Moving West

(Period: Westward Expansion and Regional Differences)

Synopsis:

For a brief synopsis of the history of this time and period: Click Here.

Historical synopsis courtesy of A Hypertext on American History from the colonial period until Modern Times by Department of Humanities Computing, University of Groningen, The Netherlands and the former United States Information Agency (1953-1999).

Key Facts:

• from 1812 to 1852, the population in the US tripled.

Key People:

• Andrew Jackson - first "Westerner" president.

Vocabulary:

• 1862 Homestead Act - law allowing anyone who moved to and improved an area of land to become the owner of that land.
• Trail of Tears - the Cherokee Indians' journey from the east coast to Oklahoma