Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase

In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase by the United States for $15 million increased the amount of territory the country owned by 828,000 square miles, doubling its size. The newly acquired land stretched from the Mississippi River in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west, and from the Gulf of Mexico in the south…

The Mississippi River

One of the world’s most important commercial waterways, the Mississippi River is the second longest river in North America. It passes through, or borders, the states of Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The word ‘Mississippi’ originates from the French misi-ziibi, meaning Great River. The river’s source can be found at…

The American Frontier – The Settlement of the West

The beginning of the American Frontier was marked by European settlement along the Atlantic coastline and eastern rivers, and continued until the last mainland states were added to the country in 1912. It was marked by the contrasting area at the edge of the European-American line of settlement, which moved steadily westward, from the 1630s…

The Great Plains

The Great Plains, also called ‘The Plains,’ is the flatland which extends from west of the Mississippi River to east of the Rocky Mountains. The expanse is covered in prairie, grassland and steppe, and has a height of 600-1200 feet in the east, and between 4000 and 6000 feet near the mountains. The Great Plains…

The Wild West Fur Trade

One of the most important and oldest industries that was established in North America was fur trade. For over 300 years, the fur trading industry has played an enormous role in developing Canada and the United States. Let’s explore all that fur trade entailed. When It All Began It all started during the 1500s, when…