160.+Between+what+years+did+the+U.S.+encourage+Americans+to+undergo+vast+territorial+expansion,+exploration+and+expansion+westward?1801+-+1861

By Mary Chris W.

160. Between what years did the U.S. encourage Americans to undergo vast territorial expansion, exploration and expansion westward? 1801 - 1861

Mary's Helpful link

The Oregon Territory -The OregonTerritory was organized on August 14, 1848, by an act of Congress out of the U.S. portion of the Oregon Country. It originally included all of the present-day states of Idaho, Oregon and Washington, as well as Montana west of the Continental Divide, and Wyoming west of the Continental Divide.



Oregon Territory, as originally organized, in 1848

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Territory

The Mexican-American War -The Mexican–American War, was a military conflict fought between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848, in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas. Mexico had not recognized the secession of Texas in 1836 and announced its intention to take back what it considered a rebel province. In the United States, the war was a partisan issue, supported by most Democrats and opposed by most Whigs, with popular belief in the Manifest Destiny of the United States ultimately translating into public support for the war. In Mexico, the war was considered a matter of national pride.



The Battle of Veracruz

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Territory

Florida Territory - Florida became an organized territory of the United States on March 30, 1822. The Americans merged East Florida and West Florida (although the majority of West Florida was annexed to Orleans Territory and Mississippi Territory), and established a new capital in Tallahassee, conveniently located halfway between the East Florida capital of St. Augustine and the West Florida capital of Pensacola. The boundaries of Florida's first two counties, Escambia and St. Johns, approximately coincided with the boundaries of West and East Florida respectively.



East and West Florida in 1810

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Florida

Territorial Expansion

-The Louisiana Purchase, completed 1803, was negotiated by Robert Livingston during the presidency of Thomas Jefferson; the territory was acquired from France. A small portion of this land was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1818 in exchange for the Red River Basin. More of this land was ceded to Spain in 1819 with the Florida Purchase, but was later reacquired through Texas annexation and Mexican Cession.



A government map, probably created in the mid-20th century, that depicts a simplified history of territorial acquisitions within the continental United States.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_territorial_acquisitions

Texas

-The first declaration of independence for modern Texas, by both Anglo-Texan settlers and local Tejanos, was signed in Goliad on December 20, 1835. The Texas Declaration of Independence was enacted at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836, effectively creating the Republic of Texas.



The Republic of Texas. The present-day outlines of the U.S. states are superimposed on the boundaries of 1836–1845.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Texas