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Westward Expansion

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The first 9:07 minutes are the best for 4th grade. This video covers more than our student need to know but gives them a great background knowledge.

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until the Renaissance Era of exploration the center of the world was the Mediterranean then with Christopher Columbus's late fifteenth Century Voyage to a new world far across the vast Atlantic Ocean and intense list of Journey's for lasting connection between the Mediterranean and American World by 1607 Egret adventurers from England had landed their vassals under the what's up the James River and built Jamestown Britain's first permanent settlement in America  no hardships be sent these first colonists new settlers and supplies continue to arrive and the development of the new world quickly spread Inland from the Atlantic Coastline by the time that the revolution a War began in 1775 American Pioneers were already pushing the on the Appalachians in 1783 the war ended and where do you sign the Treaty of Paris which granted the United States Sovereign T over the massive trance Appalachian Wilderness bordered on the west by the Mississippi River during this era of expansion they are typical Frontiersman was the legendary Daniel ruler who was Kentucky's first true settler in 17 25 heathridge the Wilderness Road and transform the pathway into will Wellmark road-running Westward from Virginia through the Cumberland Gap and into can TN Tennessee  the Wilderness Road sometimes called the Wilderness Trail hastened the movement of settlers seeking to establish home the new League of ailable lambs other adventurers would follow they were stereotyped as uneducated man lowers and honey and enjoy learning the ways of the Native American Indians Buckskin and Carry long rifles but because of their Restless during the roots down the Ohio river and of the Kentucky River the important play the Western lands of the United States  by 1803 the youthful nation was also a quickly growing nation that year knighted states bought most of the land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains from France in the Louisiana Purchase transaction the United States acquired 530 million acres of land for only $15 a bargain price in a year as president Thomas Jefferson signed the Louisiana Purchase treaty he knew that he was doubling the size of the country he was also aware that no one knew is the new Wilderness look like Jefferson believed that these Uncharted lands held America's destiny he soon Enlisted the service Lewis to trace a route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean The Hope was that Lewis and his partner William Clark what discovered under Southwest that would also stimulate the young country's trade economy with the Eastern world as they set out on their Discovery William Clark wrote I set out at 4 p.m. in the presence of many of the neighboring inhabitants and proceeded on Underwood gentle breeze of the Missouri over the next two-and-a-half years the Lewis and Clark expedition covered 8000 Miles they travel from St Louis of the Missouri River through the Rocky Mountains on massive obstacle that no one had anticipated they cross them out tools and canoe down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean the Journey of Lewis and Clark the final pages of The Saga begun by Christopher Columbus nearly three hundred years earlier there abundant notes in lines of the geography of the region from the rest of the world community  Lewis and Clark provided a detailed image of the continent standing landscape but boundries of the United States were far from complete to Rivals existed on living independent Mexico and the Indian nations in 1821 Mexico revolted against Spain hoping to secure her independence as well as her control of the province of Texas at the same time Spain hoping to encourage development of sparsely settled Texas took the unusual step of granting Texas land to Speculator closest Austin for the settlement of 300 American families when Moses died his son Stephen Austin spearheaded the movement and negotiated with reluctant Mexican government to permit the colonization Mexico even Exempted the Anglo Americans from Taxation and maintenance Lowe's rain  then in 1834 the pompous General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna nicknamed the Napoleon of the West became dictator and tighten his control of the Texans and time the Texans were in full-blown Rebellion against Santa Anna Sam Houston former governor of Tennessee was named the commander of the Texas Force  the War lasted a little over a year and was marked by Savage Race heroism  in February 1836 the Alamo of fortified Mission near San Antonio would become the site of one of the most old was battles and a classic symbol of Westfield heroism and thousands of Mexican soldiers lay Siege to the Alamo repeat actions prepared to defend themselves inside were famous Frontiersman such as Davy Crockett Jim Bowie Colonel William B Travis the Legion of Texans who refused to comply with Santa Anna's