Library of Congress
Loc: Primary Source Set: Westward Expansion Teacher's Guide [Pdf]
As the United States expanded westward, many cultural groups came into contact with one another, such as Native American tribes, Chinese, and various Europeans. In this set of exercises, young scholars use primary source documents to...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Westward Expansion and Reform
Part of a longer time line describing the history of the American West, this section covers the period 1829 to 1859 with hyperlinks to stories and people of this time period.
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Louisiana Believes: Social Studies: Grade 4: Westward Expansion
This instructional task asks students to analyze the impact Westward Expansion had on the people and cultures of the American West.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Westward Expansion, 1790 1850
This interactive map explores the territorial and population changes in the United States between 1790 and 1850. It also covers the beginning of the transportation revolution and the Native American land cessions and forced removals.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The Seeds of Empirebuilding
Essay on European-American westward expansion and the conflict new settlement created with Native Americans. Author describes the development of a hierarchical structure in which indigenous peoples were exploited and unprotected.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1865 1898: Chinese Immigrants and Mexican Americans
Like Native Americans, Mexican Americans and Chinese immigrants suffered harsh consequences due to relentless westward expansion by whites in the nineteenth century.
Library of Congress
Loc: Immigration: Destroying the Native American Cultures
Detailed and extensive account of the plight of Native Americans during the westward growth of America. Includes maps, audio recordings, authentic letters, speeches,a great timeline, and much more.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: Western Migration Towards the Interior
This resource provides an essay discussing the migration of American colonists into the Ohio River Valley and the impact on the Native Americans living in the area.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Contested Territories
This site highlights the westward expansion of settlers in North America and the effects this expansion had on Native Americans between the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
Library of Congress
Loc: Global Gateway: Meeting of Frontiers
From cossacks to cowboys, this Library of Congress special online collection looks at American westward exploration and expansion, and Russia's eastward reach into and conquest of Siberia. Includes historical information and timelines,...
OpenStax
Open Stax: The Impact of Expansion on Chinese Immigrants and Hispanic Citizens
As white populations moved westward in the 19th century, Chinese immigrants and Hispanic Americans faced racism and discrimination and were unable to compete on an equal basis for land. Eventually, both groups settled into urban areas...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian: National Museum of the American Indian: Battle of Little Bighorn
The Battle of Little Bighorn made an immense impression on American society and culture. Americans became obsessed with this battle and created artworks, shows, postcards, and dime novels. View primary sources from this era to understand...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Westward
Overview of U.S. westward expansion during the 1800s.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1865 1898: Chinese Immigrants and Mexican Americans
Discusses the conflict with Mexican American and Chinese groups as white settlers pushed westward in the nineteenth century. Explains what brought so many Chinese immigrants to America and the roadblocks and discrimination that they had...
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Urban Growth and Westward Expansion
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart covers the rise in population in American cities in the late 1800's and westward expansion.
Library of Congress
Loc: Immigration: Destroying the Native American Cultures
This resource provides an account of the status of Native American cultures during the settlement of America. There are thoughts from various presidents through the ages. Many heart-breaking incidents in regard to Native American...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: America's History in the Making: Taming the American West
Comprehensive teaching unit that explores the settling of the American West in the late 1800s and the challenges these settlers faced. Contains video and text materials, web interactives, student oriented activities, and a timeline of...
Curated OER
National Park Service: Stories of the Westward Expansion: Exodus to Freedom
Contains an article written on the African American exodus to Kansas to farm in the late 19th century.
OpenStax
Open Stax: The Loss of American Indian Life and Culture
Read this section from a chapter on "Westward Expansion" to learn about the methods that the U.S. government used to address the "Indian threat" during the settlement of the West and explain the process of "Americanization" as it applied...
Other
Iowa Culture: American Indians and Westward Expansion
Learn the factors, forces or reasons people moved from one geographic area to another in early America.
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Manifest Destiny
Provides interesting facts and important information about the idea of Manifest Destiny and details of Westward Expansion in the United States over a fifty-year time span in the 1800s.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Revolutionary Limits: Native Americans
A good description of the actions and fate of the Native Americans who allied with the British to fight against the Americans. Find out that while the Native Americans had treaties with the British, they were not represented at the talks...
US National Archives
Docsteach: The Settlement of the American West
Learners will analyze primary sources with an eye for cause-and-effect relationships.They will identify the roles of government policy and technological improvements in the settlement of the West, and explain their impact on Native...
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Westward Expansion
A comprehensive overview of the expansion across the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific in the west from 1841-1850. Provides a summary, list of interesting facts and a timeline.