Lewis & Clark--The Corps of Discovery

Led by Lewis & Clark, the Corps of Discovery traveled almost 8000 miles over almost 2.5 years to reach the Pacific Coast and return to St. Louis, the first United States citizens in history to do so. During their journey, they had to make hundreds over decisions -- and one error could doom the entire expedition.

Your assignment is to visit the PBS website: "Into the Unknown." As you navigate through the site, see how far that you can go without making a wrong decision, and leading your expedition into oblivion. As you proceed, make sure that you make a note about:

1. The location
2. The dilemma, or problem, facing Lewis and Clark
3. What you decided to do
4. How did it turn out

Then write a paragraph that describes at least 3 of the situations faced by Lewis and Clark, and how each one ended. Make sure to provide as much detail as possible, including the information that you recorded above.  Don't forget to start with your class period and your first names and last initials.

Justifying Westward Expansion

The idea of Manifest Destiny was a controversial part of the expansion of the US during the middle 1800s. Your group did a close reading of four sources relating to the westward expansion of the United States. Using those sources, answer this prompt in a well written paragraph: How was the westward expansion of the United States and the taking of land from Mexico and Native Americans justified by people at the time? Be sure to effectively use evidence from the primary sources provided, and properly cite those sources.

Be sure to start your response with: your class period and first names last initials (example: P1 Annie A and Billy Z)

Reading 1:

Texas has been absorbed into the Union as the inevitable fulfillment of the general law which is rolling our population westward....It was disintegrated from Mexico in the natural course of events, by a process perfectly legitimate on its own part, blameless on ours....
California will, probably next fall away from...Mexico...imbecile and distracted...The Anglo-Saxon foot is already on its borders....All this without agency of our government, without responsibility of our people--in the natural flow of events, the spontaneous working of principles....

Democratic Review, 1845

Reading 2:

Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory and shed American blood upon American soil. She has proclaimed that hostilities have commenced and that the two nations are now at war.

As war exists, and, notwithstanding all our efforts to avoid it, exists by the act of Mexico herself, we are called upon by every consideration of duty and patriotism to vindicate with decision the honor, the rights, and the interests of our country.

Polk's War Message, 1846

Reading 3:

Now we ask, whether any man can coolly contemplate the idea of recalling our troops from the [Mexican] territory we at present occupy...and...resign this beautiful country to the custody of the ignorant cowards and profligate ruffians who have ruled it for the last twenty-five years? Why humanity cries out against it. Civilization and Christianity protest against this reflux of the tide of barbarism and anarchy.
New York Evening Post, 1848

Reading 4:

Have not results in Mexico taught the invincibility of American arms?...The North Americans will spread out far beyond their present bounds. They will encroach again and again upon their neighbors. New territories will be planted, declare their independence, and be annexed. We have New Mexico and California! We will have Old Mexico and Cuba! The isthmus cannot arrest--nor even the Saint Lawrence!! Time has all of this in her womb. A hundred states will grow up where now exists but thirty.

DeBow's Commercial Review, 1848

Jefferson expands the United States

Thomas Jefferson believed in a strict construction of the Constitution -- following the Constitution exactly as written. However, when he became president, he had the opportunity to add land to the US from Spain in what is now western Florida, and most famously, add the Louisiana Territory from France. As you can imagine, his purchases of land from foreign governments, which were not one of the powers of the presidency, were very controversial. The political cartoon below is an example of one person's opinion of Jefferson's policies.

Start by entering your period and first names, last initials (example: P1 Sally A & Billy B)
Then answer these questions as completely as possible:

1. List all the images, actions, symbols and words that the cartoonist uses
2. What do the symbols and actions mean?
3. What is the main idea of the political cartoon, or the message that the cartoonist is trying to express?

Andrew Jackson & the Bank of the United States

Andrew Jackson was one of our most controversial presidents -- many people considered him a great president, and many others considered him a tyrant. As you look at this political cartoon, answer the following questions:
1. List all the images, actions, symbols and words that the cartoonist uses
2. What do the symbols and actions mean?
3. What is the main idea of the political cartoon, or the message that the cartoonist is trying to express?