DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU In your own words, why would thousands of people abandon their homes to travel west? Today, we will explore Manifest Destiny as the United States acquires the Oregon Country. Learning Objective Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory.. Name ________________________________ CFU What are we going to do today? Activate (or provide) Prior Knowledge In the 1800s, wagon trains transported thousands of families from established eastern settlements to the rugged West. This wagon train is winding its way across Nebraska toward Oregon Country. Their heads were full of ideas of new starts, new opportunities, and prosperity.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. Concept Development Manifest Destiny – obvious fate. It is natural and right that the United States expand. CFU Describe some Americans’ attitude toward westward expansion. Many Americans thought it was not only the country’s divine right (authority from God) to spread westward, but it was their duty to extend the borders from “sea to shining sea”. We will be looking at 6 different territories for expansion. 1.Louisiana Purchase 2.Florida 3.Texas 4.Oregon Country 5.Mexican Cession 6.Gadsden Purchase

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find Far to the northwest of Texas lay Oregon Country. This enormous, tree-covered wilderness stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. To the north, Oregon was bounded by Alaska, which belonged to Russia. To the south, it was bordered by Spanish California and New Mexico. In 1819, Oregon was claimed by four nations: Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. Spain was the first to drop out of the scramble. As part of the treaty to purchase Florida, Spain gave up its claim to Oregon. A few years later, Russia also dropped out. By 1825, Russia agreed to limit its claim to the territory that lay north of the 54°40´ parallel of latitude. Today that line marks the southern border of Alaska. That left Great Britain and the United States. For the time being, the two nations agreed to a peaceful “joint occupation” of Oregon. Discovering Oregon The United States’ claim to Oregon was based on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Between 1804 and 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had led a small band of explorers to the Oregon coast. Lewis thought that many more Americans would follow the path blazed by the expedition. “In the course of 10 or 12 Years,” he predicted in 1806, “a tour across the Continent by this rout [route] will be undertaken with as little concern as a voyage across the Atlantic.” What modern-day states make up part of Oregon Country? What four nations claimed Oregon? What did Great Britain and the United States agree to initially? What was the United States’ claim to Oregon based on? What was Lewis’ incorrect prediction? Washington (state) and Oregon In 1819, Oregon was claimed by four nations: Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. For the time being, the two nations agreed to a peaceful joint occupation of Oregon. The United States’ claim to Oregon was based on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Lewis thought that many more Americans would follow the path blazed by the expedition. Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find That was wishful thinking. The route that Lewis and Clark had followed was far too rugged for ordinary travelers. There had to be a better way. In 1824, a young fur trapper named Jedediah Smith found that better way. Smith discovered a passage through the Rocky Mountains called South Pass. Unlike the high, steep passes used by Lewis and Clark, South Pass was low and flat enough for wagons to use in crossing the Rockies. Now the way was open for settlers to seek their fortunes in Oregon. Oregon Fever The first American settlers to travel through South Pass to Oregon were missionaries. These missionaries made few converts among Oregon’s Indians. But their glowing reports of Oregon’s fertile soil and towering forests soon attracted more settlers. These early settlers wrote letters home describing Oregon as a “pioneer’s paradise.” The weather was always sunny, they claimed. Disease was unknown. Trees grew as thick as hairs on a dog’s back. And farms were free for the taking. One man even joked that “pigs are running about under the great acorn trees, round and fat, and already cooked, with knives and forks sticking in them so you can cut off a slice whenever you are hungry.” Reports like these inspired other settlers who were looking for a fresh start. In 1843, about 1,000 pioneers packed their belongings into covered wagons and headed for Oregon. A year later, nearly twice as many people made the long journey across the plains and mountains. “The Oregon Fever has broke out,” reported one observer, “and is now raging.” Why was the South Pass discovered by Jedediah Smith better? How did the missionaries entice more settlers to move to Oregon? How did early settlers describe Oregon? Give an example of a “tall tale”? How would you define “Oregon Fever”? Unlike the high, steep passes used by Lewis and Clare, the South Pass was low and flat enough for wagons to use in crossing the Rockies. The told glowing reports of Oregon’s fertile soil and towering forests to Attract more settlers Early Those early settlers wrote letters home describing Oregon as a “pioneer’s paradise.”. “Pigs are running about under great acorn trees, round and fat, and already cooked, with knives and forks sticking in them”. One year 1,000 pioneers packed their belongs in covered wagons and headed for Oregon. The next year, twice as many did. Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find All of Oregon or Half? Along with Texas, “Oregon fever” also played a role in the 1844 presidential campaign. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty-four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country. But Polk didn’t want Oregon enough to risk starting a war with Great Britain. Instead, he agreed to a compromise treaty that divided Oregon roughly in half at the 49th parallel. That line now marks the western border between the United States and Canada. The Senate debate over the Oregon treaty was fierce. Senators from the South and the East strongly favored the treaty. They saw no reason to go to war over “worse than useless territory on the coast of the Pacific.” Senators from the West opposed the treaty. They wanted to hold out for all of Oregon. On June 18, 1846, the Senate ratified the compromise treaty by a vote of 41 to 14. Polk got neither “fifty-four forty” nor a fight. What he got was a diplomatic settlement that both the United States and Great Britain could accept without spilling a drop of blood. What slogans indicated Polk’s support for Manifest Destiny? What was Polk unwilling to do in his quest for Manifest Destiny? What compromise did President Polk agree to with Great Britain? Why did Senators from the South and the East favor the treaty? What did President Polk get ? “All of Oregon or none” and “Fifty-four Forty or fight”. Polk didn’t want Oregon enough to risk starting a war with Great Britain. He agreed to a compromise treaty that divided Oregon roughly in Half at the 49 th parallel. They saw no reason to go to war over “worse than useless territory on the coast of the Pacific.” Polk got neither “fifty-four ro forty” or fight. What he got was a diplomatic settlement that both the United States and Great Britain could except without spilling a drop of blood. Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. 1. Being able to describe westward expansion will help us understand how the United States got its shape. 2. Being able to describe westward expansion will help us answer CST questions. CFU Does anyone have another reason why it is important to know about westward expansion and Manifest Destiny? You may give me one of my reasons or one of your own. Which reason is more relevant to you? Why? Relevance

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. Skill Closure Describe the United States’ acquisition of Oregon Country. Step #1: Using the text and the graphic organizer, describe the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory. 1. Why did so many people make the difficult journey to the Oregon Country? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. In the end, why didn’t the United States hold out for more of the Oregon Country? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ People were told of the fertile land and towering forests. Both Polk and Congress did not want to get into a war with Great Britain. It wasn’t worth the fight. Summary Closure What did you learn today about the Oregon Country? Day 1 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Day 2 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Concept Closure What kinds of things are worth fighting for? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. Worksheets follow

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find Far to the northwest of Texas lay Oregon Country. This enormous, tree-covered wilderness stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. To the north, Oregon was bounded by Alaska, which belonged to Russia. To the south, it was bordered by Spanish California and New Mexico. In 1819, Oregon was claimed by four nations: Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. Spain was the first to drop out of the scramble. As part of the treaty to purchase Florida, Spain gave up its claim to Oregon. A few years later, Russia also dropped out. By 1825, Russia agreed to limit its claim to the territory that lay north of the 54°40´ parallel of latitude. Today that line marks the southern border of Alaska. That left Great Britain and the United States. For the time being, the two nations agreed to a peaceful “joint occupation” of Oregon. Discovering Oregon The United States’ claim to Oregon was based on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Between 1804 and 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had led a small band of explorers to the Oregon coast. Lewis thought that many more Americans would follow the path blazed by the expedition. “In the course of 10 or 12 Years,” he predicted in 1806, “a tour across the Continent by this rout [route] will be undertaken with as little concern as a voyage across the Atlantic.” What modern-day states make up part of Oregon Country? What four nations claimed Oregon? What did Great Britain and the United States agree to initially? What was the United States’ claim to Oregon based on? What was Lewis’ incorrect prediction? Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find That was wishful thinking. The route that Lewis and Clark had followed was far too rugged for ordinary travelers. There had to be a better way. In 1824, a young fur trapper named Jedediah Smith found that better way. Smith discovered a passage through the Rocky Mountains called South Pass. Unlike the high, steep passes used by Lewis and Clark, South Pass was low and flat enough for wagons to use in crossing the Rockies. Now the way was open for settlers to seek their fortunes in Oregon. Oregon Fever The first American settlers to travel through South Pass to Oregon were missionaries. These missionaries made few converts among Oregon’s Indians. But their glowing reports of Oregon’s fertile soil and towering forests soon attracted more settlers. These early settlers wrote letters home describing Oregon as a “pioneer’s paradise.” The weather was always sunny, they claimed. Disease was unknown. Trees grew as thick as hairs on a dog’s back. And farms were free for the taking. One man even joked that “pigs are running about under the great acorn trees, round and fat, and already cooked, with knives and forks sticking in them so you can cut off a slice whenever you are hungry.” Reports like these inspired other settlers who were looking for a fresh start. In 1843, about 1,000 pioneers packed their belongings into covered wagons and headed for Oregon. A year later, nearly twice as many people made the long journey across the plains and mountains. “The Oregon Fever has broke out,” reported one observer, “and is now raging.” Why was the South Pass discovered by Jedediah Smith better? How did the missionaries entice more settlers to move to Oregon? How did early settlers describe Oregon? Give an example of a “tall tale”? How would you define “Oregon Fever”? Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find All of Oregon or Half? Along with Texas, “Oregon fever” also played a role in the 1844 presidential campaign. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty-four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country. But Polk didn’t want Oregon enough to risk starting a war with Great Britain. Instead, he agreed to a compromise treaty that divided Oregon roughly in half at the 49th parallel. That line now marks the western border between the United States and Canada. The Senate debate over the Oregon treaty was fierce. Senators from the South and the East strongly favored the treaty. They saw no reason to go to war over “worse than useless territory on the coast of the Pacific.” Senators from the West opposed the treaty. They wanted to hold out for all of Oregon. On June 18, 1846, the Senate ratified the compromise treaty by a vote of 41 to 14. Polk got neither “fifty-four forty” nor a fight. What he got was a diplomatic settlement that both the United States and Great Britain could accept without spilling a drop of blood. What slogans indicated Polk’s support for Manifest Destiny? What was Polk unwilling to do in his quest for Manifest Destiny? What compromise did President Polk agree to with Great Britain? Why did Senators from the South and the East favor the treaty? What did President Polk get ? Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. Skill Closure Describe the United States’ acquisition of Oregon Country. Step #1: Using the text and the graphic organizer, describe the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory. 1. Why did so many people make the difficult journey to the Oregon Country? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. In the end, why didn’t the United States hold out for more of the Oregon Country? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Summary Closure What did you learn today about the Oregon Country? Day 1 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Day 2 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Concept Closure What kinds of things are worth fighting for? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find Far to the northwest of Texas lay Oregon Country. This enormous, tree-covered wilderness stretched from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. To the north, Oregon was bounded by Alaska, which belonged to Russia. To the south, it was bordered by Spanish California and New Mexico. In 1819, Oregon was claimed by four nations: Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. Spain was the first to drop out of the scramble. As part of the treaty to purchase Florida, Spain gave up its claim to Oregon. A few years later, Russia also dropped out. By 1825, Russia agreed to limit its claim to the territory that lay north of the 54°40´ parallel of latitude. Today that line marks the southern border of Alaska. That left Great Britain and the United States. For the time being, the two nations agreed to a peaceful “joint occupation” of Oregon. Discovering Oregon The United States’ claim to Oregon was based on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Between 1804 and 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark had led a small band of explorers to the Oregon coast. Lewis thought that many more Americans would follow the path blazed by the expedition. “In the course of 10 or 12 Years,” he predicted in 1806, “a tour across the Continent by this rout [route] will be undertaken with as little concern as a voyage across the Atlantic.” What modern-day states make up part of Oregon Country? What four nations claimed Oregon? What did Great Britain and the United States agree to initially? What was the United States’ claim to Oregon based on? What was Lewis’ incorrect prediction? Washington (state) and Oregon In 1819, Oregon was claimed by four nations: Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and the United States. For the time being, the two nations agreed to a peaceful joint occupation of Oregon. The United States’ claim to Oregon was based on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Lewis thought that many more Americans would follow the path blazed by the expedition. Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find That was wishful thinking. The route that Lewis and Clark had followed was far too rugged for ordinary travelers. There had to be a better way. In 1824, a young fur trapper named Jedediah Smith found that better way. Smith discovered a passage through the Rocky Mountains called South Pass. Unlike the high, steep passes used by Lewis and Clark, South Pass was low and flat enough for wagons to use in crossing the Rockies. Now the way was open for settlers to seek their fortunes in Oregon. Oregon Fever The first American settlers to travel through South Pass to Oregon were missionaries. These missionaries made few converts among Oregon’s Indians. But their glowing reports of Oregon’s fertile soil and towering forests soon attracted more settlers. These early settlers wrote letters home describing Oregon as a “pioneer’s paradise.” The weather was always sunny, they claimed. Disease was unknown. Trees grew as thick as hairs on a dog’s back. And farms were free for the taking. One man even joked that “pigs are running about under the great acorn trees, round and fat, and already cooked, with knives and forks sticking in them so you can cut off a slice whenever you are hungry.” Reports like these inspired other settlers who were looking for a fresh start. In 1843, about 1,000 pioneers packed their belongings into covered wagons and headed for Oregon. A year later, nearly twice as many people made the long journey across the plains and mountains. “The Oregon Fever has broke out,” reported one observer, “and is now raging.” Why was the South Pass discovered by Jedediah Smith better? How did the missionaries entice more settlers to move to Oregon? How did early settlers describe Oregon? Give an example of a “tall tale”? How would you define “Oregon Fever”? Unlike the high, steep passes used by Lewis and Clark, the South Pass was low and flat enough for wagons to use in crossing the Rockies. The told glowing reports of Oregon’s fertile soil and towering forests to Attract more settlers. Those early settlers wrote letters home describing Oregon as a “pioneer’s paradise.” “Pigs are running about under great acorn trees, round and fat, and already cooked, with knives and forks sticking in them”. One year 1,000 pioneers packed their belongs in covered wagons and headed for Oregon. The next year, twice as many did. Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. CFU (#1)How did I/you identify what is asked? (#2a)How did I/you identify information that will answer the question? (#3)How did I/you answer the question about the law-making process? Step #1: Read the question carefully and identify 5 what is asked. (double underline) Step #2: Read the text carefully. a. Identify information that will answer the question. (underline) Step #3: Fill in the chart with information about Oregon Country. Describe how the United States obtained Oregon Country Skill Development/Guided Practice 5 find All of Oregon or Half? Along with Texas, “Oregon fever” also played a role in the 1844 presidential campaign. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty-four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country. But Polk didn’t want Oregon enough to risk starting a war with Great Britain. Instead, he agreed to a compromise treaty that divided Oregon roughly in half at the 49th parallel. That line now marks the western border between the United States and Canada. The Senate debate over the Oregon treaty was fierce. Senators from the South and the East strongly favored the treaty. They saw no reason to go to war over “worse than useless territory on the coast of the Pacific.” Senators from the West opposed the treaty. They wanted to hold out for all of Oregon. On June 18, 1846, the Senate ratified the compromise treaty by a vote of 41 to 14. Polk got neither “fifty-four forty” nor a fight. What he got was a diplomatic settlement that both the United States and Great Britain could accept without spilling a drop of blood. What slogans indicated Polk’s support for Manifest Destiny? What was Polk unwilling to do in his quest for Manifest Destiny? What compromise did President Polk agree to with Great Britain? Why did Senators from the South and the East favor the treaty? What did President Polk get ? “All of Oregon or none” and “Fifty-four Forty or fight”. Polk didn’t want Oregon enough to risk starting a war with Great Britain. He agreed to a compromise treaty that divided Oregon roughly in Half at the 49 th parallel. They saw no reason to go to war over “worse than useless territory on the coast of the Pacific.” Polk got neither “fifty-four ro forty” or fight. What he got was a diplomatic settlement that both the United States and Great Britain could except without spilling a drop of blood. Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory. Polk won the election with such stirring slogans as “All of Oregon or none!” and “Fifty- four forty or fight!” Polk promised he would not rest until the United States had annexed all of Oregon Country.

DataWORKS Educational Research (800) ©2012 All rights reserved. Comments? 8 th Grade Social Science Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades. Skill Closure Describe the United States’ acquisition of Oregon Country. Step #1: Using the text and the graphic organizer, describe the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory. 1. Why did so many people make the difficult journey to the Oregon Country? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. In the end, why didn’t the United States hold out for more of the Oregon Country? _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ People were told of the fertile land and towering forests. Both Polk and Congress did not want to get into a war with Great Britain. It wasn’t worth the fight. Summary Closure What did you learn today about the Oregon Country? Day 1 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Day 2 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Concept Closure What kinds of things are worth fighting for? _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Objective: Today, students will be able to see how diplomacy led to the purchase and settlement of the Oregon Territory.