Chapter 12, Section 1 The Oregon Country

Oregon Country Oregon Country contained what is now Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, plus parts of Montana and Wyoming Britain, Russia, Spain and the United States claimed the territory

Oregon Country

Adams-Onis Treaty Negotiated by John Quincy Adams The Spanish agreed to set the limits of their territory at what is now California’s northern border and gave up their claim to Oregon Britain and America decided to share joint occupation of the territory

Adams-Onis Treaty

Mountain Men The first Americans to reach Oregon Country were fur traders John Jacob Astor organized the American Fur Company, which allowed him to build up trade with the East Coast, the Pacific Northwest and China For mountain men, the rendezvous was the high point of the year The South Pass was the main route settlers took to Oregon

The Whitman Mission Among the first settlers of Oregon were missionaries who wanted to bring Christianity to Native Americans New settlers brought measles to the mission, killing many Native American children The Native Americans attacked the mission and killed the Whitmans

The Oregon Trail In the 1840’s, “Oregon Fever” had hit and the Great Migration had begun with tens of thousands of emigrants heading out to Oregon Country Starting in Independence, Missouri, the Oregon Trail went across the Great Plains, along the Platte River, and through the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains.

The Oregon Trail

Expansion of Freedom In the 1800’s, many people believed that the United State’s mission was to spread freedom and democracy by occupying the entire continent

Manifest Destiny New York newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan coined the term, “Manifest Destiny.” He said that the United States was ordained by God to spread its culture from sea to shining sea (or all the way to the Pacific Ocean)

“Fifty-Four, Forty, or Fight!” James K. Polk was the Democratic nominee for president. His campaign slogan was “Fifty-Four, Forty or Fight!” In other words, we would have sole occupation of Oregon Country or we would fight for it! Polk beat Clay in the election, who did not take a stand on Oregon Country

Reaching a Settlement In June, 1846, Britain and America reached a compromise setting the boundary between American and British portions of Oregon at latitude 49 degrees north America had officially extended its territory to the Pacific Ocean