-
Indian Removal Act (1830)
Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, leading to the forced relocation of Native Americans from the southeastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi River, a journey known as the Trail of Tears. -
Texas Revolution 1835 -1836
Texan settlers, many of whom were American, rebelled against Mexican rule, leading to the Battle of San Jacinto and the establishment of the Republic of Texas. -
Oregon Trail 1840
Thousands of Americans migrated westward to Oregon and other territories, following the Oregon Trail when the first migrant wagon train was organized in Independence, Missouri, a wagon trail had been cleared to Fort Hall, Idaho. -
Manifest Destiny 1845
The idea that the United States was destined to expand across the continent became increasingly popular. Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States had a God-given right and duty to expand its territory and influence across North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. -
Texas Annexation (1845)
Texas was annexed into the United States, further fueling westward expansion and raising tensions over slavery.The United States annexed the Republic of Texas, a move that led to its admission as the 28th state on December 29th, following a joint resolution passed by Congress and a vote by Texas citizens -
Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
A war between the United States and Mexico resulted in the US gaining vast territories, including California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.Mexican-American War, war between the United States and Mexico (April 1846–February 1848) stemming from the United States' annexation of Texas in 1845 and from a dispute over whether Texas ended at the Nueces River (Mexican claim) or the Rio Grande (U.S. claim) -
Gold Rush (1849)
The California Gold Rush, starting with gold found at Sutter's Mill in 1848, led to a massive influx of people, known as "forty-niners," seeking fortune in California, transforming the state and the nation -
Compromise of 1850
A series of laws aimed at addressing the issue of slavery in newly acquired territories, including the Fugitive Slave Act, which angered abolitionists.laws passed by Congress aimed at resolving the issue of slavery in newly acquired territories after the Mexican-American War, including California's admission as a free state -
Gadsden Purchase 1853
The United States purchases a strip of land from Mexico, known as the Gadsden Purchase, to facilitate the construction of a transcontinental railroad,a treaty where the United States purchased approximately 29,670 square miles of land from Mexico, primarily for a southern transcontinental railroad route, for $10 million, which now comprises parts of southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico -
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
This act allowed residents of Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide whether to allow slavery, leading to "Bleeding Kansas" and further escalating tensions over slavery.repealed the Missouri Compromise, allowing residents of these territories to decide on the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty -
Election of Abraham Lincoln 1860
The election of Abraham Lincoln, an anti-slavery candidate, leads to the secession of several Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War. -
Homestead act 1862
granted 160 acres of public land to any U.S. citizen or those who planned to become citizens, requiring them to live on and cultivate the land for five years to gain ownership,Land titles could also be purchased from the government for $1.25 per acre following six months of proven residency. Additional requirements included five years of continuous residence on the land, building a home on it, farming the land and making improvements