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The Louisiana Purchase
In 1803, the U.S. doubled in its physical size through the Louisiana Purchase. This is where the U.S. bought $15 million worth of land from France. This land was owned by Spain before France obtained it. This occurred during the first term of Thomas Jefferson’s presidency. (France used Haiti as a military base, except the Haitians kicked France out so they had no military to fight England, which is why they gave up such a large piece of land).
Note: The Treaty was signed on May 2nd, 1803. -
Lewis & Clark Expedition
President Thomas Jefferson wished for the land acclaimed from the Louisiana Purchase to be explored. He asked Meriwether Lewis to lead the expedition and for William Clark to share command. They hoped to discover what the land already obtained; its' geography, its' people, and its' natural resources. Starting near St. Louis, the explorers traveled up the Missouri River traveling through the plains until reaching the Pacific side of the U.S. with their guide Sacagawea.
Note: SOMETIME in May. -
Texas Independence - Battle of the Alamo
When Texas was not yet part of the U.S., it went into war with Mexico. That year the Mexican army attacked and defeated Texan soldiers at the Alamo, a fort in San Antonio. However, soon after the Texans lost at the Alamo, Texan troops under Sam Houston defeat the Mexican forces and Texas became its own country, "The Republic of Texas." This battle lasted about 13 days. The Mexicans had thousands and completely surrounded the Alamo. The Alamo never gave up though, and 2 out of the 200 survived. -
Texas Annexation - Texas becoming a state
Texas won their independence through the battle of the Alamo, but found it very difficult to run an independent government, so they wanted to become part of the United States. It took them 10 years, but they became part of the U.S. in 1845. -
Texas Annexation Part 2 - War
Another war broke out between the U.S. and Mexico because of a border dispute. The U.S. wished for the border at the Rio Grande River and Mexico wished for the border to be at the Nueces River. This war was called the Mexican-American War and lasted from 1846-1848. U.S. forces took control of most of California in 1846 and in September 1847 took control of Mexico City. -
Oregon Territory
Americans settling in the Oregon Country after the Gadsen Purchse outnumbered the British. Although they had agreed to jointly share the land, the U.S. was ready to claim Oregon for itself. After much negotiation, Britain opted to avoid war and accepted a deal. The 49th parallel gave us land in Washington, Oregon, parts of Idaho and parts of Montana. It gave British Columbia (Canada) to the British. Meanwhile, many pioneers were moving west on the Oregon Trail. t led to the Gold Rush. -
Texas Annextation Part 3 - Treaty
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed to end the war. Mexico had to give up their territory and the U.S. expanded once again. For the exchange of $18 million, the U.S. gained present-day West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, most of Colorado, and part of Wyoming. -
California becomes a state
In 1853, the gold rush ended, but it had attracted hundreds of thousands of people to California. This boost in population influenced its becoming of a state. -
Gadsden Purchase
A few years later after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, the U.S. paid Mexico an additional $10 million for the Gadsden Purchase, a strip of land along the southern edge of present-day Arizona and New Mexico.
NOTE: It was finalized in 1854. -
Period: to
Westward Expansion
