TCI Social Studies Unit 5 Lessons 18 & 19

acquisition

something that is gained, or acquired

annex

to add or incorporate (a new territory) into a country

boundary

the geographic line between two places, such as two countries

ceded

gave up territory, usually as the result of a treaty

expedition

a group of people sent to explore unknown places

Manifest Destiny

an American belief in the 1800s that it was the natural right of the United States to expand westward to the Pacific Ocean

reservation

an area of land set aside for Native Americans

territory

a large region of land

Acquisitions in the West

the US wanted to give people more land to live on and farm

New Orleans

Americans wanted to move goods through New Orleans, so land to the west was purchased

Florida

The US acquired this from Spain

Why many Americans wanted freedom from Mexico

so that they could continue to enslave people

Oregon Country

US and Britain agreed upon a border

Mexican Cession

Mexico gave up this territory because it had just lost a fierce war

Louisiana Purchase

land acquired from this would force Native American people onto reservations

Californio

a Spanish speaking person who had settled in California

claim

a piece of land worked by a miner seeking valuable minerals

forty-niner

a gold-seeker who moved to California during the gold rush in 1849

immigrant

a person who comes from his or her homeland to settle in another country

misionary

a representative sent by a religious organization to persuade other people to adopt that religion

Mormon

a person who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - mostly settled in Utah

pioneer

a person who first settles a new place

rancho

an area of land, usually for raising cattle, granted by Mexico to Spanish and Mexican citizens who lived in North America

transcontinental

extending across a continent

yoke

a wooden frame that fastens around an animal's neck and is then attached to a wagon or other vehicle

Vaqueros

some newcomers to the West learned the skills to be cowboys from them

Rancho owners

many spoke Spanish because the US acquired land from Mexico

Transcontinental Railroad

many Chinese immigrants helped to build it

Nez Perces

a native tribe that was led by Chief Joseph to Canada to be safe from US soldiers