Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1865 1898: Indian Wars/ Battle of the Little Big Horn
In the late nineteenth century, the US Army clashed with Native Americans, and General Custer took his last stand.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1865 1898: The Dawes Act
The 1887 law intended to assimilate Native Americans led to the loss of millions of acres of land.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1865 1898: The Reservation System
In the nineteenth century, Native Americans were confined to reservations to open up land for white settlers.
Other
Historic Trails: Oregon/california Trails
Find a map of the Oregon Trail and California Trail and click Historical Trails tab to discover the hardships and daily grind of traveling on the Oregon Trail.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Pony Express: History and Culture
A good article from the National Park Service which recounts the history of the brief existence of the Pony Express. Read about the route, what caused the demise of the Pony Express, and what part of the trail can still be seen.
Library of Congress
Loc: Exploring With Lewis & Clark
This site from Library of Congress provides a multimedia site using historical documents to tell the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The movies require high speed access but the site will hold student interest.
Country Studies US
Country Studies: The Plight of the Indians
This site explains how as westward expansion grew, more and more Indians encountered settlers, ranchers and miners who sought life, land, and riches out West. Conflicts between settlers and Indians soon involved the federal government...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Diplomatic Challenges in an Age of European War
Both the British and French challenged American sovereignty and neutrality on the high seas. Read about the solution favored by Thomas Jefferson, but despised by the American shippers. See why this a cause of the War of 1812, along with...
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Elias Howe Sewing Machine
Detailed facts and fun information on Elias Howe who invented the world's first practical sewing machine in 1846.
Siteseen
Siteseen: American Historama: Fugitive Slave Act
Discover interesting facts about the 1793 and 1850 Fugitive Slave Acts that guaranteed the right of an owner to recover an escaped slave.
Ohio History Central
Ohio History Central: Tecumseh's Confederation
This page describes Tecumseh's work toward an Indian confederacy that would be able to survive against the westward movement of whites.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Southwest Literacy Unit
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart is a literacy unit based around a Southwest / Westward Expansion Theme. Native Americans, pioneers, and the old west is covered. 8 different literacy strategies are taught with FULL...
PBS
The West: Documents on the Sand Creek Massacre
Contains the text of documents on the Sand Creek Massacre, including two editorials from the Rocky Mountain News, Congressional testimony by John S. Smith, and a deposition by John M. Chivington
Ohio State University
Osu History Teaching Institute: Indian Removal
This activity looks at the process whereby a policy of assimilation gave way to one of overt removal under President Jackson.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us: Whose Land Is This? Webisode 8
From Joy Hakim's marvelous set of books, A History of US, this webisode offers narrative, pictures, and teaching guides for the settling of the West after the Civil War.
Library of Congress
Loc: "California as I Saw It"
Digital collection features first-person accounts from the time of the Gold Rush and California statehood through the turn of the twentieth century. Presents detailed information about localities and people important to the state during...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Cotton Promotes Slavery
A brief history of how the economic growth of the South became dependent on the work of slaves and how this solidified the unity of the southern states. Links throughout the text will take to you sites containing relevant information.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Factionalism and Political Parties
Find out about the rise of regionalism and factionalism in the development of political parties involved in the elections of 1824 and 1828.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Nullification Crisis
This resource explains the conflict between Jackson and the state of South Carolina over the state's right to nullify federal tariffs. This conflict almost brought armed conflict between the federal government and the state.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Latin America and the Monroe Doctrine
Outline of the Latin America independence movement and the accompanying spirit of U.S. support as expressed through the Monroe Doctrine.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Cole, the Oxbow
Thomas Cole was best known for his landscape paintings which embodied the beauty and grandeur of the American wilderness during the first half of the nineteenth century. When viewed through the lens of nineteenth-century political...
Have Fun With History
Have Fun With History: Pioneers and the Frontier
Learning module with a variety of video and other resources on the expansion westward as pioneers settled new frontier in the 1800s.
Cyberbee
Manifest Destiny: Clash of Cultures
A unit plan about the Manifest Destiny that includes an explanation of the term as well as additional resources.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Native Resistance in the Trans Appalachian West
This site gives a brief look at the Indian alliance built by Tecumseh to confront the U.S. military which wanted to protect the settlers moving west into Indian territory.