Westward Expansion Mr. Bennett- 8 th Grade Social Studies

How did westward expansion change the geography of the nation and demonstrate the determination of its people?

What was the “West?”  Colonial Americans saw it as the land west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi.  Frontier- the land that forms the farthest extent of a nation’s settled regions.  Included in the West were different regions.

The Great Plains  between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. Farmers did not think it would be good for farming.

The Northwest  fertile land from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Oregon and Washington today.

The Southwest  originally land owned by Spain and Mexico. Today they include the states of California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and part of Colorado.

Mexican Settlements  Mexico wins its independence from Spain.

Manifest Destiny  “The American claim is by the right of our manifest [obvious] destiny to overspread and possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and …self-government entrusted us.”  The U.S. was destined to extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean or from “sea to shining sea.”

Manifest Destiny

Trails to the West  Settlers faced many challenges moving west.

Traders Lead the Way  Traders Lead the Way  First Americans to go into the Far West were traders looking for new markets to sell their goods.  The Santa Fe Trail  An international trading route from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Oregon  John Jacob Astor establishes the American Fur Company in Oregon.  Mountain Men -Fur trappers of the Northwest  The Oregon Trail  First people to travel to Oregon are missionaries. They wanted to spread their religion to Native Americans.  -2,000 miles-from Missouri to Oregon.  -Settlers traveled together in wagon trains for protection.

Women and Native Americans  Women in the West  worked along side the men.  had more rights in the West.  Native Americans and Settlers  often times there was conflict.

Utah and California  How did Mormon Settlement and the gold rush lead to changes in the west?

Mormons Settle Utah  Utah located in the lands acquired via the Mexican Cession.  Mormons settled there.  Mormons- a religious group started by Joseph Smith in  Grew fast but often led to conflict with others because of their way of life:  Believed in communal living and polygamy - the practice of having more than one wife at a time.

Mormons on the move  Hostile communities forced Mormons from New York to Ohio and then to Missouri and eventually Illinois.  Leader Joseph Smith was murdered in Illinois.  New Mormon leader, Brigham Young no longer felt safe in Illinois and decided to move the Mormons to the valley of the Great Salt Lake.

Conflict with the Government  Over Three Issues:  Election process in Utah- non-Mormons not allowed to vote  The Church only supported businesses owned by Mormons.  Polygamy- illegal in the rest of the country.  Issues were not resolved for over 40 years.  Finally in 1896, Utah became a state but had to give up polygamy.

The California Gold Rush  California in 1848 had 10,000 people.  Mostly Mexican, called Californios.  After Mexican Cession, easterners started moving there.  Gold is discovered at Sutter’s Mill in 1848  By 1849, the California gold rush had begun.  Prospect of finding gold attracted 80,000 people  Called 49ers - people who came to California in search of gold.

Water Rights  In the gold fields there were often disputes over water rights or the legal rights to use the water in a stream, river, or other body.  Disputes often erupted in violence.

Life in Mining Towns  Towns were not very permanent  People left when gold was discovered elsewhere.  Not many struck it rich

California’s Changing Population  Men from China, Europe, African-Americans all came in search of gold.  Chinese were often given the worst jobs in the mines.  Southerners tried to bring slaves but the miners would not allow it.  By 1879, San Francisco has 100,000 people.

California  Admitted as a state in 1850.

Questions  Why did the Mormons move to Utah?  Which groups migrated to California after 1848?