Unit #4- Expansion Flashcards
Who was the leader of France at the time of the Louisiana Purchase?
Napoleon Bonaparte
Who was the President that bought the Louisiana Territory from France?
Thomas Jefferson
What city did the United States originally hope to buy from France?
New Orleans
The Louisiana purchase is huge- it added 828,000 square miles or_______ the amount of land in the United States.
Doubled
What were three reasons for the Lewis & Clark Expedition?
To explore the Louisiana Purchase
To find the source of the Missouri River
Scientific exploration
How long was the Lewis & Clark Expedition?
2 years
8,000 miles
What was Sacagawea’s most important contribution to the Lewis & Clark Expedition?
She was able to trade for horses.
Who is the President during the largest expansion of U.S. territory in history?
James K. Polk
Why did Americans move to the Mexican territory of Texas?
cheap land
Why did the Mexican government want American settlers in its territory?
1) Increased economic activity.
2) Creating a buffer zone to protect from the Comanche Tribe
How long was Texas an Independent Republic?
9 years
Why didn’t Texas become a part of the U.S. right away?
Slavery. - Adding this territory would upset the balance of power between Northern & Southern states.
Which country also claimed the Oregon Territory?
Great Britain
How did Americans get to Oregon Territory?
Travelling in Conestoga Wagons over the Oregon Trail
In 1846 Great Britain & the United States compromised and set the Northern Border of at the ___th Parallel.
49th Parallel
How did Polk first try to acquire California & the Mexican Cession from Mexico?
He tried to buy it for $30 Million
What was the final battle of the Mexican American War?
Capturing the Mexican Capital of Mexico City.
In the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo America received the area known as the Mexican Cession which included these territories:
Disputed area of Texas
California
New Mexico
Where were the population centers of early America centered around?
- The East Coast
- Major Waterways (rivers)
What was politically important to early American politicians?
Providing affordable land to Americans.
What city became the center of the California Gold Rush?
San Francisco
What did the Gold Rush do to the population of California?
1,000- Before Gold Rush
100,000 by the end of 1849
What is the name of the place where gold was first found?
Sutter’s Mill
What were some good things about the rapidly increased population caused by the gold rush?
Booming economy
California statehood happened quickly.
How much land did people receive under The Homestead Act?
160 Acres
How much land was settled as a result of the Homestead Act?
10% of all land in the U.S.
270 million acres
What did people have to do in order to permanently own their homestead claim?
1- Small filing fee
2- Live on the land for 5 years
3- Farm or make improvements on the land.
