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There were two "agreements" that were particularly influential in the time period.

1. The Treaty of Fort Laramie(1868)- This treaty guaranteed the Sioux tribes the Black Hills in exchange for stopping all attacks on settlers. This was quickly nullified when they were blamed for stealing a cow.

2. The Dawes Act(1887)-This act forced natives to assimilate into polite society. It broke up reservation land and split it up between the families to farm.

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There were three major battles/massacres during the Indian Wars.

1. Sand Creek Massacre(1864)- This was a massacre of about 300 Cheyenne Indians near what is now Denver, Colorado. They were killed when the Colorado militia attacked without authorization.

2. Battle of Little Bighorn(1876)- General Custer and the 7th Cavalry attacked a Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne village, and within 20 minutes, Custer and all of his men were dead.

3. Massacre of Wounded Knee(1890)- The 7th Cavalry kill over 150 Lakota Sioux men, women, and children. This massacre ends the Indian Wars.

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The Indian Wars were a period of time between 1851 and 1890, where American Settlers moving into and on the plains clashed with the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes over land and resources. This led to many different battles and massacres on the plains.

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In 1862, the homestead act allowed for the settlement of the prairie by offering up land, and three simple requirements to own it. This led to the settlement of the Midwest, and as a result, the Indian Wars.

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The Mexican American war started in 1845 when America annexed Texas into the union, because Mexico considered Texas a "stolen territory." The war ended on September 14, 1847 when Us troops captured Mexico City.

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In February 1848, Mexico singed over the lands in the Mexican Cession, which included California, Texas, and most of the Southwest, in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

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the two most important battles in the Texan War for Independence were

1. The Battle of the Alamo- from February 23 to March 6, 150 Texans held down the fort of a Spanish mission against 3000-6000 Mexicans. In the end, all were slaughtered.

2. Battle of San Jacinto-on April 21, Sam Houston led the Texan troops to a stunning victory and forced Santa Anna to recognize Texas as independent.

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The Texas territory was part of Mexico when they started to invite American settlers in 1822. When the Americans decided they didn't like the new laws being implemented, they decided to revolt against the Mexican Government. On March 2, 1836, Texas declared itself independent from Mexico, and the war began. On April 21, 1836, the Republic of Texas gained independence from Mexico and ended the war

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Manifest Destiny was the idea that it was the United states of America's duty to stretch from coast to coast, and that it was a man's patriotic duty to colonize the west.

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In January, 1848, James Marshall was working on a sawmill for John Sutter on his land in California, when he found gold. They tried to keep it a secret, but by the end of the year, word had spread across the country, and President Polk confirmed the rumors in his farewell address.

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The gold rush happened in 1849 when tens of thousands of gold seekers rushed out to the California territory to strike it rich. Most were American, but about twenty percent were from all around the globe. Very few got rich, especially the latecomers. There were also very few women, most miners hoped to make a fortune, then head home. The massive population boom let California become the 31st state in 1850.

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The California trail was mostly used during the gold rush by gold seekers. Before and after this, those who traveled on the trail were more interested in trading than anything California would have to offer. This was not the only way to get to California during those times, as may people took ships through Panama or around Cape Horn.

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The Oregon trail was the general path through the plains and the Rockies that many settlers of the Oregon territory took. This path, like so many others, started in Independence, Missouri, and it ended in Portland. The people that traveled the trail were families looking for a better life. They came to settle the vast expanse of wilderness that many considered to be paradise.

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The migration routes westward took many different paths, but the most famous ones are the Oregon trail and the California trail. These trails started in Independence, Missouri.