Destiny during the era of Texas annexation, the Mexican-American War, and the Gold Rush; the conflict over the spread of slavery into the territories; the sectional conflicts that characterized the Civil War and Reconstruction; and the post-Civil War expansion of railroads into Native American territories west of the Mississippi. In your answer, you must consider the roles of Native Americans, the significance of slavery and race, and the importance of European immigration and immigrants.

Argue for the importance of geography in the history of Euro-American expansion in the early United States, especially the expansion of the United States into historically Native American territories, the sectional conflict that characterized the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the importance of transportation (especially railroads) in the final displacement and relocation of Native peoples at the end of the nineteenth century.. Consider both the east-west as well as north-south axis of expansion and territorial conflict. Students should devote at least a paragraph each to the following geographic elements of this history: the ways in which U.S. independence and the adoption of the Constitution enabled new and aggressive expansions into Native American territories; the territorial expansion of the United States following the Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812; and the emergence of Manifest Destiny during the era of Texas annexation, the Mexican-American War, and the Gold Rush; the conflict over the spread of slavery into the territories; the sectional conflicts that characterized the Civil War and Reconstruction; and the post-Civil War expansion of railroads into Native American territories west of the Mississippi. In your answer, you must consider the roles of Native Americans, the significance of slavery and race, and the importance of European immigration and immigrants.