The U.S. National Archives and the Library of Congress have digitized a wealth of primary sources on America's Westward Expansion.  View some of those holdings together with annotated maps, paintings of the western "wilderness" (commissioned by the U.S. government) and pictures of pioneers, Native Americans and the transcontinental railroad.  http://www.awesomestories.com/history/go_west/go_west_ch1.htm  

The website http://www.awesomestories.com/ is free for all educators, schools and libraries.  Simply request an academic membership with this sign-up form.  http://www.awesomestories.com/group_signup.php  

Carole Bos
Grand Valley State University
Dean's Advisory Board