With technology as it is today, we can access any part of the world in seconds.  Virtual tours of such places as museums, national parks, and zoos are just a click away.  What about the world in the years between 1801 and 1831?  Communication between the cities on the east coast and the western settlers could take months!  Much of the land in the western part of the United States had not even been explored! Imagine not having any idea what lay beyond the Mississippi River.

 

Imagine not knowing of the beauty of the area we know today as the states of Washington and Oregon.

Imagine proud Indians being forced from their land to lands unknown, thousands of miles away.
Imagine if European powers still owned much of the land that is today the United States.
 

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With these thoughts in mind, you are now in the shoes of Americans (Native and those with European and African origins) who came before us:

• the shoes of Lewis and Clark;
• the shoes of settlers heading to the wilderness areas of the Louisiana Purchase;
• the shoes of the Cherokee people walking a thousand miles to Indian Territory in Oklahoma;
• the shoes of politicians creating our United States.

In the shoes of these courageous Americans, you are about to begin a great exploration!  Your task follows!
 
 

TASK

You are assigned the task of researching, writing, and editing a single edition of a newspaper that focuses on the period of Expansion and Reform from 1801-1831.   You may choose to focus on an event, episode, policy, or character from this time period. 

Your edition must include one each of the following styles:

• Front page headline story
• Letter to the editor
• Interview
• Obituary

  
Your edition must include one article pertaining to:

Ø     History of Louisiana Purchase

Ø     The state and federal policies that influenced the Cherokee tribe

Ø     The significance of Lewis and Clark expedition and its contribution to friendly relations with Native Americans

Ø     The importance of the Monroe Doctrine and War of 1812 during the 19th Century
 

 

THE PROCESS

1.    
        Make a folder to store your work.
2.     Before you begin to gather information for your newspaper article, you must choose which part of the United States expansion between 1801-1838 you would like to explore.

Louisiana Purchase
Cherokee Indians
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Monroe Doctrine and the War of 1812

More Links

War of 1812                           Louisiana Purchase

More War of 1812                Lewis and Clark

Louisiana Purchase Links    Lewis and Clark

More Lewis and Clark        Monroe Doctrine

Monroe Doctrine            Cherokee Indians

Cherokee Indians           

5.     Visit all of the web sites of your chosen journey.  Search for interesting facts, tips, and pieces of information that support your quest.

6.     Add any ideas you like to your notes.

        NOTE:  Keep in mind that this is a project and not just an essay.  When organizing your research into a final newspaper article; utilize the following checklist to make sure you have included everything:
            · Is my newspaper article put together in a creative manner?
            · Can my reader get a feeling for what I experienced through my use of descriptive language?
            · Does my reader know which part of the expansion I wrote about?
            · Have I worked with my partner to gather information?

7.     Read your rough draft.  Rewrite your rough draft.

8.     You put together your section of the newspaper. You may choose to use any computer program to make and print your newspaper or to write, print and draw your newspaper.

9.     Use the rubric to evaluate your newspaper article.
            · Print out the evaluation form (1 per student) and include in your folder.

10.   Share newspaper articles with the whole class.
            · Present your newspaper article to the class.
            · Be a good listener while others are presenting
            · Turn in your folder to your teacher.

Conclusion 

Congratulations! Through this WebQuest you have discovered more about your country and how expansion took place.  You have researched, questioned and answered many questions on America’s growth through the Louisiana Purchase, Manifest Destiny, state and federal policies, major U.S. foreign policies and the significance of Lewis and Clark’s expeditions.

You are the future of the United States!!  Tell your family and friends about the Westward Expansion between the years of 1801 and 1831.  Share some of the trials, heartaches, and joyous times our earlier ancestors experienced.