Territorial Expansion Moving West

Manifest Destiny The belief that God has ordained that Americans should expand west

Manifest Destiny Main draw – land Owning land was an important first step toward prosperity Other Reasons Economic Opportunity Fresh start – economic trouble

The only problem is that there are Native Americans between white people and the west.

Native Americans Black Hawk War, 1832 Named after Indian leader Black Hawk Fought over rights to land – Native Americans lose and are forcibly removed to land WEST of Mississippi Result – continued the pattern of Native American groups being pushed farther west by white settlers

Native Americans Treaty of Fort Laramie Agreement between the US Government and several Midwestern tribes who guaranteed not to attack white settlers moving West US Government agreed to honor boundaries Result: The US Government repeatedly violated it’s side of the agreement

Trails West Aside from settlers two other groups moved across the west traders and missionaries

Trails West Santa Fe Trail Oregon Trail From Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico Traders took cloth, guns, knives and returned with gold, silver and furs Oregon Trail * From Independence, MO to Portland, OR * Methods of travel: 1) prairie schooners or 2) walking * Why Oregon? – plenty of rain and fertile soil

schooner

Prairie schooner

Trails West Mormon Trail moving west to escape religious persecution Practice that caused so much controversy – polygamy or (the practice of having more than one wife) Led west by Brigham Young Eventually settled in an area they called Salt Lake City

Border Disputes Oregon Territory The U.S. and Britain had been sharing the Oregon Territory. President Polk used the slogan “Fifty-four Forty or Fight” to gain support for annexing (adding) the Oregon Territory Britain eventually agreed to the 49th parallel and the US Boundary extended all the way to the Puget Sound The US’s northern boundary with Canada is now established

Border Disputes (Mexico and Texas) Mexican Land grants to settlers Mexico grants land to white American settlers in present day Texas to cut down on Native American attacks in the area

The Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, Texas becomes a state *Alamo*San Jacinto The Republic of Texas Texas Annexation North South

War with Mexico Mexican American War Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848 North? No! We don’t want to expand slavery! South? Yes! Let’s fight! More land could equal more slavery! Mexican American War America gains the spoils of war – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848

Gold! California Gold Rush People come from all over the world in 1849 Looking for gold is difficult work How did this affect California and the United States? Population EXPLOSION in California. California will be the first U.S. territory in the land won from Mexico to apply for statehood. Could this upset the balance of free vs. slave states???...