Early Republic & Westward Expansion

This period, spanning the 1790s to the 1840s, saw the United States solidify its government and expand its territory. Key developments include the presidencies of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and the War of 1812. Westward expansion accelerated, with settlers moving into new territories and Native American tribes being forcibly removed in events such as the Trail of Tears. These decades shaped the political, geographic, and social foundations of the nation, setting the stage for future growth and conflict.