Moving West Fur traders, land speculators, & people searching for gold traveled west 1830s Missionaries on the Oregon Trail reported the beauty of the land Resulted in “Oregon Fever” of the 1840s

Oregon Country Democrats in 1844 election called for U.S. ownership of all of Oregon Oregon Treaty (1846) extended the existing U.S. – Canada boundary at the 49 th parallel west to the Pacific

Trails Westward

Impact of the Gold Rush Rapid population increase in CA; much diversity San Francisco grew into a major port city Increased incentive for building a transcontinental railroad Indian populations along the trails were devastated Extreme damage to the environment from mining