US History & Government: Westward Expansion and Reform Movements

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the U.S. was divinely ordained to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Louisiana Purchase

The acquisition of territory from France in 1803 that doubled the size of the U.S.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

The expedition that mapped new territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase.

Expansionist

Those who supported aggressive U.S. expansion during the 19th century.

Oregon Trail

A major route that settlers followed to reach the Pacific Northwest.

Annexation

The act of adding territory to an existing state or country.

Mexican Cession

Land ceded to the U.S. by Mexico after the Mexican-American War.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

The 1848 treaty that ended the Mexican-American War and resulted in significant territorial gains for the U.S.

Wilmot Proviso

An unsuccessful amendment aimed at banning slavery in territories acquired from Mexico.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that settlers in a territory should decide whether to allow slavery.

Second Great Awakening

A Protestant religious revival emphasizing personal faith and moral reform.

Revivalist

A leader of large public religious meetings during the Second Great Awakening.

Utopian Community

Idealistic societies created to achieve perfection in social and moral structures.

Penitentiary Movement

Reform efforts aimed at changing the prison system to focus on rehabilitation.

Temperance Movement

A campaign aimed at reducing the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Abolitionism

The movement to end slavery immediately in the United States.