1. The United States Expanded from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Manifest Destiny
The United States Expanded from the Atlantic to the Pacific
in 50 years

2. Manifest Destiny
A belief shared by many Americans in the mid 1800s that the United States should expand across the continent to the Pacific Ocean.
President Polk believed it was our manifest destiny, or “obvious fate” to settle land all the way to the Pacific Ocean in order to spread democracy.

3. Florida: 1819
The U.S. wanted to take Florida from Spain because of attacks by Seminole Indians and runaway slaves in Georgia.
In 1819, President Monroe sent General Andrew Jackson to Florida to help protect the U.S. border.
Jackson invaded Florida and overthrew the governor of Florida. He had no direct orders from President Monroe.
Spain gave Florida to the U.S. in exchange for $5 million and control of Texas.

4. Texas: 1830s Stephen Austin In 1821, Texas was a part of Mexico.
By 1830, 25,000 Americans were living in Texas. They were required to become Mexican citizens and become Catholic.
The Americans had to follow Mexican law.
When Americans complained, Mexico closed Texas to further American immigration.
Stephen Austin

5. Texas Revolution: 1835-36 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
In February 23- March 6, 1836, Mexico attacked the Texans at the Alamo. This 13-day siege resulted in the killing of all the Americans (except some women, children and slaves).
In April, the Mexican army massacred the Texan rebels at Goliad.
After the Alamo and Goliad, Sam Houston surprise attacked Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. “Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”
Texas won its independence.
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

6. Texas Statehood: 1845 Sam Houston
Santa Anna was captured and forced to sign a treaty giving Texas its independence.
Texas became an independent nation in 1836 called the Lone Star Republic.
Annexation of Texas was delayed:
Worry that adding Texas as a slave state would upset the balance between free and slave states
Fear that annexing Texas would lead to war with Mexico
Texas joined the U.S. and became the 28th state in 1845.
Sam Houston

7. Oregon Country: 1846
In 1820, both the U.S. and Britain claimed to own Oregon Country.
In the 1830s and 1840s, thousands of American pioneers were going west to settle in Oregon Country.
Neither Polk nor Britain wanted war.
Britain and the U.S. compromised. They split Oregon in half at the 49th parallel. The U.S. got the southern half.

8. War with Mexico:
President Polk wanted to expand the U.S. territory clear to the Pacific Ocean.
He offered to buy California and New Mexico territories from Mexico for $30 million. Mexico refused.
After the U.S. annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico and the U.S. disagreed on the Texas border
The U.S. sent troops to patrol the border.
Conflict broke out and the Mexican army killed U.S. troops on “disputed land.”
Polk declared war, claiming Mexico spilled American blood on American land.

9. War with Mexico: 1846-48 Battle of Buena Vista
The U.S. Army had better weapons and equipment, but it was greatly outnumbered by the Mexican forces and was poorly prepared.
The U.S. took New Mexico territory without a fight and claimed the territory.
Zachary Taylor defeats Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista.
U.S. troops under Winfred Scott (“old fuss and feathers”) capture Mexico City.
This led to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war.
Battle of Buena Vista

10. Mexican Cession: 1848
In the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico gave the U.S. the territories of California, Nevada and Utah, most of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
The US also claimed Texas north of the Rio Grande
The U.S. paid $15 million for the territory
Today this is the American southwest.
Mexican Cession increased the size of the US by 25%

11. Gadsden Purchase: 1853
After the war with Mexico, Americans wanted to guarantee that any southern railroad to California would be built completely on American soil.
US paid $10 million for the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
The existing boundary between the U.S. and Mexico was fixed.

12. Donner Party: 1846
Settlers bound for California took a southern route known as the California Trail. This path went through the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Settlers tried to cross the mountains before the first snow.
Guidebooks helped pioneers find their way.
Lansford Hastings wrote the “Emigrants Guide to Oregon and California.” Hastings’ guide advertised a new shortcut that would save miles. Hastings had never traveled the route himself.
Following Hastings’ guide and shortcut, The Donner Party left the California trail and got lost. They were trapped in the Sierra Nevada in winter. They were stuck without food and resorted to eating the dead to survive. 42 of 87 died.

13. California Gold Rush: 1849 Sutter’s Mill
Gold was found in Sutter’s Mill in 1848.
In 1849, about 80,000 gold seekers, known as forty-niners, came to California hoping to strike it rich.
Panning for gold was the simplest method.
A miner fills a pan with dirt. He then puts the pan under water and shakes it until any gold settles on the bottom.
Sutter’s Mill

14. California Gold Rush: 1849
Mining camps sprung up whenever enough people gathered to look for gold.
At the mining camps, many people prospected (searched for gold). Others ran businesses that catered to the miners - laundry, food, innkeepers, legal services, supplies
Famine and economic hardship in China brought many Chinese to California. However, they faced discrimination and a high tax on foreign miners.

15. Impact of Gold Rush The arrival of 49ers created a population boom
Immigration increased diversity of population
California became a state in 1 year
Growth of new businesses and industry transformed California’s economy
Gold mining was important, but farming and ranching grew
Discrimination of Californios and Native Americans