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The effort to expand the American borders to the Pacific Ocean was met with frequent clashes between the government and the Native Americans who laid claim to the land. Here you can learn about life on the frontier and the rise of the cowboy.

WESTWARD EXPANSION IN AMERICA
Featured The West Article

The Gold Rush

The Gold Rush was the mass movements of people hoping to become rich by mining gold. This precious metal was one of the first to attract the attention of primitive peoples, and because of its appeal, the mining of gold has usually been strictly supervised by governments. More »


Cowboys and farmers were two of the most important jobs on the frontier. Here you can learn about major frontier figures, such as Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp and Johnny Appleseed.
Mining is one of the most dangerous jobs and the thought of striking it rich lured many men to hunt for gold underground. In this section, you can learn about the gold rush and major figures associated with the occupation of mining.
Life on the frontier was difficult and stories such as what happened to the Donner Party help illustrate these hardships. In this section, you can learn about some of the important people and events related to life on the frontier.
People like Daniel Boone helped contribute to the expansion of America in the years before the Revolutionary War. Here you can learn about the movement to expand the country in the pre-Revolutionary War years.

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