Did you know that without the Mexican War, the United States would not include the states of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Utah, and even parts of Colorado? Scholars learn a variety of interesting facts about the...

Today, Cuba and America sometimes struggle with diplomatic relations, but did you know that America went to war against Spain to free Cuba? Learners examine many interesting facts related to the Spanish American War using an informative...

Need an online resource to supplement the paper textbook in your classroom? An all-encompassing website covers historical events throughout the last half of the second millenium, leading right up to the third. From the pre-Columbian...

An introduction to Manifest Destiny - the period in American history covering continental expansion. In sharp contrast is Mexico's struggle to recover after gaining its freedom from the Spanish. Links and drop down menus provide detailed...

A look at the reasons for westward expansion, known as Manifest Destiny. Economic, religious, and cultural reasons pushed Americans from sea to shining sea.

A brief explanation of where the term "manifest destiny" came from, and a look at how the term meant different things to different segments of American society.

After a brief discussion of Manifest Destiny in other parts of country, read about the Texas rebellion against Mexico, the battles against Santa Anna, and the treaties that made Texas an independent country. [pdf]

A comprehensive site that offers a look at the "Gold Fever" of the California Gold Rush, with photos.

Dedicated to the memory of U.S. veterans who fought in the U.S.-Mexican War, this website provides documents, images, maps, and FAQs.

After giving a general summary of the Spanish-American War in the Western Hemisphere, the course of the war as waged in the Philippines is explained. See how the Philippines was annexed to the United States.

A comprehensive site examining James Polk's life before the presidency, his campaigns, domestic and foreign affairs, life after the presidency, and his family. From the left-hand toolbar, select links detailing his cabinet and staff...

Webisode 3 - Liberty for All? The history of the United States is presented in a series of webisodes, within each are a number of segments.Included are links to lesson plans, teacher guides, resources, activities, and tools.

A political cartoon depicting a Union and a Confederate veteran united in support for the Spanish-American War. A painting entitled Twelve-Inch Gun depicting elegant officers and ladies aboard a battle ship, civilizing gentility and the...

Overview of U.S. westward expansion during the 1800s.

This site provides a tour through the history of natives and immigrants to the California Gold Rush area, including African American, California Indian, Chinese, and Latino.

From here, access simple write-ups on the San Francisco Gold Rush. Topics covered include: "Life of a 49er," "Foreign Miners," "Law and Order," and "After the Gold Rush."

What happened in the 15 years that followed the annexation of Texas? How did the Mexican War end? Read this article to learn about the aftermath of the annexation, and check out primary documents--a "moral map" of the United States and a...

Here you can learn about the Oregon Trail, Donner Party, the California Gold Rush, and life as a pioneer through text, images, video, and quotes.

The Mexican-American War fulfilled James Polk's desire to acquire the territory of New Mexico and California from Mexico. See how the fight was provoked, and read about Stephen Kearny's actions in New Mexico and John Fremont's in...

See how James Polk's plan to claim the Oregon Territory, which had been shared with Great Britain since 1818, led him to victory with the slogan, Fifty-four forty or fight. Read about the settlers who traveled the Oregon Trail and why...

Contains an article on the discovery of gold in California at Sutter's Mill that resulted in the California Gold Rush.