The Library of Congress

Journeys West

Overview
Journeys West logo - a photo montage

What motivated thousands of people to journey west during the 1800s?

Was it the prospect of land ownership advertised on a broadside tacked to a tree that convinced a family to pack up all their belongings and travel across a continent in search of a better life? Or was it a letter from a friend announcing their good fortune of striking GOLD in California?

Journey with us through the American Memory collections to learn more about our growing nation.

Objectives Students will:
  • evaluate and gather information from a first person narrative;
  • analyze, interpret and synthesize primary sources such as photographs, prints, broadsides and maps to understand a point of view through online primary sources; and
  • integrate multiple resources to develop an understanding of westward expansion.
Time Required Approximately four weeks
Recommended Grade Level 4 - 8
Curriculum Fit Language Arts and Social Studies
Standards

McREL 4th Edition Standards & Benchmarks

Historical Understanding
Standard 2. Understands the historical perspective

Language Arts
Standard 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
Standard 7. Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts
Standard 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media

US History
Standard 9. Understands the United States territorial expansion between 1801 and 1861, and how it affected relations with external powers and Native Americans

Resources Used Resources
The Library of Congress | American Memory Contact us
Last updated 10/15/2003