Moving West, Manifest Destiny, and the Mexican American War Unit 6: The Road to the Civil War

Focusing Points… Why did Americans start moving west? What motivated them? How did we acquire the land west of the Louisiana Purchase? What issue kept coming up as new states were admitted into the union and how did we “fix” it?

America Moves West Americans believe it is their destiny to move into the western frontier. This idea was known as Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny “The fulfillment of our Manifest Destiny is to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions”

Western Expansion leads to a Major Problem… Once states were being established and entered into the Union, a major question emerges… Will the state be entered as a slave state or free state state???

The Missouri Compromise Created by Henry Clay in 1820 It established that slavery was prohibited in all new states north of the 36 30’ N latitude line

Mexico and Texas Mexico controlled most land in the Southwest Mexico invited many Americans into Texas to farm and cultivate the land Most Americans were led by Stephen F. Austin who founded the city of Austin in hopes of economic prosperity

The Texas Revolution Tensions between Mexico and Texas rose because of disagreements about Mexican government and slavery Texans rebelled and declared their independence

The Republic of Texas Americans famously fought against the Mexicans at the Alamo where after 12 days of fighting the Americans lost Santa Anna slaughtered hundreds The slogan “Remember the Alamo” inspired Americans to keep fighting Led by Sam Houston, Texas eventually defeated Mexico and gained their independence in 1836

The Alamo

The Mexican-American War In 1845, the US wanted to annex Texas Northerners did not support annexation because they did not want to add another slave state President James K. Polk promised that if Texas was added as a slave state, Oregon would be free Polk saw this as an opportunity to gain more land for the US and move west

The Mexican American War Once the US annexed Texas, Mexico protests and the US declared war American forces led by Zachary Taylor, Winfield Scott, Robert E. Lee, William T. Sherman, and Ulysses S. Grant lead the US to a sweeping victory

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago ended the Mexican-American War U.S. received New Mexico and California. U.S. paid $15million for Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

SCHLEEP Wilmot Proviso Proposed that slavery should be banned in any territory gained from the Mexican-American War South’s Reaction: SCHLEEP

Compromise of 1850 In order to figure out the new territory, Henry Clay creates the Compromise of 1850 It said: End of the slave trade in Washington DC California will be entered as a free state Fugitive Slave Law- Stricter fugitive slave law which requires Northerners to help capture and return runaway slaves.

Show-Me-Time! Take out a sheet of paper… Americans believed that they were destined to move west. What was this known as? What did the Missouri Compromise establish? How did we acquire land that extends to the Pacific? What was the main issue when debating when a new state would enter the Union? How did we handle this problem? (Hint: Henry Clay)