Westward Expansion Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards about westward expansion.

Great Wagon Road

A major route for settlers moving south through the Appalachian Mountains into the frontier lands of the southern colonies.

Daniel Boone

A famous American frontiersman who helped explore and settle Kentucky, especially through the Cumberland Gap.

Cumberland Gap

A natural pass through the Appalachian Mountains that allowed pioneers to move westward into Kentucky.

Wilderness Road

A trail blazed by Daniel Boone through the Cumberland Gap, making westward expansion possible.

National Road

The first major federally funded highway, stretching from Maryland to Illinois, helping settlers move west.

Turnpikes

Private roads that charged travelers a toll (fee) to use them.

Steamboat

A boat powered by steam engines, allowing travel upstream and faster river transportation.

Robert Fulton

Inventor who made the first successful steamboat, the Clermont.

Erie Canal

A man-made waterway connecting the Hudson River to Lake Erie, opening up trade between the Midwest and New York.

Canal

An artificial waterway built for transportation or irrigation.

Locks

Sections of a canal with gates at each end that raise or lower boats between stretches of different water levels.

Peter Cooper

Built the first American steam locomotive, the Tom Thumb.