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In the Treaty of Paris, Britain gave the United States control over land east of the Mississippi River.
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Thomas Jefferson bought land west of the Mississippi from the French.
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The Lewis and Clark expedition explored the new Louisiana Territory that was recently purchase by Thomas Jefferson.
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49th parallel was agreed as the border between Canada and the US east of the Rocky Mountains.
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The border between the Spanish colonies and the US became the 42 parallel. The US also attained Florida.
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Slavery in the US was made illegal north of the 36th parallel.
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Mexico got independence from Spain and allowed Americans to settle it. Texas was colonized in the same year.
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The Texans revolted against Mexico and became a separate nation called the Republic of Texas.
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Texas was admitted into the Union and claims land to the west and north. Mexico did not like this development.
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Mexico did not accept the fact that so much of the land that had been claimed by them had been taken away by Texas. The Mexicans and Americans fought and eventually the US captured Mexico City and ended the war in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The US was given the area that is now Nevada, Arizona, and California.
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The border between Canada and the US was extended at the 49th parallel past the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The Oregon Territory became part of the US.
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The Mormans settled near Salt Lake in current Utah. This settlement later became part of Utah.
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Gold was discovered in California. Soon, people began to travel to California to get their hands on some gold. The gold rush brought 300,000 people to California.
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Texas was reduced in size
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The US purchased land in current day Arizona from Mexico. This purchase finalized the land that the 48 continuous states would be on.
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South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina seceded from the Union to preserve slavery. Northwestern Virginia stayed with the Union and became West Virginia. This began the Civil War. Eventually, the Union won, but it was the bloodiest war in US history.
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Railroads were built all across the country, helping make the US the largest economic powerhouse in the world
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All of the confederate states were readmitted by 1870.
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Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867.
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Hawaii is added to the US.