Exploring Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny

The video covers the westward expansion of the United States, starting with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the nation's size. It discusses the Lewis and Clark expedition, the concept of Manifest Destiny, and the rapid territorial growth through annexations and wars. The Gold Rush and the construction of railroads further fueled migration westward. The Homestead Act encouraged settlement, but it had severe consequences for Native Americans, leading to their displacement. By the 1890s, the frontier was closed, leaving behind a legacy of exploration and settlement.

What significant event in 1803 nearly doubled the size of the United States?

• The Homestead Act

• The Louisiana Purchase

• The California Gold Rush

• The War of 1812

Who led the expedition to explore the newly acquired western territory after the Louisiana Purchase?

• Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams

• Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

• James Monroe and John Adams

• Thomas Jefferson and James Madison

What phrase, coined by a newspaperman, described the belief in the inevitable expansion of the United States across the continent?

• American Dream

• Continental Drift

• Manifest Destiny

• Westward Ho!

Which states were admitted to the Union by 1830 as a result of early westward expansion?

• Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi

• Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming

• California, Nevada, Utah

• Texas, Oregon, Arizona

During the 1840s and 50s, which country did the United States negotiate with to acquire half of the Oregon country?

• Britain

• France

• Mexico

• Spain

Which war led to the United States acquiring land that would become California, Nevada, and Utah?

• The Spanish-American War

• The Civil War

• The Mexican-American War

• The War of 1812

What major event in 1848-1855 attracted a large number of settlers to California?

• The Homestead Act

• The California Gold Rush

• The Oregon Trail

• The Transcontinental Railroad

What legislation in 1862 allowed settlers to claim 160 acres of land for free?

• The Kansas-Nebraska Act

• The Homestead Act

• The Missouri Compromise

• The Dawes Act

What was a significant consequence of westward expansion for Native Americans?

• Increased trade opportunities

• Annexation of their homelands and relocation to reservations

• Formation of new alliances

• Discovery of new resources

By the early 1890s, what had ceased to exist within the continental United States?

• The Gold Rush

• The Transcontinental Railroad

• The Homestead Act

• The frontier