1800 to 1877

 In 1800 (61 years before the Civil War), only 387,000 white settlers lived west of the Appalachian mountains.  By 1820, 2.4 million white settlers lived west of the Appalachian Mountains.  By the time of the Civil War, more Americans lived west of the Appalachian Mountains than in all the states on the Atlantic Coast.

 Who- Some people moved west for religious reasons (Mormons & the Mormon Trail) others moved west for economic reasons (own your own farm).  Why newspaper editor John Louis O’Sullivan introduced the idea of Manifest Destiny to the public.  Manifest Destiny— the idea that God had given the entire continent to Americans and HE wanted them to settle it, civilize it, and spread American ideals & government. Painting entitled “American Progress” by John Gast 1872

Government encouragement  1830 Preemption Act- guaranteed “squatters” the right to claim land before it was surveyed and buy up to 160 acres for the low price of $1.25 per acre.  “squatter”- a person who settled on land they did not own. Technological Advancements  1819 Iron Bladed Plow– Jethro Wood  1837 Steel Blade Plow- John Deere (cut by half the labor needed to plow an acre).  McCormick Reaper –by Cyrus McCormick (farmers can harvest more grain). Mountain Men mapped trails and led “Over landers” into the west  Kit Carson & Jim Bridger Government Protection Against Native American  early on Native American and white conflict was rare in the west but increased over time.  Treaty of Fort Laramie- US sets up a reservation system on the Great Plains hoping to reduce conflict.

In 1821, Mexico declared independence from Spain and trade increased between the US & Mexico.  American pioneers moved into California.  Mexican officials often encouraged American settlement in their lands.  Texas—Mexico allowed foreigners to migrate to Texas= Americans (mostly from the US South) moved there bringing slaves. The Fight for Texas Independence from Mexico 1836 Battle of San Jacinto- Texans led by Sam Houston defeated the Mexican army and captured Santa Anna; forced Santa Anna to declare Texas independent. Sept The Republic of Texas voted Sam Houston its president; most wanted to become part of the US next. Annexing Texas was tricky –due to the issue of slavery expanding. Americans leaders tried to avoid the issue by not making Texas part of the US President Tyler annexed Texas –angering Mexico

The US won the war against Mexico in Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)  Mexico gave up 500,000 square miles to the US Significance- led more Americans to move westward & increased tensions in the US over slavery expanding to new areas. Controversy over land gained from Mexico & the Slavery Issue  The Wilmot Proviso (1846)- proposed that no slavery be allowed in any territory the US won from Mexico.  Popular Sovereignty --idea that Americans who moved to the lands gained from Mexico should decide on slavery—not Congress.

In 1848, gold was discovered in California and thousands of settlers moved west (“Forty-Niners”). By 1849, enough settlers had moved into California for it to become a state---so they applied to Congress to come in as a free state. Problem- adding California as a free state would make the slaves states a minority in the US Senate. The Compromise of 1850 – California in as a free state, a New Fugitive Slave Law **Tensions over slavery’s expansion to new western areas continued.

Many Americans saw the need for a transcontinental railroad to be built before the Civil War. Two routes initially proposed…a northern route and a southern route Gadsden Purchase- US buys 30,000 miles of land from Mexico (S. Arizona & S. New Mexico). Sen. Stephen Douglas (Ill.) wanted a northern route which would start in Chicago. The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)- organized the terrirtories of Kansas and Nebraska to create a path for a nothern trancontiental rialroad. Allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas-Nebraska area (above the line) The bill outraged antislavery notherners, Free Soilers, etc. Territorial civil war breaks out in Kansas (pro-slavery people v. Anti-slavery people).= Beelding Kansas

In 1861, tensions over slavery divided North and South and they fought a bloody war against each other. (more Americans killed than all Americans wars combined). **During the war, the US government began construction of the first transcontinental Railroad. The War Ends  The Northern states led by Abraham Lincoln defeated the Southern states led by Jefferson Davis.  Slavery was officially ended with the 13 th Amendment (1865)  14 th Amendment intended to give all US citizens equal protection of the laws.  The 15 th Amendment gave all men (including black men the right to vote). The New South emerges  less dependent on agriculture---textile mills are the 1 st major form of industry in the South