Westward Expansion Map Lesson

The 13 Colonies united together to
declared their independence from
England on July 4, 1776. England and
its colonies disagreed on many issues
leading to the separation including:
taxes, representation in parliament,
and trade

A few months after the Battle of
Yorktown the two sides began peace
talks. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris was
signed. In the treaty, England agreed
to recognize America’s independence
and ceded all of the land from the
Appalachian Mountains to the
Mississippi River to the United States

The United States wanted to use the
Mississippi River for travel and trade,
but, New Orleans at the mouth of the
river, was controlled by France.
Thomas Jefferson offered France $15
million for New Orleans, but in 1803,
Napoleon needed money for his wars
in Europe so he agreed to sell the
entire Louisiana territory for $25
million

Andrew Jackson invaded Florida in an
effort to keep Americans safe from
attacks by Native Americans. Spain
treated war, but in 1819, the United
States and Spain agreed to the
Adams-Onís Treaty ceding Florida to
the United States in exchange for
parts of Northeast Texas

The British Cession was made in
order to establish a clear border
between the United States and British
Canada. The first agreement was
signed in 1818 and set the border at
the 49˚N line of latitude. The second
agreement occurred in 1842 to settle
an issue over the northern border of
Maine

The Oregon Country was claimed by
both England and the U.S.. During the
presidential campaign of James K
Polk he made it clear that if he won he
wanted the Oregon Country. Polk
threatened “54-40 of Fight!”. When he
won the Election England agree to
give everything south of the 49˚N line
of latitude to the U.S. in 1846. The
addition of Oregon achieve the U.S.
dream of Manifest Destiny

Texas fought and won its
independence from Mexico becoming
the Republic of Texas. Texas would be
annexed by the United States in 1845.
However the southern border of Texas
had never been clearly established.
Disagreements over this border led to
the U.S. - Mexican War a year later

The United States fought and won the
U.S. Mexican War. In 1848 the two
sides signed the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo ending the conflict. The treaty
gave all of the land from Texas to the
Pacific Ocean to the United States. A
few months later gold would be
discovered in California (part of the
Mexican Cession)

In 1853 the United States was trying to
build a railroad across the country, but
were having trouble finding a through
the Rocky Mountains. Instead the U.S.
agreed to pay Mexico $10 million for a
strip of land that would allow the
railroad to bypass the mountains. (The
route was never used)