Manifest Destiny Chapter 13

Mountain Men and the Rendezvous Mountain Men survived by being tough and resourceful. Spent most of the year alone, trapping small animals such as beavers roamed the Great Plains and the Far West William Henry Ashley created a trading arrangement call the rendezvous system.

Under this system, individual trappers came to a prearranged site for a rendezvous with traders from the east. The trappers bought supplies from those traders and paid them in furs. The rendezvous took place every summer from 1825 to 1840. In 1840, silk hats replaced beaver hats as the fashion and the fur trade died out.

Mountain Men Open the West Mountain men provided firsthand knowledge of the Far West. This knowledge, and the trails the mountain men blazed, made it possible for later pioneers to move west.

Trails West

The Lure of the West The West offered a chance to make money! Land speculators bought huge areas of land. To speculate means to buy something in the hope that it will increase in value. If land value did go up, speculators divided up the land and sold sections to pioneers.

Emigrants crossing the Plains (ca. 1869), Henry Bryan Hall

The Trail to Santa Fe, New Mexico Traders traveled west in search of markets to trade goods and make money. William Becknell, Missouri trader, set out with hardware, cloth, and china for Santa Fe. He found other traders, silver, gold and furs. He made a large profit!! The next spring he headed to Santa Fe with more supplies. He took a shortcut through a deadly desert.

He took his goods on covered wagons, which Westerners called prairie schooners. Their billowing white canvas tops made them look like schooners, or sailing ships.

As his traders crossed the burning sands, they ran out of water. Crazed by thirst, they lopped off mules’ ears and killed their dogs to drink the animals’ blood. Finally, the men found a stream that saved them from death and they made it to Santa Fe.

Oregon Fever Settlers and farmers went to Oregon for land. Missionaries went to convert Native Americans. Oregon had fertile soil and lots of rain!

They took the Oregon Trail which was dangerous, so pioneers joined wagon trains. They knew their survival would depend on cooperation. The wagon trains elected leaders and voted on rules.

The Sager Family (with six children) headed out on the Oregon Trail. Mrs. Sager gave birth to her 7th child on the trail. One daughter fell under a moving wagon and her leg was crushed. “Camp fever” killed both Sager parents. The Whitmans adopted the Sager children.

The Mormon Trail Mormons migrated for religious reasons. They settled Utah and were members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Mormons lived in close communities, worked hard, shared their goods, and prospered.

They made enemies though. People were opposed to their practice of polygamy. 1844 Brigham Young moved his people out of the United States.

He took the Mormons to Utah, hoping they would be left alone. They followed part of the Oregon Trail. They built a new settlement by the Great Salt Lake. Utah had little rainfall and the Mormons had to build dams and canals.

The Texas Revolution Section 2

Spanish Texas Spanish officials wanted more settlers to move to Texas so they would help defend against Native Americans and Americans who illegally sneaked into Texas. After Mexico gained its independence from Spain, Stephen Austin’s land grant was worthless!

Stephen F. Austin

Many Americans went to Texas! Some were looking for a new life, some were escaping from the law, and others were looking for a chance to grow rich. Americans were used to governing themselves and resented following Mexican laws. Most Americans didn’t speak Spanish and were unhappy that all official documents had to be in that language. Slave owners were especially upset when Mexico outlawed slavery in 1829.

The Alamo Santa Anna’s troops surrounded San Antonio and began the siege of the Alamo. The Alamo defenders held off the Mexican attack for 12 violent days. In the 13th day, the Mexicans stormed the Alamo. All but 5 Texans were dead.

Annexation Northerners objected to Texas annexation since it would become a slave state. Others feared annexation would cause a war with Mexico.

The War with Mexico Section 3

Manifest Destiny suggested that expansion was not only good but bound to happen! Sea to shining sea! Texas was admitted as a slave state in 1845. Texas and Mexico could not agree on the official border. President Polk (11th president) sent Slidell to Mexico to offer to buy the disputed land in Texas and the Mexican-owned territories of California and New Mexico. Mexico refused.

When Zachary Taylor’s troops blockaded the Rio Grande, Mexico saw the action as an invasion and attacked! Stephen Kearney captured New Mexico without firing a shot! California settlers led by John C. Fremont, overthrew the Mexican government and established an independent nation called the Republic of California. U.S. troops arrived and gained control of California.

General Taylor’s troops moved south from Texas to Monterrey, In 1847, Santa Anna’s troops fought Taylor’s troops at the Battle of Buena Vista. The Mexicans lost. General Winfield Scott moved toward Mexico City and captured the capital. The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hildago ended the war and forced Mexico to cede nearly 1/3th of its territories to the U.S. Gadsden Purchase in 1853 added more land.

Taylor

California Gold Rush Section 4

CAUSES Miners found gold in the streams flowing out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In 1849, thousands of gold seekers set out to make their fortunes. They were called the ‘49ers.

Effects 250,000 people flooded into California. Economic growth changed California permanently. San Francisco became a center of banking, manufacturing, shipping and trade. Sacramento became the center of a productive farming region.

Miners from all over the world journeyed to California for the gold rush in 1849.

Californians were not respected. Native Americans suffered from diseases and racism. 1849 California had enough people to apply for statehood.

Growth of the United States, 1783–1853

UNITED STATES in 1810 UNITED STATES in 1853 THE TEXAS REVOLUTION Americans moved into the Mexican territory of Texas. Conflicts led those Americans to revolt, and Texas gained independence. UNITED STATES in 1810 THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH The discovery of gold lured thousands of people to California. California’s economy and population grew, resulting in statehood. TRAILS WEST Mountain men and traders opened trails in the Far West. Pioneers then went west to gain land, wealth, or religious freedom. THE WAR WITH MEXICO President Polk wanted to expand the nation. He negotiated to gain Oregon. The United States fought Mexico to gain much of the Southwest. UNITED STATES in 1853