Tracing Westward Journeys: Events That Paved the American West (1787-1890)

This course takes students on a journey through Manifest Destiny, one of the most transformative eras in American history. Beginning in 1787 with the purchase of the Northwest Territory and ending in 1890 when the U.S. Census Bureau announced that the frontier was closed, we explore the cultural, political, and economic motivations that propelled our ancestors to the West. Course sessions will examine U.S. Congressional acts and other events focused on territorial boundaries, the expansion of slavery, wars against indigenous populations and subsequent displacement, land acquisition, mining booms, westward trails, railroad development, and strategies for identifying primary sources documenting ancestral journeys westward.

Week 1

Introduction: 25 Events that Shaped America’s Westward Expansion

Instructor: Katherine R. Willson

From the 1787 Northwest Ordinance to the 1890 “closure” of the frontier, this presentation explores 25 pivotal events that shaped America’s westward expansion. We’ll examine federal policies and legislation, land sales, slavery debates, wars, and gold rushes—tracing how ambition, conflict, and opportunity came together to forge a new, and often contested, American landscape.

Charting the Future: How the Northwest Ordinance, Lousiana Purchase, and Lewis and Clark Shaped America’s Westward Expansion

Instructor: Katherine R. Willson

The Northwest Ordinance created a blueprint for orderly settlement and statehood, the Louisiana Purchase doubled the nation’s size with the stroke of a pen, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition turned uncharted wilderness into a map of possibilities. This presentation explores how vision, exploration, and policy combined to shape the frontier and chart a path toward a continental nation.

Week 2

Slavery and the Struggle for the West: How Compromise and Conflict Shaped America’s Expansion

Instructor: Katherine R. Willson

As America pushed westward, each new territory ignited fierce debates over slavery and political power. Manifest Destiny collided with deepening national divisions amid the delicate balance of the 1820 Missouri Compromise, the high-stakes negotiations of the Compromise of 1850, and the explosive fallout of the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Catalyst for Westward Migration: The Texas Revolution Opened a New Way West

Instructor: Teri Flack

The area now known as Texas has attracted migrants for centuries—first native tribes, then Spanish priests and soldiers. Prior to the Texas Revolution, empresarios enticed Anglo-American migrants with inexpensive land. Post-revolution, land was used to reward revolutionaries and attract new settlers, including Europeans. After the Civil War, land lured immigrants, supported newly freed slaves, and encouraged western settlement. We’ll explore migration routes, settlement patterns, and strategies for tracing migrants to and through Texas.

Week 3

Bound by Belief, Driven by Dreams: The Mormon and Oregon Trails

Instructor: Cheri Hudson Passey

Discover how the Mormon and Oregon Trails shaped the lives of those who traveled west in search of faith, opportunity, and a new beginning. This presentation explores how genealogical records, migration patterns, and personal histories can help understand the cultural, religious, and economic motivations behind our ancestors’ westward journeys and trace their footsteps across the expanding frontier.

The Indian Removal Act, Indian Appropriations Act, and Dawes Act/General Allotment Act

Instructor: Angela Walton Raji

We’ll explore the removal of five southeastern tribal nations to new lands on the western frontier and the promises of sovereignty that followed. After the Civil War, the U.S. seized half their land, and post-war disputes over tribal Freedmen and settler intrusions led to the Curtis Act, which dismantled tribal governance ahead of Oklahoma statehood. These events affected both tribal members and Freedmen, with lasting consequences that continue today.

Week 4

Manifest Destiny: The Mexican-American War and Territorial Expansion

Instructor: Michael L. Strauss, AG

The year 1846 marked the start of the Mexican-American War, the first U.S. conflict fought primarily on foreign soil and a vital training ground for military leaders and soldiers who would later fight in the Civil War. The conflict pitted an unprepared Mexico against a United States driven by Manifest Destiny and westward expansion, resulting in major territorial gains that reshaped the nation’s political landscape.

The Western U.S. Under Spanish & Mexican Rule

Instructor: Colleen Robledo Green, MLIS, FTxSGS

This session explores important historical, cultural, legal, and socio-economic context for understanding and researching the lives of families who lived in the western United States prior to it becoming part of the U.S. We will also examine the evolving border between the U.S., colonial New Spain, and independent Mexico, and how that impacted Mexican origin families who ended up on the U.S. side of the border.

Week 5

Fortunes and Failures: Gold Rush Migrations and the Shaping of Western Settlements

Instructor: Katherine R. Willson

From glittering dreams to gritty realities, follow the turbulent journeys sparked by three pivotal gold rushes—1848’s California Gold Rush, 1858’s Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, and 1874’s Black Hills Gold Rush. Discover how the lure of gold reshaped landscapes and economies, and follow the lives of those who chased the promise of prosperity and those caught in its wake.

