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Covered wagons carried thousands of pioneers westward across the United States. The
sturdy Conestoga wagon shown here was first built by German immigrants in the early
1700's. (c) The Granger Collection
IMPORTANT DATES IN THE WESTWARD MOVEMENT
1775............... Daniel Boone opened the Wilderness Road, which aided
the settlement of Kentucky.
1785............... The Ordinance of 1785 provided an orderly system for surveying and
selling government lands.
1787............... The Northwest Ordinance provided government for the Northwest
Territory.
1794............... Victory over the Indians and a treaty with Britain brought peace to
the Northwest Territory.
1795............... The Pinckney Treaty with Spain opened the Mississippi River to
American traders.
1803............... The Louisiana Purchase opened a vast area beyond the Mississippi River
to American settlers.
1804-1806..... Lewis and Clark explored the northern part of the Louisiana Territory.
1825............... The Erie Canal opened, providing improved transportation westward.
1845............... The United States annexed Texas.
1846............... Britain gave the United States the southern part of the Oregon region.
1846-1848..... War with Mexico resulted in the acquisition of California and the
Southwest.
1848............... The discovery of gold in California inspired the gold rush.
1862............... The Homestead Act promised free land to settlers in the West.
1869............... The nation's first transcontinental rail system was completed.
1890............... Settlement of the main areas of the Western United States brought an
end to the frontier.
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