Path Through the Mountains The westward expansion of America begins in earnest when the Cumberland Gap is opened, allowing settlers to pass through the mountains for the first time (GREEN arrow). The route is pioneered by Daniel Boone, a militia officer turned frontiersman (top right). For the next century, the story of America will be driven by a continued push westward.

	Doorway to the West The new Wilderness Road (ORANGE line) through the Cumberland Gap ushers in a whole new era of expansion for America. Pioneered by Daniel Boone (leading settlers, above), this is a steep trail over rough ground, not suitable for wagons. Even so, some 30,000 Virginians pour through the gap in the first five years. This is convincing proof of the attractive power of new lands, freshly opened. Pioneers moving into Kentucky, however, soon discover that it was still just wilderness. They are on their own, again.
	Doubling the Country The westward push gets an unexpected boost from events in Europe. France has just acquired the vast Louisiana Territory (BLUE highlight) from Spain, including the vital port city of New Orleans (lower right). But the new French dictator, Napoleon, happens to need money at just this moment to finance his ambitions of European conquest. He offers to sell America the entire Louisiana Territory for just $15 million. America jumps at the offer, and doubles in size, overnight.