 1840’s expansion of the west exploded. Felt moving westward was predestined by God  Reasons – abundance of land, new markets, new opportunities, spread Christianity  "(It is)..our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty" In 1845 these words were written by John O'Sullivan, a democrat leader and editor newspaper

 Texans claimed independence from Mexico - war  -Remember the ALAMO(1836) The Mexican army killed all 187 US defenders  Then Sam Houston and his rebels attacked a Mexican army and cried “Remember the Alamo” which ended the war and Texas gained independence

 1845 –Texas entered the Union  Pres. Polk –wanted all the land to the Rio Grande –  Tried peace talks – Mexico refused  Called for War  Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo -Mexico agreed to border at the Rio Grande plus US gained NM and CA The US paid Mexico 15 million for the land.

 Gold found  Forty -niners  CA population rose from 400 (1848) to 44,000 (1850) to 100,000(1859)  Revolutionized California’s economy

 Second Great Awakening  1790’s to 1830’s a Christian movement that focus on revivals

California – Free State New Mexico and Utah – Popular Sovereignty Tougher Fugitive Slave law Texas - $10 million DC gets rid of Slave Trade New Mexico gets Texas Territory

 Kansas would be a slave state and Nebraska would be a free state.  Totally wrecked the Missouri Compromise  Technically – it would be decided by popular sovereignty

 Small civil war concerning slavery in Kansas Border Ruffians vs Free Staters  People are divided and angry  Border Ruffians burned and ransacked Lawrence, KS  1856 – US Senate  Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner – made an ugly speech about the South (especially SC)  A SC senator – Preston Brooks gets up and strikes Sumner with a cane!!

 Brooks resigned his seat, but was reelected  Sumner had to leave for treatment in Europe  The Kansas problem spilled over into the Senate.  John Brown

March 6, 1857 Ruled that slaves can’t go to Federal court Slaves are property and can be taken anywhere Chief Justice Roger Taney Said that Congress cannot ban slavery

 ABOLITION- the movement to free African Americans from slavery

 White abolitionist called for immediate freedom of slaves  In the very first issue of his anti- slavery newspaper, the Liberator, William Lloyd Garrison stated, "I do not wish to think, or speak, or write, with moderation.... I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD

 Escaped from bondage in 1831 at age 21  Gifted orator, editor, writer  Critic of slavery through His newspaper, The North Star  Looked at politics to change slavery

 Slaves rebelled against their conditions led by Nat Turner, a VA slave in August 1831  Turner and 50 others attacked 4 plantations and killed around 60  Eventually Turner and followers were captured and killed  Importance- scared slaveholders and encouraged the abolitionist movement  Including the Raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859

 Women played important roles in reform:  Abolitionists  Temperance (effort to prohibit alcohol)  Education  Health Care

 Seneca Falls – women’s conference calling for the right to vote “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”  Sojourner Truth – abolitionist, sought equal rights for women and African Americans

 Secret network of people who would help slaves to freedom  Harriet Tubman helped over 300 slaves to freedom

 COMPLETE THE READING NOTES AND MAP USING THE COPIED TEXT