Although popular culture tells the story of the American West simplistically, its reality is far more complex. Native American tribes—while already on the land—didn't have the same interests, and conflicts between white settlers and...

What a fantastic project idea for discussing not only the history of America's expansion into the West, but for reviewing any major unit of history in your class. Pupils build stamp collections to visually represent themes of the...

As your young historians study Westward Expansion, practice in-depth primary source analysis with the documents and guidelines presented in this resource. They will examine a lithograph and excerpts from two letters written by a Nebraska...

With the stroke of a pen, Thomas Jefferson roughly doubled the size of the United States. The Louisiana Purchase not only grew the new country, but also it gave rise to the legends surrounding westward expansion and accelerated the...

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War, but it did not end tensions between the two nations. The activity provides learners with an opportunity to practical historical analysis with text experts from the Treaty of...

Although Westward Expansion is often romanticized, its impact was devastating on Native American communities. Primary source documents, including pictures of United States troops invading indigenous lands and Native American tribes, tell...

This is a very brief overview of the Mexican War, organized into the following sections: "Zachary Taylor's Army," "The Army of the West," and "Invasion of Mexico City." Includes links to related articles and websites.

A brief retelling of John C. Fremont's expedition to California. Learn about his confrontation with Mexican authorities that led to the Bear Flag Revolt.

See a map of the land acquired by the United States as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, called the Mexican Cession. From Annenberg Media.