CHAPTER 1 HISTORY AND LOCATION For thousands of years before Europeans arrived Indigenous people lived across North America In the 1700 Spain and France controlled land west of the Mississippi River The United States bought this land in 1803 This was the Louisiana Purchase
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the West Region From 1804 to 1806 they mapped a path to the Pacific Ocean It was called the Oregon Trail Settlers followed They wanted land to farm Some split off toward California
