Opening the West It took Americans a century and a half to expand as far west as the Appalachian Mountains, a few hundred miles from the Atlantic coast. It took another 50 years to push the frontier to the Mississippi River. By l830 fewer than 100,000 pioneers had crossed the Mississippi.

Opening the West Major Stephen H. Long in 1820 described the West as "wholly unfit for cultivation, and...uninhabitable by a people depending upon agriculture for their subsistence.“ Led to the Great Plains being called the “Great American Desert” Retarded the growth

Trailblazing The Santa Fe and Oregon Trails were the two principal routes to the Far West. William Becknell, an American trader, opened the Santa Fe Trail in The Santa Fe Trail served primarily commercial functions

Trailblazing In 1811 and 1812, fur trappers marked out the Oregon Trail, the longest and most famous pioneer route in American history The journey by wagon train took six months. Settlers encountered prairie fires, sudden blizzards, and impassable mountains. Cholera and other diseases were common, and food, water, and wood were scarce.

The Oregon Trail Pioneers gathered at Independence and St. Joseph, Missouri, and Council Bluffs, Iowa, to begin a 2,000 mile journey westward. Between 1841 and 1867, more than 350,000 trekked along the overland trails. Pioneers buried at least 20,000 emigrants along the Oregon Trail.

Overland Immigration to the West  Between 1840 and 1860, more than 250,000 people made the trek westward.

The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869

The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or Fight!  By the mid- 1840s, “Oregon Fever” was spurred on by the promise of free land.  The joint British- U. S. occupation ended in 1846.

Conflict with Britain Both Britain and the United States claimed Oregon which extended to Russian Alaska. The feud was over furs. By early 1840’s the fur market had dropped and the U.S. and Britain settled on a boundary the 42 parallel

“American Progress” by John Gast, 1872

John C. Fremont In 1842 – 1844 John C. Fremont of the Army Topographical Corps - scientific expedition into the Rocky Mountains - guided by the mountain man Kit Carson Names a peak after himself On his return, Fremont's account of the expedition and expert maps are ordered published by Congress.

California 1846 In March, John C. Fremont, on his third expedition raises the American flag over California at an improvised fort near Monterey. He receives word of the impending Mexican War and returns to California to play a part in its conquest.

California Americans quickly defeat the Mexican forces in California and immediately start to take land from the Mexican Ranchos, who had wanted U.S. to take over California.

The Gold Rush 1848THE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH On January 24, James Marshall, a veteran of the Bear Flag Revolt, discovers gold on the American River while building a lumber mill for John Sutter. A brief report of the discovery appears in a San Francisco newspaper in mid-March, where it goes mostly unnoticed. In May, Sam Brannan, a Mormon elder who owns a store near Sutter's Fort, arrives in San Francisco with a bottle of gold dust and a plan to draw potential customers for his supplies. Walking through the streets with the gold dust in his hand, he shouts, "Gold! Gold from the American River!" Brannan's publicity stunt sets off a gold rush that will draw fortune-hunters from around the world.

California Gold Rush 1849Forty-niners heading for California's gold fields –network of trails across the continent, –Forty-niners come west by ship, sailing around Cape Horn or crossing by canoe and donkey train through the jungles of Panama

California Gold Rush 1849 year's end, over 80,000 fortune- seekers have made their way to California nearly tripling the territory's population 1850 California enters the Union. Anti immigration sentiment – Foreign miner laws

The Mormon Experience

Leaving Illinois Now led by Brigham Young, a large contingent of Mormons leave Illinois for Mexican territory which is now Utah. The Mormons split on the issue of polygamy. The polygamist move to Utah

Utah Build Salt Lake City and become a very successful settlement. 1848, Utah becomes part of the U.S. 1890, polygamy is banned by the church 1896, Utah becomes a state.

Territorial Growth to 1853

Free Soil Party Free Soil! Free Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!  “Barnburners” – discontented northern Democrats.  Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties.  Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new territories!  “Barnburners” – discontented northern Democrats.  Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties.  Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new territories! WHY?

The 1848 Presidential Election Results √