In the first half of the 19th century, Americans pushed westward across the Appalachians, the Mississippi River, and the Rocky Mountains, en route to the Pacific Ocean. The frontier experience shaped the American character. At the same time, land hunger, gold fever, and the pursuit of “Manifest Destiny” resulted in the removal of many American Indian nations, acquisition of vast swaths of Mexico through the Mexican-American War, and a painful debate over the expansion of slavery.

Originally released by Media Rich Learning, 2017. Streaming video file encoded with permission for digital streaming by Infobase on October 12, 2017.

Westward Migration (7:24); --Texas Revolution (4:09); -- Mexican War (7:59); -- Credits: Manifest Destiny (0:09); .