Westward Expansion, Manifest Destiny & Contested Land — Drills · Grade 7 Social Studies
Chapter: Expansion, Slavery & ReformWhat these drills covers
By the end of Westward Expansion, Manifest Destiny & Contested Land you should be able to:
- I can explain what Manifest Destiny claimed and who coined the phrase.
- I can describe how Texas went from Mexican province to American state.
- I can explain why each new territory sharpened the slavery crisis.
4 questions, written answer, each with a worked explanation.
Vocabulary used: context, primary source, interpretation, annexation, Manifest Destiny.
Problem 1
Answer and explanation
No. A transfer of claims between governments is not universal Native consent. Examine nation-specific treaties, relationships, settlement, and enforcement.
Problem 2
Answer and explanation
It hides choices, conflict, coercion, resistance, and alternatives. Explain specific institutions and decisions rather than treating an ideology as a natural law.
Problem 3
Answer and explanation
Purchase, annexation, and war involved different actors, agreements, and conditions. The Louisiana Purchase, Texas annexation, and territorial transfer after the Mexican-American War were not one mechanism. Distinguishing them also helps explain contested boundaries and the consequences for communities already living in the territories.
Problem 4
Answer and explanation
Ask who signed, whom they represented, whether their authority was contested, and what pressures shaped the agreement. A signed document establishes an agreement by particular parties. It does not by itself demonstrate free consent by every person or recognized institution in the affected nation.