American expansion and geography

Settling the West

The first expansion of newly formed United States happened in 1787 with an act Northwest Ordinance by Nathan Dane that permitted admitting other states to Union if their land had 6000 inhabitants. It also prohibited slavery and provided freedom of religion. United States soon became interested in the continental west since no-one knew what lay behind Mississippi river but it certainly offered possibility of wealth.

Louisiana was a territory at first owned by France but Napoleon Bonaparte was afraid of Americans and decided to sell the land in 1803 to current president Thomas Jefferson = Louisiana Purchase. Jefferson appointed two explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the territory of Louisiana Purchase, establish trade and sovereignty over the natives near the Missouri River and claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon territory. They formed Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as Corps of Discovery and lasting 1804-1806 it was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast.  They also collected scientific data (grizzly, prairie dog) and Jefferson appointed Lewis Governor of Louisiana and Clark Indian Agent for the West.

Latter Pike expedition 1806-1807 was led by an officer and explorer Zebulon Pike but he was arrested by Mexicans for spying since he ended in Spanish territory. John Jacob Astor, the richest man of America in fur trade, and Robert Stuart discovered Oregon Trail the most practical trail of 3200 km that connected the Missouri River to Oregon and locations between. Astor established in 1811 a trading fur post in Oregon Fort Astoria but it fell to the British. Forgotten war (1812-1815) also revolved about fur trade, however, American army attacked north but the British went to the south so they did not meetJ.

Florida was owned by Spain but they sell it in the Florida Purchase in 1819 since they thought Americans would take it sooner or later by force. Monroe Doctrine was a policy during the fifth President James Monroe introduced in 1823 which stated that further efforts by European nations to colonize land of USA would be viewed as acts of aggression and also said that the Union would not interfere in European affairs.

Missouri compromise in 1820 was an agreement between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, involving regulation of slavery in territories. It banned slavery in Louisiana but for balance kept it in Missouri, accepting both in Union. Maine, Alabama and Illinois were also accepter.

In 1845 the USA annexed Texas but Texas themselves inhabitants asked to admitting to Union. It led to Mexican-American War (1846-1848) because Mexico considered it as a part of its territory. Americans won and in additional Mexico Cession in 1848 gained together with Texas land of present Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Wyoming and Oklahoma.

Settling was encouraged with Homestead Act 1862 signed by Abraham Lincoln. It was a file of application that gave people land if they applied and if they proved to be successful in cultivating it, they could keep it. Russians sold Alaska to Americans for 7.2 million dollars in 1867 and 1959 it gained statehood. There was a gold rush in Nevada and Colorado, started in 1848. Hawaii was an important port in route to China but as an equal state became in 1959.

Indians

From the 16^th-19^th centuries, the population of Native Americans declined because of epidemic diseases from Europe they had no immunity against like measles; genocide at the hands of European explorers and colonists, as well as fights between. The Native population declined to approximately 600 000. Columbian exchange = Sheep, pigs, and cattle were all Old World animals that were introduced to contemporary Native Americans. Europeans brought also horses (Mustang) and tribes trained and used them to ride and to carry packs. Europeans gained syphilis carried it back to Europe, where it spread widely but also sunflowers, pumpkins and tobacco.

Tribes practiced debt slavery or imposed slavery on members who had committed crimes but this status was only temporary as the enslaved worked off their obligations to the tribal society. Native Americans began selling war captives to whites. Gender roles were differentiated in most Native American tribes. In many tribes, social and clan relationships were matriarchal. In Cherokee and other wives owned the family property. Hereditary clan chief positions passed through the mother's line. Chiefs were selected on recommendation of women elders, who also could disapprove of a chief. Men usually had the roles of hunting, waging war, and negotiating with other tribes. Tribes: Cherokee, Apache, Mohawk, Sioux.

King Philip’s War (Metacom's War) was a bloody armed conflict between Natives of New England and English colonists. It continued even after chief Metacom (nicknamed King Philip) was killed, until a treaty was signed at Casco Bay in 1678. Most Native Americans who joined the War for American Independence sided with the British, hoping to use the war to halt further colonial expansion. The war ended, leading immediately to the Northwest Indian War. George Washington believed that Native Americans were equals but that their society was inferior and formulated a policy to encourage the civilizing process. 

In 1839 John L. O’Sullivan wrote his Manifest Destiny to justify that colonists have right to expand west as it was their destiny to colonize. It was a huge propaganda with serious consequences. This age was known as Indian Removal with Indians regarded as savages who stood in the way of expansion. In 1871 Congress in Indian Appropriations Act prohibited additional treaties with Indians and authorized the creation of Indian reservations in Oklahoma.

Conflicts generally known as Indian Wars broke out. The Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 was one of the greatest Natives´ victories. It was a battle for gold and territory which both belonged to Siouxes. The Chief of Sioux Sitting Bull joined several tribes and resisted. The battle ended catastrophically. Commander George Custer was killed and his cavalry destroyed. 

Battles leaded to creation of Indian reservations = areas of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior. There is about 310 Indian with the quality of life on some the developing world, with issues of infant mortality, poverty and alcohol and drug abuse. President Ulysses S. Grant called for the replacement of government officials by religious men in order to teach Christianity to the native tribes and Quakers were especially active. This policy was a preparation for citizenship that happened in 1924.

Geography

Great lakes: Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie, Ontario (another: Great Salt Lake in Utah)

Mountain ranges: Appalachian Mountains (Mitchell), Cascade Range (Rainier), Sierra Nevada (Whitney), Rocky Mountains (Elbert), Columbia Plateau, Columbia Plateau, Alaska Range (the highest American mountain Mount McKinley 6 194 m).

Rivers: Mississippi 4000 km (effluents: Missouri, Red River, Arkansas, Ohio), Colorado, Snake River, Hudson River (New York)

Plains: Great Plain, Coastal Plain

States and their capitals

Alabama - Montgomery

Alaska - Juneau

Arizona - Phoenix

Arkansas - Little Rock

California - Sacramento

Colorado - Denver

Connecticut - Hartford

Delaware - Dover

Florida - Tallahassee

Georgia - Atlanta

Hawaii - Honolulu

Idaho - Boise

Illinois - Springfield

Indiana - Indianapolis

Iowa - Des Moines

Kansas - Topeka

Kentucky - Frankfort

Louisiana - Baton Rouge

Maine - Augusta

Maryland - Annapolis

Massachusetts - Boston

Michigan - Lansing

Minnesota - St. Paul

Mississippi - Jackson

Missouri - Jefferson City

Montana - Helena

Nebraska - Lincoln

Nevada - Carson City

New Hampshire - Concord

New Jersey - Trenton

New Mexico - Santa Fe

New York - Albany

North Carolina - Raleigh

North Dakota - Bismarck

Ohio - Columbus

Oklahoma - Oklahoma City

Oregon - Salem

Pennsylvania - Harrisburg

Rhode Island - Providence

South Carolina - Columbia

South Dakota - Pierre

Tennessee - Nashville

Texas - Austin

Utah - Salt Lake City

Vermont - Montpelier

Virginia - Richmond

Washington - Olympia

West Virginia - Charleston

Wisconsin - Madison

Wyoming – Cheyenne