History of America AMERICA'S FIRST SETTLEMENTS Written by Linda Thompson Rourke Educational Media rourkeeducationalmedia com Scan for Related Titles and Teacher Resources
Chapter 1 Welcome to the New World Only 20 years after it became independent the United States doubled in size thanks to President Thomas Jefferson’s wise purchase of the Louisiana Territory from France Within 50 years the country stretched across immense plains and towering mountain ranges to touch the Pacific Ocean OREGON TERRITORY 1846 CEDED BY MEXICO 1848 GADSDEN PURCHASE 1853 Territories Acquired by the United States 4 ESTABLISHED 1818 LOUISIANA PURCHASE 1803 TEXAS ANNEXED 1845
How the United States grew so fast in such a short time is an amazing tale But the expansion that took place after the American Revolution was only a logical continuation of the westbound movement Europeans had begun in 1492 with Christopher Columbus Before that date America had a few visitors but they did not bring permanent settlers The voyages of Columbus were a milestone in American history because they eventually brought great hordes of people from across the sea And once religious and political leaders decided a region might be worthy of settlement families began to arrive UNITED STATES PRIOR TO 1803 CEDED BY SPAIN 1819 Christopher Columbus 1451-1506 5
