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After the American Revolution, the U.S got a vast amount of land from the U.K, which stretched from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River, and from Canada to Spanish Florida. Two decades after the Revolution, no new territory was added.
But, from 1803 to 1853, through negotiations and war, the U.S gained 7 new territories. As the U.S was expanding, Americans at the time believed it was their god-given right to expand to the Pacific Ocean, and this idea has been given the name "Manifest Destiny."
( This is a key event, as the Treaty of Paris was signed, granting the U.S freedom from the U.K, making the US its own country.)

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After learning that the Spanish sold the Louisiana territory to the French, Thomas Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans so that access to the Mississippi River, the New Orleans Port, and trade routes would be in American hands. He sent James Monroe and Robert R. Livingston to negotiate with France on purchasing New Orleans. Since France wanted to leave America entirely and focus on Europe, James and Robert were offered the entire Louisiana Territory for 15 million dollars (one-quarter of a billion dollars in today's money). This doubled the size of the U.S territory, but it also caused a lot of controversies especially regarding slavery, and whether the President was allowed to purchase land.
( This is a key event, as the purchase doubled the size of the U.S. It led to the Civil war because it caused controversy on the issue of Slavery, causing tensions between the pro-slavery South and the Anti-slavery North.)

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After purchasing the Louisiana Territory, Thomas Jefferson wanted someone to explore the land, and to specifically find a water route from Mississippi to the Pacific ocean, make geographic and scientific discoveries, and establish peace and trade with the Natives. He sent Meriwether Lewis to do this, with a partner of his choosing, and so Lewis chose William Clark as his partner. The expedition was 8000 miles long and lasted for two years. Lewis and Clark didn't do this alone though, with the help of a handful of men, most notably York, and Sacagawea, they succeeded in most of their aims (the aim they didn't achieve is that they couldn't find a water route leading to the Pacific Ocean).
(This is a key event, as new species of living things were discovered, peace with the Natives was achieved, it strengthened the U.S claim over some territories, and it encouraged people to move west.)

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The Spanish owned Florida, but it became a problem for the U.S, especially for the South, as slaves would escape there (not only slaves, Natives too!) as a means of gaining freedom. Andrew Jackson pulled an authorized raid on Florida, capturing Spanish forts, two Seminole chiefs, and two British citizens. All four were executed, and Jackson's military action was used to present Spain with a demand to either control the inhabitants of East Florida or to cede it to the U.S. This led to Spain signing a treaty with the U.S, ceding Florida to America, for five million dollars. The land included parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
(side note, Jackson also fought 3 wars in Florida too.)
(This is a key event, as it increased U.S territory, and probably also played some part in leading to the civil war, as slave laws in the South probably got even crueler and stricter, to the distaste of the Northern Abolitionists.)

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After gaining new territory from the Louisiana purchase, new states were becoming admitted. The number of slave and free states were the same until Missouri wanted to join the U.S too. It sparked months of angry debate in Congress until Henry Clay came up with the Compromise. Missouri would be added as a slave state, while Maine, formerly part of Massachusetts would be added as a free state. A line below the Missouri territory would indicate what states would be slave or free states. States below the line would be slave states, and above the line, free states.
(This played part in the Civil war, as it created more tensions between the North and the South.)

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The Erie Canal is a man-made waterway that links the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. It opened up the U.S to westward expansion, making transporting goods and people easier, cost-effective, and efficient, leading to the growth of industrialization in the U.S.
The Canal was planned by Dewitt Clinton, the nephew of the Governor of New York, and former mayor of New York. His canal was a great success, as it made New York the financial capital of the world, helped the North win the Civil War, and made social and economic changes throughout the U.S.
(This is a key event in the westward expansion, as it contributed to the growth of industrialization, encouraged people to move further west, and made New York a big financial capital.)

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Approved by President Andrew Jackson, this act enabled the forced removal of Natives from their land and forced them to live in reservations west of the Mississippi River. This act was supposed to make expanding westward easier for the Americans.
(This was a key event, as millions of acres of land became available to settlement, but it also was a very cruel and disgraceful act and it led to many deaths.)

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Nat Turner, an African American slave staged a rebellion against his master and his family. He believed that he was chosen by God to free other African American slaves. He had around 80 people join his insurrection, and it ended up killing around 55 white people.
(This was a key event that led to the civil war, as his insurrection caused stricter laws for African American slaves, which caused more tensions between the North and the South on the issue of slavery.)

