Day 2 of Unit 6: Expansion

8th Grade American Studies

Louisiana Purchase
Unit Question:
- To what extent was the U.S. justified in its westward expansion?
Summative Assessment:
- Students will write an essay answering the unit question by making a claim, having two
supporting subjects and one opposition analyzed with detailed examples.
Lesson Objective:
- Students will be able to investigate multiple perspectives on the Louisiana Purchase, analyzing
the evidence to support and oppose U.S. expansion as well as the positive and negative impacts of
the Louisiana Purchase.
Major Purpose:
- This lesson will allow students to analyze how they feel about U.S. Expansion based on this topic,
whether or not it was justified, and the positive and negative impacts of the decision.
Standards:
- 8- U4.2.3 Explain the expansion, conquest, and settlement of the West through the Louisiana
Purchase, the removal of Indians (Trail of Tears) from their native lands, the growth of a system
of commercial agriculture, the Mexican- American War, and the idea of Manifest Destiny. (E2.1)
(National Geography Standard 6, p. 154)
- 8-U4.2.4. Develop an argument based on evidence about the positive and negative consequences
of territorial and economic expansion on American Indians, the institution of slavery, and the
relations between free and slaveholding states. (C2). ​(National Geography Standard 13, p. 169).

Lesson Sequence: (60 minute class)

5 minutes​- Attendance

10 minutes​- Journal and Class discussion: ​Students will analyze a map showing the Louisiana
Purchase territory and silently answer the questions “What does this map show? How can you tell? What
happened to allow the red portion of the map to be added to the territory of the United States?” Have
students share out and lead into the powerpoint on the Louisiana Purchase.
10 Minutes​ - Louisiana Purchase Powerpoint: ​Go through the Louisiana Purchase powerpoint while
students detail their corresponding notes in their unit packets. Powerpoint reminds students of our unit
question and proceeds to show a timeline of the events related to purchasing the Louisiana territory. Model
student notes expectations before showing them the four minute TED Ed video “The historical audacity of
the Louisiana Purchase by Judy Walton.”

20 minutes​-Primary Document Reading:​ ​Model primary source reading. Students are given three
primary source documents and expected to read and annotate the documents before adding notes to their
notes packet on the Louisiana Purchase.

10 minutes​- Discussion​: ​Knowing the information we know now, “How was the Louisiana Purchase
justified and opposed?” As students respond, add notes to the document projected at the front of the room.
5 Minutes​ - Exit Ticket: ​Have students respond to their personal evaluation in their notes packet so
they can make some notes about how they feel about the expansion of the U.S. based on this topic. Is it
justified? Was it positive or negative? Why?