The Invasion of America: How the United States Took Over an Eighth of the World

My ancestors were among those Americans who kept moving west generation after generation, leaving the more settled parts of the United States behind in search of a better life for themselves and their children.

[View of the great treaty held at Prarie [sic] du Chien, September 1825 / painted on the spot by J.O. Lewis ; Lehman & Duval Lithrs.

Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division Washington, D.C.]

I just discovered this map which makes it clear how it came about that there was always land for them somewhere ahead:

"Between 1776 and 1887, the United States seized over 1.5 billion acres from America's indigenous people by treaty and executive order. Explore how in this interactive map of every Native American land cession during that period."

Claudio Saunt, the creator of the map, writes more about the topic here.

© 2014 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.