demand for immediate surrender  every one of the Defenders died but their resistance who defeated the Mexicans six weeks later Remember the Alamo soon that I found themselves in Retreat and obliged to recognize Texas Independence  dividing 1840s the concept of manifest destiny was used to describe the continued expansion of across the Mississippi into the Great Plains in July 1845 New York Morning News editor John O Sullivan Road sing American claim is by the rank of our Manifest Destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the element of the great experiment of Liberty it was as if God himself had ordained the western expansion as a mission of the anglo-american this expansion not merely territorial increases but the progress of Liberty and individual Economic Opportunity as well the senior James Knox Hawk became the 11th president of the United States was committed to expansionism and promised to C's Mexican territory in the southwest and the contemporary in the northwest both was an efficient that determined executive with the annexation of Texas in 1845 the provoke the Mexicans and further stirred their ire by sending a representative to purchase California and New Mexico when that mission fail prepared for war  in March 1846 General Zachary Taylor occupied Point Isabel on the Rio Grande which the Mexicans viewed as an some aggression when they sell the American soldiers pronounce the Mexican actions as an invasion of American soil on May 13th 1840 next the US declared war against Mexico  in September 1847 American troops entered Mexico City and remain then peace was restored in 1848 the two countries signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to end the war  Mexico toothpicks of its territory to the US and receive the payment of 15 million dollars after the war Herman Melville wrote We Americans are The Peculiar Children people the Israel of our time we bear the Ark of the Liberties of the world play has predestined the rest of the Nations must begin our rear the acquisition of 500,000 square miles from Mexico included the land of interstates California Arizona Nevada Utah and parts of Wyoming Colorado and New Mexico meanwhile talk peacefully settled the Oregon boundary dispute with England now through war and diplomacy the United States held title to lands that stretched from Coast to the other settlers eagerly embrace the opportunities during this period of western expansion over 350,000 Americans traveled by covered wagon across the Overland Trail to Oregon for the California on January 24th 1848 only 10 days before California was added to the American Republic gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill near Sacramento soon spread and thousands of Fortune Seekers descended upon the area by the following year 1849 about 80,000 49ers head Stampede into the California Gold Fields wrote One victim of Gold Fever a frenzy sees my soul Hills of gold rose up before me castles of marble the Rothschilds Gerard's and Asters appeared to me but poor people and short I very violent attack of Gold Fever by 1853 nearly 250,000 had become members of The Goldrush Mania you became rich but most remain and found jobs or started Farms or other businesses Lola's and violet mining camps gave way to permanent so much with organized government and law enforcement meanwhile vast new territories opening up in the west or a growing source of conflict between the state who's the North and South each section wanted to control the western territories the South needed new lands for the large-scale cultivation of continent play props with slave labor the north on the other hand demanded the Western lands be reserved for the Free Labor of independent farmers and workers s territory which day to attend Congressional voting The crucial question was would that state enter the Union as a free state or a slave state Savory issue threaten the very fiber of the nation in Edition conflict over the route of the proposed Transcontinental Railroad had delayed territory mission of the region  the worsening relations between the North and South States came to a head on January 4th 1854 when Senator Stephen wanting to ensure a Northern Railroad wrote that would benefit his Illinois constituents introduced a bill to organize the territory of Nebraska in order to play Under Control but Southern Senators objected the region lane north of Latitude 36 degrees and so under the terms of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 it would be a free state to game the southerners support Douglas presented a bill that made concessions by creating the two separate territories of Kansas and Nebraska and overturned the long-standing Missouri Compromise which had held slavery and check soon the story of Kansas became a Battleground for rival factions as anti-slavery gorilla bands and pro-slavery Border Ruffians struggled in bloody camp change to control the territorial government by the time Kansas became the 34th state in 1861 Southern States had begun to secede from the the civil war between the North and the South began on April 12th 1861 and would last for long years when the South surrendered in 1865 Westward