west of mississippi river. essential question why did americans move west of mississippi?

WEST OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

• Why did Americans move west of Mississippi?

LAND

• HOMESTEAD ACT- Gov. promised land to move west.• SPECULATORS- hope to buy low and sell high.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

• MORMON MIGRATION- followers of Latter Day Saints (LDS) flee religious persecution.

• BRIGHAM YOUNG- Led Mormons to settle near Great Salt Lake, UT.

MONEY

• SUTTER’S MILL- gold discovered in CA.• GOLD RUSH- people from all over world hope

to profit from precious metals.

PROSPECTORS

• Those who hoped to find gold.• 49ERS- nickname for the prospectors (1849).• SAN FRANCISCO- became large city after the

Gold Rush.

PIONEERS

• Those willing to move west.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

• How did people benefit from Gold Rush?

ENTREPRENEURS

• Those willing to start a business:• LEVI-STRAUSS- made fortune off selling blue

jeans to miners.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

• How did people travel out west?

CARAVANS

• Groups of wagons for protection.• CONESTOGAS- popular type of wagon.

WAGON TRAILS

• OREGON TRAIL- Missouri to Portland.• SANTA FE TRAIL- KS to New Mexico.

GOLDEN SPIKE

• Completed first transcontinental railroad.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

• What resistance did pioneers face?

BLACK HAWK WARS

• Sauk forced out of IL and WI.

FORT LARAMIE TREATY

• First reservations established for Native Americans.

54/40 or FIGHT!

• U.S disputes with Great Britain over Oregon Territory.

• OREGON TREATY- boundary set at 49th parallel.