Westward Expansion

American Westward Expansion

How the United States went from 13 colonies to the way we know it today!

Time Line

1803

The Louisiana Purchase

Lewis & Clark and their crew departed on May 14, 1804. This began their journey westward to the Pacific in hopes of exploring and mapping the new territory.

The corps returned home via the Missouri River and reached their final destination of St. Louis on September 23, 1806.

Throughout the 1840s a huge movement of settlers began to go west in search of more land and better lives. Thousands of people traveled on the Oregon Trail, and though not everyone survived, settlements began to pop up on the West Coast.

Around 1810 furtrappers, traders, and explorers begin to use the Oregon Trail to go westward.

In 1834 these other groups of settlers are joined on the trail by missionaries. These people went west in order to convert native people into Christians.

In 1803 President Jefferson purchased 828,000 square miles from France. This included all or parts of 15 modern states and 2 Canadian provences.

1804

Lewis & Clark begin their expedition west

1806

Lewis & Clark end their journey in St. Louis

1810

1843

Settlers begin to travel west towards Oregon

The Great Migration