Expansion continued at a furious Pace the railroad was eventually built but not how long do Rhodes Stephen Douglas wanted the railroad provided quick and dependable transportation between east and west coast in the what's the nation railroad traveling storms floods breakdowns Indiana tax or hold up travel time from months 2 days construction of the railroad from the East was done by the Union Pacific which rush to lay its tracks west redoubt of Omaha from the West the Sentra Pacific sent Crews with their irons and spikes toward the East it was a bitter race between the two companies  finally May 10th 1869 the two railroads met at Promontory Point Utah and a golden spike was driven into a tie signaling the completion of Transcontinental Railroad linking the nation's Commerce industry and agriculture about the success of western expansion of the 1860s is not simply a contested to businesses the intrusion of the railroad was not without its casualties during the next decade range began their track across the country the balance of animal and human life was to be drastically altered trains sped up the assault and professional who killed fifteen million Buffalo before long the great beasts came perilously close to extension the near demise of the Buffalo was only overshadowed by the near-extinction of the Indian civilization from the moment that the first explorers set foot on the shores of North America the Indian culture challenge to coexist with the Anglo Intruders  now with the Perpetual expansion Westward the Indians were driven into an the territories and stood in fear of complete destruction  since the white man has made a road across our land then killed off our game we hungry explain Shoshone Indian chief with chunky our Women and Children Cry for food and we have no food to give them but the what's up Manifest Destiny Prevail Advocates of Native Americans were clearly ineffective in the face of strong-willed proponents such as general is it comes to Sherman who said The more we kill this year the last will have to be killed in the next they all have to be killed or maintained as a pictures of poppers though the Indians face certain Doom it would not be without a fight their fears desperation became decade-long struggle to retain their Heritage and maintain their dignity and history would remember the names of Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse and the 18 six Battle of Little Bighorn would become a pivotal moment for the Indian struggle in June 1876 General George Armstrong led the 7th Cavalry in a campaign against the Sioux Indians near the Little Bighorn River in Montana his entire Detachment of over 200 was annihilated and of battle referred to as Custer's Last Stand it also proved to be the Indians last major Triumph in ranged America became determined to contain the Indians the Indian people were forced to live on permanent reservations  military actions against Indians in the second half of the nineteenth Century how to convince adventurous settlers to overlook the seeming harsh conditions of the Great Plains the immense spans land bordered by the Rocky Mountains on the west sloping into the lowlands of the Midwest states in the early 1800s reports set the entire Plains area was Bleak and harsh it was dubbed the Great American desert and was avoided by early settlers but not all groups were discouraged among those who saw the vast emptiness as a potential Sanctuary where the Mormons members of a religious sect founded by Joseph Smith in 30 commuter lifestyle and growing Prosperity had aroused the jealousy and suspicion of their neighbors they were hounded from Ohio to Missouri to Illinois after Smith's murder in 1844 Brigham Young let them across Iowa into Nebraska where are they established borders near present-day Omaha  seeking a place where they might live in peace they continue their Westward Movement in 1847 and live. The Valley of the Great Salt Lake in Utah please first pioneers to the area endure great hardship but by the early 1860s what Lake City has a population of 12000 and throw the Mormons would struggle against their territory from becoming a state the differences between them and the what government will resolve at Utah enter the Union and 1896  while the Mormons were seeking to establish their religious community in the West a group of adventurous emancipated slaves were also seeking a better life in the west the greatest movement Westward occurred from 1877 to 1881 wins between 40000 and 70000 African Americans left former slave states for a new life and places like cans Iowa Nebraska and Oklahoma despite the harsh climate white hostility and difficulty obtaining bank loans thousands Preserve blacks penetrated the West as homesteaders and this Gunslingers Indian Fighters peace officers and Prospectors at the same time I'll romanticized class of cattle been called Cowboys was hurting Longhorns through Texas they went by nicknames pinnacle Mesquite Bill Bronco Jim Buckskin Joe and Wyoming Pete they were young and average age of 24 years most were Texans and often were is Confederate soldiers dissatisfied with the outcome of the Civil War but there were also