US Westward Expansion

Westward Expansion

• Louisiana Purchase (1803): US doubles in size with the acquisition of land from France, sparking westward expansion
• Manifest Destiny (1840s): ideology that the US is destined to expand its territory across North America
• Mexican-American War (1846-1848): US gains control of a significant amount of land, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming
• Oregon Trail (1841-1869): major route for settlers traveling to the Oregon Territory
• California Gold Rush (1848-1855): mass migration of people to California, leading to rapid settlement and statehood

Early American Republic

• Constitutional Government (1789): establishment of the US government under the Constitution
• Washington's Presidency (1789-1797): sets precedent for the office of the presidency
• Hamilton's Financial System (1790s): establishes a national bank, tariffs, and assumption of state debts
• Jefferson's Presidency (1801-1809): promotes limited government and individual liberties
• Marbury v. Madison (1803): establishes the principle of judicial review

Slavery and Abolition

• Three-Fifths Compromise (1787): counts enslaved people as 3/5 of a person for representation purposes
• Missouri Compromise (1820): admits Missouri as a slave state and bans slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of the 36°30' parallel
• Abolitionist Movement (1830s): grows in response to the horrors of slavery, with prominent figures like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass
• Underground Railroad ( late 18th century-1850s): network of secret routes and safe houses for escaping enslaved people
• Fugitive Slave Act (1850): requires Northerners to assist in the capture and return of escaped enslaved people

Civil War and Reconstruction

• Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): repeals the Missouri Compromise, leading to pro-slavery and anti-slavery violence in Kansas
• Dred Scott Decision (1857): declares that enslaved people are not citizens and have no right to sue in court
• Lincoln's Election (1860): sparks secession of Southern states, leading to the Civil War
• Civil War (1861-1865): fought between the Union (North) and Confederacy (South) over slavery and states' rights
• Emancipation Proclamation (1863): declares freedom for all enslaved people in Confederate territory
• Reconstruction Era (1865-1877): attempts to rebuild the South and establish civil rights for formerly enslaved people
• 13th Amendment (1865): abolishes slavery
• 14th Amendment (1868): grants citizenship to formerly enslaved people and protects their civil rights

Westward Expansion

• The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 doubles the size of the US, acquiring land from France and sparking westward expansion.
• The ideology of Manifest Destiny emerges in the 1840s, believing the US is destined to expand its territory across North America.
• The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) results in the US gaining control of a significant amount of land, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
• The Oregon Trail (1841-1869) serves as a major route for settlers traveling to the Oregon Territory.
• The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) leads to a mass migration of people to California, resulting in rapid settlement and statehood.

Early American Republic

• In 1789, the US government is established under the Constitution, marking the beginning of a constitutional government.
• George Washington's presidency (1789-1797) sets precedent for the office of the presidency.
• Alexander Hamilton's Financial System in the 1790s establishes a national bank, tariffs, and assumption of state debts.
• Thomas Jefferson's presidency (1801-1809) promotes limited government and individual liberties.
• The Marbury v. Madison case in 1803 establishes the principle of judicial review.

Slavery and Abolition

• The Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787 counts enslaved people as 3/5 of a person for representation purposes.
• The Missouri Compromise of 1820 admits Missouri as a slave state and bans slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of the 36°30' parallel.
• The Abolitionist Movement grows in the 1830s in response to the horrors of slavery, with prominent figures like William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass.
• The Underground Railroad (late 18th century-1850s) is a network of secret routes and safe houses for escaping enslaved people.
• The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 requires Northerners to assist in the capture and return of escaped enslaved people.

Civil War and Reconstruction

• The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 repeals the Missouri Compromise, leading to pro-slavery and anti-slavery violence in Kansas.
• The Dred Scott Decision of 1857 declares that enslaved people are not citizens and have no right to sue in court.
• Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 sparks the secession of Southern states, leading to the Civil War.
• The Civil War (1861-1865) is fought between the Union (North) and Confederacy (South) over slavery and states' rights.
• The Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 declares freedom for all enslaved people in Confederate territory.
• The Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) attempts to rebuild the South and establish civil rights for formerly enslaved people.
• The 13th Amendment of 1865 abolishes slavery.
• The 14th Amendment of 1868 grants citizenship to formerly enslaved people and protects their civil rights.