1. New States: Texas & Oregon

2. Texas, No Longer A Loner
*Texas became the 28th state of the USA in
*To balance the free/slave states, Iowa and Wisconsin were added as the 29th and 30th states (both “free” states)

3. James K. Polk
*Although originally thought to be an unlikely winner of the presidency, James K. Polk’s slogan “Fifty-four forty or fight” (referring to the latitude line of the Northwest territories) gave him popularity, leading to his election in 1844.
[video] EoBGs

4. Everybody Loves Oregon
4 countries originally interested:
*Spain, Russia, England, and the USA
*Spain and Russia backed out (1819/1824)
*England & the USA (jointly owned it)

5. Hudson’s Bay Company
A very successful company for the British in the Oregon Territory—fur trading.
[video]

6. Established a Methodist mission in the Oregon Territory in 1833.
Jason Lee
Established a Methodist mission in the Oregon Territory in 1833.

7. The missionaries were on to something…
After Jason Lee and several other missionaries traveled out West for mission work:
* “The Great Migration”—In 1843 over settlers traveled out West to Oregon by a wagon train.
* “The Oregon Trail”—A 2,000 mile trip from Independence, Missouri, through the Rocky Mountains, and out to Oregon.
[video]

8. 54-40 or Fight?...Nah…
With problems brewing down South with Mexico, James K. Polk went against his slogan and accepted a treaty, giving the US the 49th parallel.
No 54-40/No fight/No big deal though…