Churching the West: Dominant Denominations

Instructor: Sunny Jane Morton

While many religious traditions enrich U.S. history, several denominations played prominent roles in the American West, including Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Mennonites, Methodists, and Latter-day Saints. We’ll explore the rich genealogical and historical records these churches created (including those from religious-run Native American boarding schools), their regions of influence, ethnic communities, and the unique roles women held within these faiths.

Week 6

Discovering their Westward Migration Experiences: Case Studies in Stories

Instructor: Sunny Jane Morton

Uncovering migration stories often requires assembling fragments from a range of sources, many of which weren’t written by the migrants themselves. We’ll explore case studies that bring westward migration to life through rich and diverse sources, discuss strategies for locating lesser-known records, and demonstrate how to craft meaningful migration stories that honor ancestral journeys across trails, rivers, and time.

Wheels West: Every Day Life on the Overland Trails, 1840-1869

Instructor: Amber Oldenburg

What was it really like to walk beside a wagon from Missouri to Oregon or California? This presentation explores the daily routines, challenges, and small comforts of life on the trail. From early morning camp chores and cooking over open fires to navigating rough terrain and facing unpredictable weather, you’ll get a glimpse into the rhythm of everyday life for thousands of pioneers who made the journey west.

Week 7

The Homestead Act of 1862: Its Impact on Westward Migration

Instructor: Amber Kirkendall, NPS

The landmark legislation of the Homestead Act opened the door for millions to claim 160 acres of public land, shaping 30 states over 123 years and transforming 10% of American territory. This session led by a National Parks Service Park Ranger will explore the sweeping impact of this Act through four key themes: Native Americans, immigration, industrialization, and agriculture.

Expanding Borders and Bridging Distances: Territorial Expansion, Infrastructure, and Communication

Instructor: Katherine R. Willson

Week 8

Greener Grass: Marketing the Western United States to Immigrants

Instructor: Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG

In the 19th century, a powerful combination of “push” and “pull” factors compelled many Europeans to leave their homelands and seek new opportunities in the American West. The promise of jobs, abundant land, and a fresh start pulled them toward the United States, as did aggressive marketing campaigns by U.S. agents who actively recruited immigrants to fulfill the growing demands of various American industries.

West by Water, West by Wheels: How 19th Century Immigrants Traversed the United States

Instructor: Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG

Family history researchers often know where our ancestors lived in the old country and then in the U.S., but exactly HOW did they travel between the two? What routes were taken, what was the cost, and what restrictions were faced along the way? We’ll explore 19th century transportation options, tracing immigrants’ path from ports of departure to entry ports, and finally to their destinations across the American West.

Week 9

A Taste of Real Freedom: The African American Coal Miner, 1870-1890

Instructor: Timothy N. Pinnick

Neither the Emancipation Proclamation, the Confederacy’s surrender at Appomattox, nor the 13th Amendment granted true freedom to the formerly enslaved. However, through the recruitment and employment practices of coal mining industrialists, tens of thousands escaped sharecropping and avoided “slavery by another name.” From Pennsylvania to the Pacific Northwest, they filled coal company payrolls, vastly improving their quality of life in unique and substantial ways.

East to the West: The Asian American Frontier Experience

Instructor: Grant Din

While many settlers moved westward across the U.S., Asian settlers journeyed east across the Pacific to establish vibrant communities and play vital roles in the American West. This presentation uncovers the rich evidence and lasting impact of Asian settlements that included laborers for the gold mines and railroads, levee workers who reclaimed farmland, winery founders, and silk cultivators.

Week 10

Fighting on the Frontier: The Westward Resistance of the Native American Indians

Instructor: Michael L. Strauss, AG

On the frontier, Native American tribes actively resisted the westward movement of settlers pushing deeper into the Territories. They responded to land encroachment with diverse tactics, including armed resistance, cultural preservation, and diplomatic initiatives, often facing broken treaties and forced relocation. This cultural struggle played a crucial role in the closing of the frontier during America’s westward expansion.

Paper Trails: Tracing the Travelers and Service Providers of the West

Instructor: Katherine R. Willson

From doctors to dancers, preachers to prostitutes, this presentation uncovers the diverse lives of travelers and service providers who fueled westward expansion but rarely made the headlines. Discover how to trace these overlooked figures using a wide range of records from both online and on-site repositories and discover practical strategies for navigating their collections to bring these forgotten stories to light.