Fifth graders connect trails, treaties, and territories. Fill-in items trace the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri into New Mexico, mark Texas joining the Union in 1845, name the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, identify Utah within the Mexican Cession, and add the 1853 Gadsden Purchase. Students also meet John C. Fremont (The Pathfinder) and Brigham Young leading Mormon settlers to the Great Salt Lake.
A matching exercise then locks in the relationships among the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Santa Fe Trail, Gadsden Purchase, and Brigham Young. Students leave able to map the steps that pushed U.S. borders to the Pacific.
Style:
Westward Expansion
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The Santa Fe Trail connected Missouri to Santa Fe in present-day New Mexico.
2. Texas became part of the United States in the year 1845.
3. The Mexican-American War ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
4. After the war with Mexico, the U.S. gained land that became California, Nevada, and Utah.
5. The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 added land in southern Arizona and New Mexico.
6. John C. Fremont explored western lands and earned the nickname The Pathfinder.
7. Many settlers believed it was their God-given right to expand to the Pacific.
8. The Mormon pioneers settled near the Great Salt Lake in present-day Utah.
9. Brigham Young led the Mormon settlers on their journey west.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
→ ended the Mexican-American War
trade route to New Mexico
Santa Fe Trail
→ trade route to New Mexico
led Mormon settlers to Utah
Gadsden Purchase
→ added southern Arizona land
added southern Arizona land
Brigham Young
→ led Mormon settlers to Utah
ended the Mexican-American War
Westward Expansion
★ Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1) The Santa Fe Trail connected Missouri to Santa Fe in present-day New Mexico.
2) Texas became part of the United States in the year 1845.
3) The Mexican-American War ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
4) After the war with Mexico, the U.S. gained land that became California, Nevada, and Utah.
5) The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 added land in southern Arizona and New Mexico.
6) John C. Fremont explored western lands and earned the nickname The Pathfinder.
7) Many settlers believed it was their God-given right to expand to the Pacific.
8) The Mormon pioneers settled near the Great Salt Lake in present-day Utah.
9) Brigham Young led the Mormon settlers on their journey west.
★ Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1) Match each item to its correct answer.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
→ ended the Mexican-American War
trade route to New Mexico
Santa Fe Trail
→ trade route to New Mexico
led Mormon settlers to Utah
Gadsden Purchase
→ added southern Arizona land
added southern Arizona land
Brigham Young
→ led Mormon settlers to Utah
ended the Mexican-American War
Ready to Practice?
Complete each section carefully.
10 Questions
10-15 minutes
Auto-graded
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