Eleventh graders examine how and why the United States expanded westward across the 1800s — driven by Manifest Destiny, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Gold Rush — and the devastating cost to Native American nations.
Students will be able to…
In under a century, the U.S. grew from a strip of eastern states to a nation spanning the continent. What drove this expansion — and who paid the price for it?
Project this and tap each idea. Have students explore what drove Americans west — and its consequences.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
How did the U.S. grow from an eastern strip to a nation spanning the continent?
Students investigate.
Students analyze.
Students communicate.
Students conclude.
Aligned to the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards (U.S. History).
Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events (westward expansion).
Evaluate how change and continuity shaped the era.
Analyze how movement of people reshaped places.
Use disciplinary reasoning to take informed action.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students compare a settler’s and a Native American’s account of westward expansion and write about whose stories usually get told. A printable expansion sheet is in the Social Studies library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.