Westward Expansion Before the Civil War

Westward Expansion Introduction

Americans had fought hard to be free of Great Britain. Now, they were ready for new possibilities.

Multiple Choice

How did America become free from British rule?

• The Civil War

• The French and Indian War

• The Revolutionary War

• The French Revolution

Free to Move!

When under English rule, the colonists were not allowed to move and settle beyond the Appalachian Mountains.

But now, no longer under English rule, Americans were free to move west.

Multiple Choice

Why were Americans not supposed to move beyond the Appalachian Mountains?

• King George III could not tax people in the Northwest part of the country

• The land was wild and people did not want to settle there

• The land was reserved for former Loyalists

• King George III wanted to leave the land for the Native Americans

Territorial Acquisitions

After the war, the United States reached from the east coast to the Mississippi River (except for Florida).

These areas were known as territories.

Thomas Jefferson

In 1801, Thomas Jefferson was elected the third United States President.

Jefferson soon began making very big decisions that impacted the people and the land.

Multiple Choice

Besides being the third US president, what else made Thomas Jefferson notable?

• He rode a horse warning the militia that the British were coming by sea

• Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence

• He was also the first US president

• His plantation, Mount Vernon, was well known

The Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Territory was controlled by France and Spain

Multiple Choice

England owned the Louisiana Territory before it was sold to the United States.

• True

• False

Expanding the United States

• In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from Napoleon, France's leader.

• The territory was a large piece of land controlled by France and Spain.

Multiple Choice

Who was the leader of France that sold the Louisiana Territory to Thomas Jefferson?

• Napoleon

• George Washington

• King George III

• Queen Elizabeth

Mississippi River and Trade

• As the Northwest Territory expanded beyond the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi River became essential to trade.

• Crops grown in the northwest were floated down the Mississippi River

Multiple Choice

What made the Mississippi River so important?

• it acted as a barrier keeping unwanted invaders out of the United States

• the rushing waters could be used to generate electricity

• fishing was an important to the way of life for people living along the river

• crops grown in the Northwest part of the country were floated down the Mississippi for trade

Jefferson wants New Orleans

• Jefferson was afraid that the French would establish themselves in America and cut off the Northwest Trade by not allowing trade through the New Orleans Port.

Multiple Choice

What was Jefferson afraid of with regards to New Orleans?

• he was afraid France would cut off the port and it would not be accessible

• he was afraid that Napoleon would station troops at the port and another war would start

• he was afraid that people would taste gumbo and decide not to ever leave the Louisiana Territory

• he had not worries about the port

Land for Sale!

• Jefferson wanted to purchase New Orleans so that trade from the Northwest would remain open and access to the Mississippi River would not be affected.

• Napoleon offered to sell Jefferson the entire territory for $15 million.

Multiple Choice

Jefferson wanted all of the Louisiana Territory and approached Napoleon asking to purchase it.

• True

• False

Final Notes

• The Louisiana Purchase doubled the land size of America.

• Now that the United States controlled the entire Mississippi River, it was time to see what other important waterways were part of the expanded United States.