Social Studies - United States History I
Lesson Plans

U.S. I Strand 6: EXPANSION

(Ca. 1783-1890)

The territorial expansion of the United States created challenges and opportunities for the young nation. Significant advances in industrial technology, discoveries of vast natural resources, a series of gold rushes, visions of the destiny of the nation, continuing conflicts between American Indians and settlers, disagreements between slave states and free states, and a number of push and pull factors influenced territorial expansion. The physical, political, and human geography of the United States today reflects, in part, the 19th century expansion of the nation.

Possible Guiding Questions to Consider:

• What motivated settlers to move west?
• How do 19th century events such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Mexican- American War continue to affect the United States today?
• What is the relationship between land and power?
• How did the continent's physical geography affect the expansion of the United States?
• What were the costs and benefits of the Industrial Revolution?
• How did industrial leaders use markets and capital to grow their businesses?

U.S. I Standard 6.2:

Students will use primary sources representing multiple perspectives to interpret conflicts that arose during American expansion, especially as American Indians were forced from their traditional lands and as tensions grew over free and slave holding territory.

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