Westward Expansion - Worksheet 3

The Birth of a Nation

1. Scan the 5 maps, look at the color blocks and comment on the evolution of the American territory.

2. From Map 1 to Map 3, what happened to the "unorganized" and "unclaimed" territories? How do you think this evolution was achieved?

3. From Map 1 to Map 5.
a. What happened to the disputed areas? Deduce what happened to the American territory during the 19th century.
b. Look at the titles of the maps and say what historical events marked this period in the region.
c. What stopped this evolution?
d. Imagine the demographic and economic consequences of this evolution.
e. How do you think the population who settled in the new territories and states felt about westward expansion? What do you think justified it for them?
f. Use the maps and what you know about the topic to say what happened to the Native populations.

4. Recap. Find 2 or 3 adjectives to describe that period of US history.