Westward Expansion Manifest Destiny Abundant land Missions Gold Trade

Westward Expansion Manifest Destiny Abundant land Missions Gold Trade

Manifest Destiny: Belief that it was America’s God given right to expand west to the Pacific This painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress is a representation of Manifest Destiny. Here Columbia, a personification of the United States, leads civilization westward with American settlers, stringing telegraph wire as she travels and carrying a school book. The different economic activities of the pioneers are highlighted and, especially, the changing forms of transportation. The Native Americans and wild animals flee.

Oregon Trail Over 2000 miles, crosses Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and Oregon Free land and missionary work led most people here Westward Trails Santa Fe Trail About 800 miles, crosses Missouri, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico Trade with Mexico led most people here

Conestoga Wagon/Prairie Schooner Travel by Conestoga Wagons or Prairie Schooners supplies for one adult: 150lbs of flour, 20 cornmeal, 50 bacon, 40 sugar, 10 coffee, 15 dried fruit, 5 salt, 2 tea, 5 rice, 15 beans Guns for hunting fresh game and protection were also necessary.

Court House and Jail Rocks in Nebraska served as a marking point along the Oregon trail

Chimney Rock, also in Nebraska, rises 300 feet above the North Platte River. Another landmark to keep travelers on track.

Scotts Bluff- another landmark along the trail in western Nebraska, includes a natural pass between two large rocks called Mitchell Pass. Here wagon ruts can still be seen today.

Independence Rock- name comes from the fact that travelers would try to reach this landmark by July 4th in order to avoid the first major snow falls in the Rocky Mountains. Many emigrants left messages on the rock with axel grease (graffiti)

First hand account along the Oregon Trail Amelia Stewart Knight after a 5 month journey to Oregon “My eighth child was born. After this we picked up and ferried across the Columbia River, utilizing a skiff, canoes and flatboat. It took three days. Here husband traded two yoke of oxen for a half section of land with one-half acre planted to potatoes and a small log cabin and lean-to with no windows. This is the journey’s end.”

“Fifty-four Forty or Fight” After years of travel to Oregon the population was growing and President Polk was ready for annexation. Polk was in the midst of a campaign and used this as a slogan Britain and the U.S. agreed upon the border at the 49th parallel after realizing the land north of it was unsuitable.

Expansion into Texas Mexico encouraged farmers to settle in their northern territory by offering Land Grants (provided a buffer from Native attacks) American settlers had to promise to obey Mexican law and observe the official religion-Catholicism They soon outnumbered the Mexican population and lived as naturalized citizens Several attempts were made to gain Texas John Q Adams offered to buy Texas for 1 million Andrew Jackson offered 5 million Mexico began to question its open borders to Americans

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Angered by settlers not following religious custom and the abolition of slavery, he closed the borders Not effective, could not police the borders and population continued to grow with American settlers Marched to San Antonio with an army to stop the rebellion among white settlers

Stephen Austin Steps to Texas Independence Most successful at encouraging American settlement into Texas Began to challenge Antonia Lopez de Santa Anna by calling for self government in Texas Organized settlers and asked them to prepare for an attack by Santa Anna Texans attacked and forced Santa Anna’s army from the Alamo, an old mission fort Mexicans struck back and slaughtered nearly all Americans held up at the Alamo, killing 187 The Mexican Army would win again at Goliad, but tied up in battle, would eventually lose the Texas Revolution

“Remember the Alamo” The Alamo Mission is still a famous tourist attraction in Texas Battle plans of the Mexican Army at the Alamo

Sam Houston at San Jacinto Attacked Santa Anna’s troops who had previously won, but with heavy losses Killed 630 and took 730 prisoner, including Santa Anna Under duress, Santa Anna gave up Sam Houston became the first president of the Republic of Texas

Lone Star Republic

Texas Annexation South for annexation, extension of slavery V. North Feared more power to slave holding states & Feared war with Mexico Annexation In 1844 James K. Polk , prominent slave holder, was elected President. On Dec. 29, 1845, Texas became the 28th state.

War draws near Dispute over border between Texas and Mexico Texas claims the Rio Grande as the border ?100miles? Mexico claims the Nueces River

Polk the “politician” urges war Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico to try and purchase California and New Mexico and solidify the border at the Rio Grande Mexico refused to acknowledge the offer Zachary Taylor marched troops to the Rio Grande hoping to entice the Mexicans to a fight and unite the country in a war It worked, Mexico attacked sending troops across the Rio Grande “American Blood on American Soil” Polk’s war message persuaded Congress to go to war

Stephen Kearney marches to California, only to gain New Mexico without a fight fight

Bear Flag Republic- California American settlers encouraged independence there just as they had in Texas before the U.S. troops arrived to defeat the Mexican opposition, James P Fremont had declared the nation the Republic of California Mexican troops quickly gave up

American invasion of Mexico Victory after victory due to superior leadership Lee Grant Taylor Scott

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo1848 Rio Grande becomes official border between U.S. and Mexico New Mexico and California are ceded to the U.S. for 15 million (California, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah) Mexicans living in these areas were given freedom of religion, protection of property, bilingual elections and open borders

1848 gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in the California Sierra Nevada Mountains

Gold Fever Overland migration to California skyrocketed 400 in 1848 to 44,000 in 1850 “forty-niners” Not just White Americans; Free Blacks, Asians, South Americans, and Europeans came

Impact of the HUGE POPULATION INCREASE THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA DIVERSE GROUP OF SETTLERS FEW BECAME WEALTHY FROM GOLD THOSE PROVIDING BASIC NECESSITIES TO PANNERS MADE LED TO A HUGE DEBATE IN CONGRESS OVER EVENTUAL STATEHOOD (SLAVERY)