1. THE OREGON COUNTRY California History Standard:
Analysis Skills: Chronological and Spatial Thinking #3: Students us a variety of maps… and explain the historical migration of people, expansion… and growth of economic systems
Content 8.8.2: Describe the purpose, challenges, and economic incentives associated with westward expansion, including the concept of Manifest Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark expedition, accounts of the removal of Indians, the Cherokees' "Trail of Tears," settlement of the Great Plains) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades.
Lesson Objective: examine people and groups who contributed to westward expansion by migrating west and apply key information in annotating a map

2. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Take out your research packet and turn to the map titled “THE OREGON COUNTRY”
You will need a pen, color pencils or markers

3. THE OREGON COUNTRY
In the early 1800s, Oregon included all of the land along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Spanish California. Four countries claimed this region.

4. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Spain said it owned Oregon because of the expeditions of Balboa and other Spanish explorers during the 1500s and 1600s.

5. THE OREGON COUNTRY
England based its claim on the voyages along the Oregon coast by Sir Francis Drake (1579), Captain James Cook (1778), and Captain George Vancouver (1792).

6. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Russia, which owned Alaska, wanted Oregon because Russian explorers and fur trappers had gone there in the 1700s.

7. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The United States pointed out that Captain Robert Gray had traded with the Oregon Indians for furs during the 1780s.

8. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The furs were then carried to China and exchanged for silk, tea, and other goods.

9. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Captain Gray discovered a river which he named for his ship, the Columbia.

10. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Lewis and Clark strengthened the American claim by visiting Oregon in 1805, while exploring the Louisiana Territory.

11. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
Next to Arrow 1 (Caribbean), print 1513: Balboa discovers the Pacific and claims all land which borders it, including Oregon, for Spain.

12. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
In the area which today is Mexico and the southwestern United States, print Spanish territory until Mexico gained its independence in 1821.

13. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
Print these explorers and countries along the dotted lines:
Arrow 2 – 1579: Sir Francis Drake (England);
Arrow 3 – 1778: James Cook (England);
Arrow 4 – 1788: Robert Gray (United States);
Arrow 5 – 1792: George Vancouver (England);
Arrow 6 – : Lewis & Clark (United States).

14. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map: Label the Columbia River,
Pacific Ocean,
Rocky Mountains,

15. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
Label the United States, and British Canada.
BRITISH CANADA
UNITED STATES

16. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
In parentheses underneath “ALASKA”, print Russian territory.
Along Arrow 7 from Alaska to Oregon, print Russian fur traders.

17. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Lightly shade the Oregon Country.

18. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Spain and Russia eventually gave up their claims to the Oregon Country. In 1818, Great Britain and the United States signed a treaty which allowed citizens of both nations to live there.

19. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The first white settler in Oregon was John Jacob Astor, an American fur trader.

20. THE OREGON COUNTRY
He built a fur-trading post at Astoria, near the mouth of the Columbia River.

21. THE OREGON COUNTRY
British traders employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company founded Fort Vancouver.

22. THE OREGON COUNTRY
John McLoughlin, who directed the operations of the Hudson’s Bay Company, acted as governor for about 20 years.

23. THE OREGON COUNTRY
McLoughlin established good relations with the Indians, and welcomed settlers as well as fur traders to the region. But few settlers moved to Oregon during the 1820s and 1830s.

24. THE OREGON COUNTRY
In the late 1830s, some American missionaries arrived to teach Christianity to the Indians.

25. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The missionaries included Henry and Eliza Spalding, and Marcus and Narcissa Whitman.

26. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Many easterners, including people who had lost their jobs during the Panic of 1837, began forming wagon trains to go to Oregon. Most of the pioneers gathered at Independence, Missouri.

27. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The Whitmans wrote letters to friends back East describing the abundant wildlife, beautiful mountains, and fertile river valleys.

28. THE OREGON COUNTRY
As many as a hundred wagons or more would leave together on the 2,000-mile journey over the Oregon Trail. Their destination was the Willamette Valley, famous for its rich farmland.

29. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
Next to dot 8, print 1843: First wagon train leaves Independence, Missouri.
Label the dotted line leading to dot 10 Oregon Trail.

30. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map: Print Astoria next to dot 9, and
Print Fort Vancouver next to dot 10.
South of Fort Vancouver, print Willamette Valley.

31. THE OREGON COUNTRY
In 1844, James K. Polk used the slogan “54-40 or Fight!” during his campaign for President - a reference to the latitude line which marked the northern boundary of Oregon.

32. THE OREGON COUNTRY
Many Americans demanded that Great Britain give up its claim to Oregon, so the United States could own all of it.

33. THE OREGON COUNTRY
But after Polk became President, the Americans and British decided to end their “joint occupation” (shared ownership) of Oregon by dividing the territory between them.

34. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The boundary became the 49th parallel, the same line which separated the United States and Canada farther east. President Polk was happy to solve the Oregon question peacefully.

35. THE OREGON COUNTRY
The compromise was needed to avoid conflict with Britain – Polk knew that a war was near with Mexico because of the annexation of Texas, and a dispute over the boundary between Mexico and the United States.

36. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
Next to the northern boundary of the Oregon Country, print 1844: James K. Polk “54-40 or Fight!”

37. THE OREGON COUNTRY On the map:
Next to the dashed line which shows the division of Oregon Country, print 1846: U.S. and Great Britain divide Oregon at 49th parallel.

38. THE OREGON COUNTRY On a separate sheet of paper:
1. In your opinion, did Spain, Russia, Great Britain, or the United States have the strongest claim to the Oregon Country? Explain your answer. (30-40 words)

39. THE OREGON COUNTRY On a separate sheet of paper:
2. Instead of dividing the Oregon Country with Great Britain, do you think the United States should have followed President James K. Polk’s campaign slogan “ or Fight!”? (30-40 words)

40. THE OREGON COUNTRY On a separate sheet of paper:
3. Give the meaning of the following terms (10-20 words each):
missionaries
joint occupation
49th parallel

41. THE OREGON COUNTRY On a separate sheet of paper:
4. Identify these people (10-20 words each):
Captain Robert Gray
John McLoughlin
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman
President James K. Polk