Virginia SOL USI.8.a
The Standard
describing how territorial expansion affected the political map of the United States, including, but not limited to the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition and the role of Sacagawea, the acquisitions of Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California, and the results of the Mexican American War
Virginia Standards of Learning for History and Social Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students locate major land additions and explain how each changed United States borders. They also explain how Lewis and Clark, with Sacagawea’s help, explored western lands.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can label each acquisition on a map and place it in the correct time period. They can name how the land was gained and describe the Mexican-American War’s territorial result.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the Louisiana Purchase was only present-day Louisiana or that Lewis and Clark acquired the land. They may also confuse annexation, treaties, purchases, and land gained after war.
How to Assess It
- Give students a blank map and ask them to label Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California. Then have them explain how California became part of the United States.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Color and label each land acquisition on a large floor map, then place dated event cards on the matching regions.
Write a response to this prompt: Which land acquisition changed the United States map most, and what evidence supports your choice?
Sort cards showing territories, previous owners, dates, and acquisition methods, then check each completed set against a map.
Use a road atlas to list modern states formed from the Louisiana Purchase and the land gained after the Mexican-American War.
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Printable USI.8.a Worksheet
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Related Standards
- USI.1.b
locating and describing major geographic regions and bodies of water of North America and their impact on the early history of the United States; and
- USI.8.g
explaining how the expansion of U.S. territory led to increased momentum for the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements
- USII.1
The student will apply history and social science skills to examine westward expansion after the mid-19th century by
- 2.9.b
describing the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on the westward expansion of the United States
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