Students examine reasons for immigration to the United States in the 19th century. They role play as immigrants asked to write accounts of their immigrant experiences.

Fourth graders research the culture of Los Californios through primary sources. They examine maps and draw timelines of California historical dates. They investigate deeds and s of ranches and simulate property transactions.

In this Westward Expansion worksheet, students read assigned textbook pages which describe  Manifest Destiny and respond to 33 short answer questions.

Students use a topographical map to plan a route from Doknner Summit to Truckee, then compare it to the route selected by Theodore Judah.

View comprehensive sets of artifacts that tell the story of America's wartime past and present. Artifacts from every major American military conflict, beginning with the American Revolution, can be closely examined. Full curatorial notes...

Article on the era of westward expansion and the resulting Mexican American War. The author demonstrates how Manifest Destiny and frontier settlement led to the annexation of Texas and ultimately war with Mexico over the territory.

Read this short biography of Stephen F. Austin, complete with links to primary documents involving the empresario known as "The Father of Texas."

A synopsis of the events preceding the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, plus great pictures and links to excellent maps of the area negotiated for and to the text of the actual document.

Interactive and animated maps and timelines of historical events and time periods in American history from pre-European times until post-World War II.

Article in which the author takes us through the history of Texas from the time Americans arrived and settled in the area to annexation, and finally, war with Mexico over the territory. With photographs and links to related resources.

Article on the history of Texas framed in a discussion of Spanish colonization to help readers better understand events leading to the Mexican-American War. With bullet pointed facts and links to primary source material.

Examines the circumstances surrounding Texas's entry into the Union in 1845 as a slave state. It was an uneasy union, with ongoing controversy around the issue of slavery. This lasted through the Mexican-American War and helped to...

Article by Henry Sage explaining the history of California, how it became a state, and how President Polks desire to acquire California contributed to the Mexican-American War.

Concisely written accounts of three important events in the history and shaping of Texas: the Annexation of Texas, the Mexican-American War, and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo.

Written in the style of a narrative of events, read the stories surrounding the Battle of Medina in the Mexican War for Independence from Spain.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Like other big cities, Los Angeles has had its share of unrest, even riots in some instances. In this lesson, the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943 are investigated to figure out what caused the event.

The American Hispanic/Latinx history is a rich, diverse and long one, with immigrants, refugees and Spanish-speaking or Indigenous people living in the United States since long before the nation was established. America's Hispanic...

Article reviews several conditions of American society that sowed the seeds of civil war, particularly slavery and sectional conflict.

Describes the structure of Mexican society in the 19th century and the cultural clashes that resulted in their dealings with Americans in Texas.

A collection of newspaper articles, images, timelines, and bibliographies related to the Mexican-American War.

A brief look at the declaration of independence from Mexico by Texas in 1836, the removal of restrictions on slavery, and how this dramatically increased the population and led to a much greater reliance on the cotton industry in the...

From 1800-1860, America went through rapid growth and development. View this slideshow to see pictures, charts, maps,primary source documents and a detailed timeline of Virginia during the Antebellum Era.

This site has a lesson about the ranching industry, creation of California towns and the changes over time. Contains information, inquiry question, historical context, maps, readings, and images.