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You Are Here: Home > US History > Periods > Westward Expansion
Topic: US History Westward Expansion
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 The West
A worthwhile PBS supplement to Ken Burn's documentary. The companion website includes a timeline, glossary, biographies, a photo gallery, maps, documents, and more. A great general site on the West.
 Lewis and Clark
A companion to Ken Burns' PBS film, this site provides background on the world of Lewis and Clark, an archive of their expedition, audio excerpts by historians, a discussion of Native American tribes encountered , classroom resources, and an interactive story where you lead the expedition.
Discovering Lewis and Clark
This regularly updated site has more than 1400 pages and revolves around a nineteen-part analysis of the Lewis and Clark expedition by historian Harry Fritz. Photos, maps, and audio vignettes help visitors better understand and appreciate the arduous and historic expedition.
The Donner Party
Part of PBS's American Experience series, this site tells the story of an ill-fated immigrant group who set out for California in 1846. Included are a teacher's guide, background on western migration, a map of the route, and recommended readings.
 America's West - Development & History
America's West
covers westward expansion, Native Americans, Cowboys, Pioneers, Gunslingers, etc. Features images, maps, music, small 'research' areas, and even a 3-D tour.
WestWeb: Western History
West Web is a topically organized site from CUNY that offers an introduction to the era, primary and secondary sources, teaching guides, images, links to related sites, biographies, and bibliographical resources
First Nations Histories
Provides a geographic overview of First Nation (Indian) histories as well as a location list of native tribes in the United States and Canada. Has a search function as well.
NativeWeb
NativeWeb is a comprehensive site for Native American studies whose purpose is to disseminate information from and about indigenous nations, peoples, and organizations. Go to the "History" database under Resources for chronologically organized collections of American Indian resources. NativeWiki, a new NativeWeb project, allows users to contribute information on Indigenous peoples around the world.
End of the Oregon Trail
This Web site is from the Oregon Trail Foundation, a nonprofit organization which exists to manage and develop the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City, Oregon. The site contains a library of historical resources on the Oregon Trail and the early period of settlement in the Pacific Northwest.
 Early Advertising of the West, 1867-1918
The University of Washington Libraries has created a collection of advertisements from the Pacific Northwest from 1867-1918. The homepage has an introduction to early advertising and popular categories are listed along the right side of the page. The collection includes over 450 advertisements and is easy to browse.
The Gold Rush
This PBS film companion website includes various classroom resources, a map, a timeline, and "fun facts" for kids. Special features include stories from native inhabitants, an online poll on routes to the West Coast, and an online role-playing game on striking it rich. Enjoyable site for younger students.
Atlas of California Online
Atlas of California Online features animated and interactive maps created by a Humboldt State University Map Design Seminar. You can zoom in on their Flash-based Physical, Cultural, and Historical map collection, but you'll need the Flash Player. The atlas contains historical maps of native American groups, maps of explorers, and more.
The U.S.-Mexican War
Part of PBS Online, this bilingual (Spanish-English) site examines the Mexican-American War and includes a timeline, dialogues (essays), teaching resources and more
Peopling North America
The University of Calgary History Department provides an historical overview of migratory movements to and within Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Mountain Men and the Fur Trade
This home page is an on-line Research Center devoted to the history, traditions, tools, and mode of living, of the trappers, explorers, and traders known as the Mountain Men. Features an archive, a gallery, a museum, a discussion group and more.
Index of Native American Resources on the Web
The Index is a large gateway to many Native American resources in various categories, such as History, Government, Culture, Education, Bibliographies, and more. The site is organized by geographic regions and "to make it useful to the Native American community and the education community." There is a useful search engine and the webmaster blogs regularly with news about the site.
Animated Atlas
Animated Atlas portrays history by animating maps. This site features a ten minute, interactive movie that is a geographic history of the United States, locating major events and the admission of every state. Animated Atlas also sells classroom videos.
The Iron Road
Part of PBS's American Experience series, this site is the story of the building of the first east-west railroad link. There is a teacher's guide, a bibliography, photos and recommended readings
The Northern Great Plains, 1880-1920
This Library of Congress website has over 900 images of rural and small town life in the North West.
Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides, Activities and more
Lewis and Clark: Classroom resources
The 17 Lewis and Clark lesson plans on this page offer a wide array of classroom activities. Created by PBS, the activities address all parts of the famous expedition.
