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Lesson

Voices From Western Expansion

Guiding question

How did the acquisition of new territories impact the nation’s growth and development?

Grade
6–8
Published
Sep 3, 2025
Historical black-and-white photo of a group of people and horses traveling along a dirt road with covered wagons.
What can we learn from the stories of individuals traveling westward to find new opportunities?

Founding Principles

Liberty

Virtues

Courage

Guiding Questions

  • How did the acquisition of new territories impact the nation’s growth and development?
  • How did westward expansion impact Native American tribes, and what were the consequences of these interactions?

Objectives

  • Students will understand the experiences of Americans who settled out West.
  • Students will understand the impact that western expansion had on Native Americans.

Materials

Student Resources:

Lesson Components

ActivityVoices From Western Expansion Middle School Document Analysis Organizer

A student handout that pairs with the four accounts from the Voices of the Westward Expansion lesson.

ActivityVoices From Western Expansion Middle School Primary Source Set

Four primary sources that share the stories of those who traveled Westward during the mid-1800's.

Lesson plan

Click a phase to open it

More Information

Facilitation Notes

This lesson will help students better understand the experiences during the time of western expansion through assessing primary sources.

Standards

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