Step One: Study these two maps and answer the questions that follow.
Map showing western territory gained by the U. S. by date. The Lones Star Republic, eastern part of Texas in 1845. Oregon in the northwest in 1846.The remainer of the Texas territory in 1848. Mexican Cession in the southwest in 1848. The Gadsden Purchase at the southern tip of New Mexico in 1853.
This map shows the Western expansion of the United States.
Map showing the goal, oil and coal resources by state. Georgia, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Washington and Alaska have gold. Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, Wyoming and Montana have coal. Louisianna, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, North Dakota, Wyoming and California have oil.
This map highlights the different states that are rich in gold, oil, and coal resources. Some states have more than one natural resource.

Describe events that explain the border differences between these maps. Use information from the maps and the lesson in your response. Use complete sentences.

Besides land, what did the United States gain from expansion? Use information from the maps and the lesson in your response. Use complete sentences.
Step Two: Answer the question below using the framework provided.
People disagree whether the United States should have gone to war against Mexico. Should the United States have declared war? Consider information from the lesson and maps to explain your claim with at least two reasons.

The United States _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ because _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. A second reason is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
Step Three: Form your counterargument using the framework provided.
Reporter McQuill mentions your claim will be stronger if you respond well to someone who disagrees with you. Use this framework to challenge a counterclaim.

Even though some people think that _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.