Maine was originally inhabited by the Wabanaki people and later became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony after European settlement in the 1600s. It separated from Massachusetts and was admitted as the 23rd state in 1820 as part of the Missouri Compromise.
The Blackfoot Nation is made up of four tribes—the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani in Canada, and the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana. They are known for their strong warrior culture, buffalo hunting traditions, and rich spiritual practices.
The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal in 1803 where the United States bought over 800,000 square miles of territory from France for $15 million, doubling the size of the nation. It gave the U.S. control of the Mississippi River and opened the way for westward expansion.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark from 1804 to 1806, was a journey to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and find a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Their expedition provided valuable maps, scientific data, and strengthened American claims to the western lands.
Manifest Destiny was the 19th-century belief that the United States was destined by God to expand its territory across North America. It was used to justify westward expansion, the displacement of Native Americans, and wars such as the Mexican-American War.
The Nez Perce Wars took place in 1877 when the U.S. Army tried to force the Nez Perce people onto a reservation after gold was found on their land. Led by Chief Joseph, the Nez Perce fought bravely while traveling over 1,000 miles before finally surrendering near the Canadian border.
The Bozeman Trail was a shortcut created in 1863 to connect the Oregon Trail in Wyoming to Montana’s gold fields. It crossed Native American hunting grounds, leading to violent conflicts and eventually Red Cloud’s War.