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Mexico opened Texas to settlers, but the settlers didn't obey Mexican law, so Mexico closed Texas' borders. As a result, Texas declared independence from Mexico. Texas and Mexico fought a two-week war, with Texas winning. Texas wanted to be admitted to the Union as a state, but the U.S refused, as Texas was wanting to be a slave state. But when Texas threatened to become British territory, it was finally admitted as a state.
(This is a key event to both Westward expansion and causes of the civil war. It increased U.S territory but caused more tensions between the north and south, as the north didn't want to admit Texas as a state because its population wanted it to be pro-slavery. This also was a cause leading to the Mexican War, as Mexico threatened the U.S, saying that if they admit Texas as a state, they'd consider it as an invasion of Mexico, and they'd go to war.)

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Because thousands of settlers migrated to Oregon (due to overpopulation, and such) the U.S negotiated with the U.K to divide the Oregon Country. The U.S got the south, while the U.k got the North.
(This is a key event, as it increased the territory of the U.S)

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Escaping from violence and religious persecution, Mormons from Illinois left their homes in search of a new one. Under the leadership of Brigham Young, they traversed in 1300 miles of wilderness, crossing the Rocky Mountains, and stopping in what is now Utah. By the end of the year, around 2000 Mormons settled there.
(This is a key event of the westward expansion, as it increased population in U.S territories that are further west. It could've also probably led to the creation of the state.)

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The U.S offered to buy New Mexico and California for 30 million. Mexico refused, causing a war in which the U.S won. The U.S acquired Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. To be fair with Mexico, the U.S paid 15 million in reparations.
(This event is key to both westward expansion, and the civil war, as it increased territory, and tensions between the north and the south, as the north did not want slavery expanding to those areas, but the south did.)

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After gaining California from the Mexican Session, gold was discovered there, which led to thousands of people migrating to California in the hopes of finding gold and becoming rich. Before gold was discovered in California, fewer than 1000 people had lived there, but so many flocked there that there were around 100,000 people by the time 1949 ended. The gold rush peaked in 1852, then ended in 1857.
(This is a key event in the westward expansion, as it encouraged people to migrate further west, specifically California.)

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Congress had to decide whether the land that the U.S won from the war in Mexico should allow slavery. The compromise resulted in California being added as a free state, the slave trade ending in Washington D.C, the Fugitive Slave Act being passed, and the New Mexico and Utah territory would decide whether they are a free or slave state.
(This is a key event that led to civil war, as it increased tensions between the north and the south over slavery.)

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Congress negotiated with Mexico, spending 10 million for a strip of land at the end of the Rocky Mountains, so the U.S can finish building their transcontinental railroad.
(This is a key event in the westward expansion, as it increased the size of the U.S territory.)

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Senator Stephen Douglass proposed dividing the northern territory in the Louisiana Purchase into Kansas and Nebraska, with both lands deciding whether they were a free or slave state by popular sovereignty. Douglass wanted to open the land so the transcontinental train could pass through. But, since Kansas had yet to vote whether they are free or pro-slave, it became a breeding ground for political violence. 700 pro-slavery settlers attacked the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, an abolitionist hacked 5 pro-slavery men with swords, and in congress, Preston Brooks hit the abolitionist senator Charles Sumner with his cane until it broke, leading to Sumner having life-impacting injuries.
(This is a key event leading to the civil war, as it caused heavy, major, violent tensions between the North and the South.)

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This act made people eligible to claim up to 160 acres of land. After settling on the land for 5 years and making improvements, the land would be given to them. People flocked to the west to claim their land and establish a homestead. Around 500 million acres were assigned to people who made claims under this law between 1862 and 1904. About 80 million of those acres, the rest went to business interests.
(This is a key event of westward expansion, as it encouraged more people to move further west.)

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George Armstrong Custer, and American Colonel, led an expedition in which gold was found on the Black Hills of South Dakota. This discovery created another gold rush, attracting people seeking to become wealthy. Within two years, nearly 10,000 people had relocated to the area to strike gold.
(This is a key event in the westward expansion, as it encouraged people to move further west, specifically South Dakota.)

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This act permitted Montana and Washington to become States, and it split the Territory of Dakota into two new states: South Dakota, and North Dakota. Dakota was split due to controversy over the location of its capital.
(This is a key event in the westward expansion, as it increased U.S territory.)

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Because of the rapid expansion of the U.S, the head of the U.S census announced that the country's settlement had been completed. This marks the end of the Westward expansion.
(This is a key event in the westward expansion, as it marks the end of it.)