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Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was a deal struck with France that nearly doubled the size of the United States at a price of only $15 million. The Louisiana Purchase was so important to Western Expansion because it unlocked a large amount of land that allowed travelers to feel comfortable traveling that far westward. It also encouraged farmers to expand their land. -
Start of the Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail was a path set up by emigrants hoping to move to a better, more appropriate, land for themselves and their families. This was important to Westward Expansion because it was the first time people moved as far westward as they could with the mentality of Manifest Destiny, their god-given right. Farmers, settlers, businesses, and miners all moved to this area. Even religious groups would move to the area to avoid persecution in the colonies. -
Trail of Tears Begins
The Trail of Tears was a direct response to the Indian Removal Act which forcibly removed Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, and the Seminoles from their territories and sent them on a path to present-day Oklahoma. The trail of tears was important to westward expansion because the government move the Native Americans into areas people deemed unhabitable. The movement unlocked land further westward. -
Mexican-American War Ends
The Treaty of Guadalupe and Hidalgo gave the United States more land that fulfilled the dream of Manifest Destiny which made it a necessary part of executing westward expansion. This, combined with the settlement to obtain the bottom parts of Arizona and New Mexico helped to development of a railroad track that went all the way to California. -
Gold Rush in California Begins
The gold rush in California was a sudden surge of gold found in California. It encouraged many families to move to California to partake in the riches. It was an important change in development in the west because large populations set up towns and businesses with all the new money found. It encouraged new beginnings and furthered the idea of Manifest Destiny. -
Homestead Act
The Homestead Act allowed squatters to claim their land and buy it for 1 dollar per acre for 640 acres. This proved to be a great promoter of westward expansion because it encouraged people to claim land farther west. It opened new opportunities, especially with regard to farmers and expanding their businesses. -
Completion of the Transcontinental Railroad
The transcontinental railroad was the first railroad to travel from the eastern part of the United States to California, the western part. This was a monument development in westward expansion because the ability to move people and goods that distance with a large amount of safety opened up the potential for trade and industrial interactions across the continental United States.