Monday's Lesson Plan
Americans of the 1800's firmly believed they had a right to settle all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This was called Manifest Destiny. President Thomas Jefferson sent explorers Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Clarke to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean.
Tuesday's Lesson Plan
In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson sent a delegation of men to bargain with France for some land. Suprisingly, France agreed to sell a huge amount of land for only $15 million. This is known as the Louisianna Purchase. This is more than doubled the size of the United States!
Wednesday's Lesson Plan
In 1848, a gold nugget the size of a dime was found in California. By 1849 people were flooding westward with the hope of finding gold. It wasn't only people from the east though. People from around the world rushed to California also.
Thursday's Lesson Plan
The pioneers were an industrious people. They moved to the west with only what they could fit in a wagon. Of course this meant there were many things they had to do without. However, they were also able to devise new ways to do things. Sometimes this meant making a new tool and other times it meant doing something a different way.
Friday's Lesson Plan
The first railroad tracks in America were laid in 1829. By 1849 tracks covered the East coast. It was easy to take a train from one city to another along the eastern coast. This also allowed for easy transport of goods. Soon railroad companies began laying tracks toward the west. They to wanted part of the riches hidden in the West.
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