The Iron Road: Teachers guide
In this PBS Teachers guide, students will examine the planning, funding and building of the transcontinental railroad; demonstrate map reading skills; compare and analyze sources of information and discuss how the decision to build the railroad affected different ethnic communities.
Teacher Lesson Plan: Explorations in American Environmental History
Part of the LOC Learning Page, these two lesson plans make use of visual resources. Emphasis is put on understanding the environmental issues that arose with Westward expansion. Grades 8-12
Teacher Lesson Plan: Links to the Past
Students use documents to create a script depicting the motivations, expectations, fears, and realizations of immigrants who settled California between 1849 and 1900. The finished product will be a hyperscript, an online written dialogue, containing links to illustrative written materials, images, and sound files from American Memory collections. Presented by the Library of Congress for grades 6-12
Lesson Plan: Life on the Great Plains
In this four part MarcoPolo lesson plan, students will study the Great Plains. Plan includes a mapping activity and PBS resources. Recommended for grades 9-12
Lesson Plan: On the Oregon Trail
In this lesson, students work with primary documents and latter-day photographs to recapture the experience of traveling on the Oregon Trail. The lesson plan was created by MarcoPolo and boasts a vast collection of resources.
Simulation: Oregon Trail
Written by Louise C. Murphy (An Arizona Teacher), this AskERIC simulation lets students experience the Oregon Trail for themselves. Activities include reading maps, writing letters, and conducting research. Purchase of "The Oregon Trail" Computer simulation is required. Grades 5-8.
CEC: Negotiating Treaties
A fun mini-lesson that addresses the treaties signed by the U.S. Government during the Westward Expansion movement. Students choose a role (Settler, Native American, etc.) and then debate the Treaties. Grade 11.
CEC: Gunfighters of the Old West
In this mini-lesson, students learn what is fact and fiction in the Old West. Suitable for grades 9-12.
Cowboys
In this DiscoverySchool.com lesson plan middle school students will learn that Old West cowboys produced a category of literature.
Interpreting Primary Sources
Digital History provides brief excerpts from primary sources and statistics and also questions to think about: Indian Policy
Digital History Resource Guides
The Digital Resource Guides provides links to American history web sites by period and provide historical overviews, readings (online textbook chapter, Reader's Companion) primary source documents (documents, maps, cartoons), teaching resources (chronologies, maps, quizzes), audio-visual resources, and additional resources. It is an excellent and comprehensive teaching resource.
Declarations of Independence: Exploring American Indian Rights to Self-Governance
In this New York Times lesson, students will examine what they know about American Indians past and present, then research key issues facing American Indian tribes today. To synthesize their learning, students will write letters taking the perspective of an American Indian examining questions of tribe recognition.(November 25, 2002)
HistoryTeacher.net: AP United States History Quizzes
A New York teacher has produced a great general site for history teachers that offers AP-level United States history quizzes on many different periods and topics.
The American People: Rural America The West and the New South
PowerPoint Presentation as part of the online companion to The American People. Click Chapter 17.
The American People: Moving West
PowerPoint Presentation on westward expansion as part of the online companion to The American People. Click Chapter 13.
Territorial Acquisitions: Blank Map
The companion web site to The American People offers blank maps related to various topics in American history. The maps can be printed or placed in a PowerPoint presentation
US Southwest in the 1840s: Blank Map
The companion web site to The American People offers blank maps related to various topics in American history. The maps can be printed or placed in a PowerPoint presentation
Western History: Photography Collection
This site contains a selection of 65,000, historic photographs from the collections of the Denver Public Library Western History/Genealogy Department and the Colorado Historical Society, including images of Native Americans, pioneers, early railroads, and mining towns.
Images of Indian Peoples of the Northern Great Plains
The digital collection was created in consultation with Native Americans, educators, librarians, and historians. The overall organization of the database is by tribe, including: Crow, Cheyenne, Blackfeet, Salish (Flathead), Kutenai, Chippewa-Cree, Gros Ventres (Atsina), and Assiniboine.
Strike it Rich!This PBS game will see if you have what it takes to strike it rich in the Gold Rush!
Characteristics of Geographic Regions This game quizzes the user on geographic regions in the U.S. in a variety of formats.
Animated Map of U.S. Expansion
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