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United States Expansion

In 1775 when the Revolutionary War began, there were 13 English Colonies. They were
governed by Great Britain. A year later- on July 4, 1776- the Declaration of
Independence was signed. The colonists now called themselves the United States of
America. In 1783, a treaty was signed ending the Revolutionary War. The United States
won its independence from Great Britain, and was given the land from the Appalachian
Mts. to the Mississippi River. Many states were later made from this territory. A territory
is an area of land that has not yet been divided into states.



Since 1783 many other territories have been added to the United States. The story of how
the United States added more territory begins below. Read the story carefully. Afterwards
you will play a game of BINGO based on what you have read.

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

France gets the Louisiana Territory from Spain. The territory includes New Orleans.
American farmers in the west have been sending their products down the Mississippi to
New Orleans. The farmers become worried the French will not let them sell their crops
In New Orleans any longer.


1803: President Thomas Jefferson asks France to sell New Orleans to the United States.
Napoleon, the French leader, says he will sell both New Orleans and the whole Louisiana
Territory. Napoleon needs money to help fight wars in Europe. The U.S. buys the
Louisiana Territory for $15 million.

1804 1806: Lewis and Clark explore the Louisiana Territory.

Spanish Cession (1819)

1817: Spain owned Florida at this time. Indians from Florida often crossed into Georgia
and attacked American settlers. President James Monroe sent General Andrew Jackson
to drive the Indians out of Georgia. Jackson chased the Indians into Florida, and also
captured two Spanish forts there.

1819: Spain saw that the United States could easily take Florida away from them. So
Spain agreed to sell the area to the U.S. for $5 million. The land included Florida and
parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Texas Annexation (1845) The ideas of Manifest Destiny bring settlers West

1822: Texas is owned by Mexico. Mexico decides to let Americans move there.
Stephen Austin leads a group of American settlers into Texas.

1835: 30,000 American settlers are now in Texas. They do not get along well with the
Mexicans. Americans and Mexicans are different in language, religion, and ways of
living. The Mexicans say American plantation owners cannot own slaves.

Santa Anna becomes President of Mexico. He says American settlers must obey laws
made by Mexico. He also says no more Americans can come to Texas.

1836: Texas declares independence from Mexico. Santa Anna leads a Mexican army
into Texas. Three thousand Mexican soldiers surround 187 Americans at the Alamo, a
mission in San Antonio. Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and other Texans fight bravely
before all are killed. In later battles, General Sam Houston leads Texans to victory and
independence. The battle cry of the Texans is Remember the Alamo.

Texas becomes an independent country. It is known as the Lone Star Republic. Sam
Houston becomes the first president.

1845: Texas joins the Union as the 28
th
state.

Oregon Country (1846)

1818: The United States and Great Britain agree to share the Oregon Country. They will
own it together. Persons from either country may move there. The Oregon Country
included land that is now part of Canada. Indians and fur traders were the only people
living there.

1836: Marcus Whitman and other American missionaries go to the Oregon Country.
They want to help the Indians and educate them. Marcus Whitman and his wife,
Narcissa, write letters back East. The letters tell about Oregon being a beautiful place in
which to live.

1837: Many pioneers begin moving to Oregon. They travel together in wagon trains for
protection against the Indians. The wagon trains start from towns near the Mississippi
River. They follow the Oregon Trail for 2,000 miles. They leave in the spring time and
hope to get to Oregon before the heavy snow comes in November.

1846: The United States and Great Britain agree to divide the Oregon Country into two
parts. The U.S. becomes owner of the southern half. Great Britain becomes owner of the
northern half.

Mexican Cession (1848)

1845: Texas is admitted to the Union. Mexico becomes angry. They still feel Texas is
their land.

1846: An argument breaks out between the United States and Mexico. The two
countries argue over where their boundary line is located. Shots are fired and the
Mexican War begins.

1848: After two years of fighting, Mexico surrenders. The Americans win a large area
of land. The land today makes up the southwestern part of the Unit-ed States. The U.S.
pays Mexico $15 million for this area called the Mexican Cession.

Bear Flag Republic: California from 1848-1850 Gold Rush of 1849

Gadsden Purchase (1853)

1853: Railroad men want to build a railroad from the East to California. But they do not
want to build it across the Rocky Mountains. They want to build it through land owned
by Mexico that is south of the Rockies. The United States government buys this land
from Mexico for $10 million. The land today makes up the southern part of New Mexico
and Arizona.

Alaska (1867)- Purchased from Russia. William Seward, Lincolns Sec of State,
convinces Congress to buy the territory because he thinks it is a great investment for
America. US spent $7 million on the territory. Gold will be discovered in 1898 then oil
in 1903. US statehood in 1959 - #49 - What a deal!

Hawaii Annexation (1893) American planters lobby the American government to
overthrow the last Hawaiian Queen, Liliuokalani. The first American President of the
territory is Stanford Dole Haole. Hawaii become #50 Hawaii 50!

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