Sweet Betsy from Pike - Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

As Americans started exploring the new land in the West during the early 1800's, they faced many hardships. In this activity, students follow along with the lyrics to American folktale, "Sweet Betsy from Pike." They analyze the song to identify some of the hardships faced by the travelers, and then write a new verse describing the new challenges they faced when they got to their destination. This activity can be used as an introduction to the different groups that went west, including why they went west, what hardships they faced, and what their legacy was.

Additional American history products:

Source Analysis:

Primary and Secondary Sources: Introduction, Sort, and Game

Native Americans:

Native American Regions - Recruitment Fair PBL

Exploration and Colonization:

13 Colonies Cereal Box: Breakfast in the Colonies PBL

13 Colonies Recruitment Fair: A Colonial America PBL

Colonial America Hyperdoc: Life in the Colonies Webquest

13 Colonies Project Based Learning: Colonial America Regions PBL

GooseChase: Life in Colonial America Digital Scavenger Hunt

Colonial Regions PBL: New England, Middle, and Southern Newspaper Project

New England Colonies Hyperdoc: Colonial America Webquest

New England Colonies Choice Board: Colonial America Tic Tac Toe Menu

Middle Colonies Hyperdoc: Colonial America Webquest

Middle Colonies Choice Board: Colonial America Tic Tac Toe Menu

Southern Colonies Hyperdoc: Colonial America Webquest

Southern Colonies Choice Board: Colonial America Tic Tac Toe Menu

Colonial America Shark Tank: Inventions of the Colonies PBL

Road to Independence:

Revolutionary War GooseChase - Causes of the American Revolution Scavenger Hunt

Hyperdoc: Declaration of Independence Webquest

Confederation to Constitution:

Delegates at the Constitutional Convention: Superlatives Awards Fair

Breakfast of Delegates at the Constitutional Convention: Cereal Box PBL

Constitutional Convention Choice Board Learning Menus (set of 3)

Early Republic:

George Washington Hyperdoc: A Precedent President Webquest

George Washington GooseChase: Digital Scavenger Hunt

Presidency of George Washington - Differentiated Choice Board Menus (Set of 3)

Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans Recruitment Fair PBL

Thomas Jefferson GooseChase: Engaging Scavenger Hunt Challenges

Andrew Jackson:

Andrew Jackson Webquest - The $20 Bill Argument

Andrew Jackson Jigsaw Debate

Andrew Jackson DBQ

Andrew Jackson GooseChase: Digital Scavenger Hunt

Manifest Destiny:

Manifest Destiny - American Progress Analysis

Manifest Destiny: Justification for Westward Expansion Hyperdoc

Life in the West Recruitment Fair - Manifest Destiny PBL

Civil War and Reconstruction:

Causes of the Civil War PBL: Worlds of the North and South Newspaper Project

Civil War GooseChase Digital Scavenger Hunt

Hyperdoc: Life of a Civil War Soldier Webquest

Civil War Hyperdoc: North vs. South Strengths and Weaknesses Webquest

PBL: A “Star-Spangled Banner” from Fort Sumter Civil War Webquest

‘Twas at the Siege of Vicksburg - Civil War Primary Source Analysis

Industrialization:

Shark Tank: Industrial Revolution Inventions PBL