1. Manifest Destiny & Westward Expansion

2. Texas History Summary Notes

3. Stephen F. Austin “Father of Texas”
brought the 1st Anglo settlers to Texas in 1821

4. Sam Houston
Texas General -defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto
1st President of the Republic of Texas

5. Revolution and Independence from Mexico
Alamo – Feb/March 1836, San Antonio, Mexicans defeated outnumbered Texans
San Jacinto – April 21, 1836-Texans defeated the Mexican army and captured
Santa Anna

6. Texas as a nation (10 years)
Texas was refused admission as a state to the United States because of –
Slavery
Possible war with Mexico
Texas debt

7. Manifest Destiny
America desired to expand because it was good & meant to happen
Manifest
Clear or obvious
Destiny
Events sure to happen
Support for the idea grew in the 1840’s
Merging of political & economic goals
Many people supported expansion through any means necessary

8. United States, pre-Manifest Destiny and the Mexican War

9. Election of 1844 Polk’s campaign slogan – “Fifty-four forty or fight!”
Take over all of Oregon as the U.S. spreads west
James K. Polk’s platform was the expand our borders to the Pacific Ocean

10. Expanding West Reasons: To farm & ranch where land was plentiful
Mountain men were from many different backgrounds
Jim Beckwourth
Jedediah Smith
They explored, found new trails, shared their knowledge of the land
Reasons:
To farm & ranch where land was plentiful
Land speculators bought huge plots
Broke it down and sold it in small parts to make a large profit
Find jobs or escape debt or legal problems
Find gold and become rich

11. Blazing New Trails Oregon Trail was used to settle the area
In 1846, a formal agreement was settled which divided Oregon between U.S. & G.B.
49th parallel became boundary between U.S. & Canada
Trail was used to settle the area
First permanent settlers were missionaries

12. Mormon Trail Mormons went west seeking religious freedom
Blaze their own trail from Independence, MO to the Great Salt Lake, Utah

13. Santa Fe Trail Used to connect Missouri with the New Mexico Territory
New Mexico seen as a place where traders could get rich
Founder of the trail came back to MO with bags of gold & silver