Mexicans and blacks among them most were poor and willing to work Logan arduous hours for a little pay at the end of the Trail Drive said Cowboy Charles Goodnight all in all my years on the trail where the happiest I ever live there were many hardships and dangers of course that's called on all the Manhattans and bravery my point all went well there was no your life so Plaza settlers became bitter as cattle drives infringed upon their lands and Waters armor in 1885 the cow man look upon us the same as the Indians do the white man driving them off their hunting rounds in 1889 white settlers were being back into the Arid Windswept Plains of Oklahoma until that time Oklahoma had been a dumping Brown for displaced Indians  what is the railroad expansion through the area continued the government yielded to pressure to open the land to settlers by April 22nd 1889 thousands of pioneers on foot riding horses and wagons headlines up on the border of the Oklahoma lands at noon the sound of a signal gun rang out sending these settlers racing into the Indian Territory to stake out their Homestead claims other and rushes would soon follow in December 1890 the US 7th Cavalry massacred more than 200 Sioux men women and children Wounded Knee Creek South Dakota  the Indian culture was finally subdued and relegated to reservations Reagan spell victim to the westward expansion they eventually began to blend the white man's ways into their own has the United States headed into the 18 its boundaries now stretch from one ocean to the other nearly four hundred years had passed since the arrival of Columbus in the New World span of less than 50 years the United States had marched Westward to the Pacific Ocean and altered everything and it's bad  in 1893 historian Frederick Jackson Turner Cimorelli Road at the end of 100 years of life under the Constitution the frontier is gone with its going as close the first period of American history  indeed only a handful of State Village Romaine Idaho and Wyoming had become the 43rd and 44th States in 1890 Utah the 45th in 1896 after the turn of the century Oklahoma New Mexico and Arizona completed the 48th state union that would remain intact until 1959 meanwhile the western United States evolved into a changing home for various groups settlers and Farmers the Cowboys and the Cavalry the Indians and the did slaves there were notorious Outlaws such as Billy the Kid and Jesse James and Infamous loam in such as Bat Masterson Wild Bill Hickok and holiday  the Restless energy of the American people would result in great historical strides in every aspect of life but a love affair The Saga of How the West Was Won started long before there was a Hollywood  it began with a larger-than-life man called Buffalo Bill Cody whose mission was to entertain people with the folklore of the Wild Wild West William Frederick Cody was born in Iowa in 1840 next and move with his family to Kansas in 1854 by age 20 he rode for the Pony Express served as an army Scout and fought Indians he gave great Fame in the West for killing a reported 4280 Buffalo to feed the construction Crews of the Kansas Pacific Railroad as a scout for the V United States Cavalry from 1868 to 1872 he participated in several Indian fights but it was his true ability to capitalize on the hunger for entertainment out of the way places of the West that's Pond is traveling show in 1883  Buffalo those Wild West show featured bands of Indians Cowboys Roughriders bucking Broncos and buffaloes the famed Sharpshooter Annie Oakley also where was Buffalo Bill through his action-packed extravaganza the Romantic Legends of the frontier were kept alive even former foe Google participated for a few months Buffalo Bill was made the hero in many fictional tales and the distinction between the man and the meth became into but he is clearly one of the authentic Western Heroes  Violet full of Buffalo Bill was out fighting Indians the US was expanding its territory after the Civil War in 1868 Secretary of State William Seward open the Goshi ation that led to the purchase Alaska from Russia  though the vast region was bought for a mirror 7.2 million dollars then he scoffed at the purchase and dubbed it Seward's folly with the purchase of Alaska the United States acquired an area twice as large as Texas but it was not until the great claw Black Gold Strike of 1896 that Alaska was accepted as a valuable addition to American territory in January 1959 change the 49th state with the annexation of Hawaii in 1898 present-day borders were defined in 1900 Hawaii was made a territory in 1959 it was admitted as the 50th state in the Union in less than two centuries since its independence British rule the 13 original states had grown to 50  The Westward Movement is the story of America and its ambitious early residents a people in bold in the by the frontier Spirit a sense of adventure and daring their tails can be realistically sobering as well as delightful some survival the 19th century writer Henry David Thoreau perfectly summed up The Saga of the American West when he wrote Eastward go by force but Westward I go free

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