With technology as it is today, we can access any part of the world in seconds.  Virtual tours of such places as museums, national parks, and zoos are just a click away.  What about the world in the years between 1801 and 1861?  Communication between the cities on the east coast and the western settlers could take months!  Much of the land in the western part of the United States had not even been explored!Imagine not having any idea what lay beyond the Mississippi River.

Imagine that for a part of this time period Iowa was not even a state.

Imagine not knowing of the beauty of the area we know today as the states of Washington and Oregon.

Imagine proud Indians being forced from their land to lands unknown, thousands of miles away.
Imagine if European powers still owned much of the land that is today the United States.

---

With these thoughts in mind, you are now in the shoes of Americans (Native and those with European and African origins) who came before us:

• the shoes of Lewis and Clark;
• the shoes of settlers heading to the wilderness areas of the Louisiana Purchase;
• the shoes of members of the wagon train heading to Oregon following America's Manifest Destiny;
• the shoes of the Cherokee people walking a thousand miles to Indian Territory in Oklahoma;
• the shoes of politicians creating our United States.

In the shoes of these courageous Americans, you are about to begin a great exploration!  Your task follows!
 
 

---

Introduction         Task           Process                    Conclusion                  Evaluation                    Teacher Page      Resources

---