Manifest Destiny & Western Expansion 1783 - 1853 The United States Expanded from the Atlantic to the Pacific

Manifest Destiny A belief shared by many Americans in the mid 1800s that the United States should expand across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. President Polk believed it was our manifest destiny, or “obvious fate” to settle land all the way to the Pacific Ocean in order to spread democracy.

1783 – Treaty of Paris US Colonies are recognized after Revolutionary War

Louisiana Purchase: 1803 Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million. Control of the Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River. The U.S. stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains.

1810 & 1812 – West Florida United States annexes the Western Republic of Florida after declaring independence from Spain

Florida: 1819 In 1819, President Monroe sent General Andrew Jackson to Florida to help protect the U.S. border. Jackson invaded Florida and overthrew the governor of Florida. He had no direct orders from President Monroe. Spain gave Florida to the U.S. in exchange for $5 million and control of Texas.

Texas Statehood: 1845 Texas became an independent nation in 1836 called the Lone Star Republic. Texas joined the U.S. and became the 28th state in 1845.

Oregon Country: 1846 In 1820, both the U.S. and Britain claimed to own Oregon Country. President Polk wanted all of Oregon to the fifty-four fifty parallel. The American people cried, “Fifty-four forty or fight.” Neither Polk nor Britain wanted war. Britain and the U.S. compromised. They split Oregon in half at the 49th parallel. The U.S. got the southern half.

Mexican Cession: 1848 Result of the Mexican American War Victory Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Mexico gave the U.S. the territories of California, Nevada and Utah, most of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The U.S. paid $15 million for the territory

Gadsden Purchase: 1853 After the war with Mexico, Americans wanted to guarantee that any southern railroad to California would be built completely on American soil. US paid $10 million for the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico. The existing boundary between the U.S. and Mexico was fixed.