An Expanding Nation
History Alive - "In this unit, you will learn about the growth of the United States from about 1800 to the early 1850's. In 1800, the U.S. was bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Mississippi to the west. Farther west lay regions claimed by Great Britain, Russia, France and Spain. By the 1850's, the United States had acquired these lands, more than doubling it's size." While these new territories provided new financial opportunities for many Americans, their acquisition did not come without conflict, tragedy, and abuse.
Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, "Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way", 1861. Mural,
