.S.
- Why: To clear the way for westward expansion by white settlers.
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Who: The Cherokee people, with some leaders agreeing to the treaty, while others opposed it.
What: The signing of the Treaty of New Echota in 1835.
When: 1835.
Where: New Echota, Georgia.
Why: The treaty aimed to cede Cherokee lands in exchange for territory in the Indian Territory (Oklahoma), reflecting the U.S. government's policy of Indian removal, driven by a desire for more land for white settlers and gold discoveries in Cherokee territory. -
- Who: Texan rebels
- What: Texas declared independence from Mexico.
- When: 1836
- Where: Texas, then part of Mexico.
- Why: Disputes with Mexican authorities and a desire for autonomy.
- Who: Texan rebels
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- Who: Pioneers and settlers
- What: A mass migration of settlers along the Oregon Trail.
- When: Mid-19th century (ongoing)
- Where: The Oregon Trail, leading to the Oregon Territory.
- Why: To seek new opportunities and land in the Oregon Territory.
- Who: Pioneers and settlers
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- Who: United States
- What: Texas was annexed and became a U.S. state.
- When: 1845
- Where: Texas, now part of the United States.
- Why: To fulfill a desire for expansion and manifest destiny.
- Who: United States
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- Who: United States and Mexico
- What: The treaty ended the Mexican-American War and ceded significant territory to the U.S.
- When: 1848
- Where: Mexico ceded land that is now part of the southwestern United States.
- Why: To resolve territorial disputes and acquire land for westward expansion.
- Who: United States and Mexico
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-Who: People, including gold seekers, settlers, and indigenous populations.
-What: In 1849, people rushed to California to find gold after it was discovered at Sutter's Mill in Coloma.
-When: In 1848 when gold was found and reached its peak in 1849. It continued into the early 1850s.
-Why: People went to California with hopes of getting rich by finding gold.
-Where: In California, including areas like Sacramento and the Sierra Nevada mountains. -
Who: John Bidwell led a group of pioneers.
What: The pioneers embarked on the first wagon train to California.
When: This event occurred in 1850.
Where: The journey started in Missouri and ended in California.
Why: The pioneers aimed to explore and settle in California, contributing to westward expansion and the pursuit of new opportunities during the era of westward expansion.