Lesson 2: Life in the West

Key Idea

After the Louisiana Purchase, the American West was a vast, unknown territory. President Thomas Jefferson hired Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to lead an expedition from 1804 to 1806. Their mission was to explore this new land and find a water route to the Pacific Ocean.

The team, known as the Corps of Discovery, faced harsh weather, difficult terrain, and the challenge of navigating unfamiliar lands. They relied on their crew, including an enslaved man named York, and their Shoshone guide, Sacajawea, whose knowledge and language skills were essential for their survival.

Key Idea

In the early 1800s, beaver fur was in high demand for hats back East and in Europe. This made the fur trade a very profitable business, drawing trappers to the unexplored western wilderness.

These rugged individuals became known as mountain men. They lived a dangerous and lonely life, exploring remote streams and valleys in the Rocky Mountains to trap beavers for their valuable pelts.

Key Idea

The Mormons faced violent religious persecution in the eastern United States. After their leader was killed in 1844, they sought a safe refuge where they could practice their faith without interference.

Led by Brigham Young, thousands of Mormons began a difficult journey west in 1847. They settled in the harsh, dry valley of the Great Salt Lake, which was then part of Mexico. Through teamwork and irrigation, they transformed the desert into a thriving community.

Key Idea

The 1848 discovery of gold in California triggered a massive migration. Thousands of prospectors, known as Forty-niners, rushed to the territory. This sudden population boom created an urgent need for an organized government.

By 1849, Californians wrote a constitution that banned slavery and applied to join the Union as a free state.