Social Studies Sol Study Progress

Some rivers e.g. the Mississippi and Ohio River became important routes of migration for people and supplies. The steamboat really made this useful and easy. Early settlers made canals for the connection of the West and East territories. The Erie Canal was a very famous canal, because it was the longest canal (It was 363 miles).

There were two geographic factors making the westward movement. They were two trails, or migration routes. They were called the Oregon and Santa Fe Trail. The Oregon Trail began in the state of Missouri and ended in the Territory of Oregon.

One of the main reasons why the Westward Movement occurred is the rich and overworked fertile soil. Also, the farmland was very easy to get and very cheap, too. Some was even free. Many people left their homes to go west, and to use that rich soil.

George Washington had two men, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson (Our third president). Both of those men had a quarrel, or an argument, over their opinions. Alexander Hamilton wanted a strong government, but Thomas Jefferson wanted a weak government instead. Their arguments got to the floor of the United States congress.

Samuel de Champlain was an explorer from France who helped colonize Canada, North America. He established Quebec, the capital of Canada. Another explorer named Robert La Salle, who was also from France, claimed the whole Valley of the Mississippi River for his country, France. The French established some Trading Posts where Indian hunters traded animal furs e.g. beaver skins, for hatchets, traps, blankets, knives, etc. Just like the Spanish, the French spread Christianity across the continent, North America. A rumor was spread that there were seven cities full of gold, and Francisco Coronado, a Spanish Explorer, went to find them. He never found those seven cities filled with gold, but he claimed the Southwest part of the United States of America for his country, Spain.

John Cabot, another explorer, was the first explorer to make an English voyage to North America. The English learned farming techniques from the Native Americans and started adding the three sisters (corn, beans and squash) and pumpkins to their diet. They also traded with local Indians, trading weapons, tools and other stuff for deerskin, furs, etc. American Indians and European explorers cooperated in the trade areas, sharing weapons, farming and farm tools. Some conflict areas were: land ownership, language and culture differences, trade competition, very bad diseases, etc.