1. Map of United States Circa 1830
Manifest Destiny
US History McIntyre
Map of United States Circa 1830

2. What is Manifest Destiny?
American Progress Color Lithograph by George A. Crofutt and John Gast

3. What is “Manifest Destiny”
Belief that the US should expand its territory from coast to coast
The idea that God gave Americans the continent and wanted them to settle western lands

4. US Territorial Expansion
When?
A - 13 Original Colonies
1776
From Where?
Great Britain
Why? A
US declared independence from Great Britain

5. US Territorial Expansion
When?
B - Western Lands
1783
From Where?
Great Britain
Why?
Part of results of Treaty of Paris (ended Revolutionary War) A B

6. US Territorial Expansion
When?
C - Louisiana Purchase
1803
From Where?
France
Why?
Napoleon needed $
Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans
He got all of this instead! A C B

7. US Territorial Expansion
When?
D - Florida
1819
From Where?
Spain
Why?
Andrew Jackson invaded
Spain then sold it to us for $5 million in the Adams-Onis Treaty A C B D

8. Thinking Question
(don’t write this down!! Just think!)
Why weren’t Americans happy with the size of their country at this point in their history?

9. Mr. Manifest Destiny James K. Polk Elected 11th President in 1845-1849
Added more territory to the US (by any means) than any other President
Died 103 days after his single term ended
Born in Pineville, NC
UNC Chapel Hill graduate
Democrat
Settled the disputed Oregon territory

10. US Territorial Expansion
When?
E - Texas
1845
From Where?
Republic of Texas (Independent Country)
Why?
Texas independent from Mexico in 1836
Northerners feared it would become a slave state
Fears finally overcome in 1844 Presidential election A C B E D

11. Texas Mexico invited Americans gave cheap land Mexican citizens
live under their laws
convert to Catholicism

12. Empresarios Stephen Austin
Promised to fill land with a certain number of people

13. Don’t Mess with Texas
After attempts to become independent, Mexico closed borders to all Americans
Banned slave labor
Taxed imports

14. What is Texas? DO NOT WRITE
Ruled by Mexico or Empresarios?
The settlers did not bother to learn Spanish or convert to Catholicism.

15. Texas / Lone Star Republic timeline
1821 – Mexico becomes independent of Spain
– Mexico offers land grants to settlers
1823 – Stephen Austin led 300 families to Texas
1830 – Mexico closes the border to the US
1836 – the Battle of the Alamo
1836 – Texas declares its Independence from Mexico
1845 – Texas becomes the 28th state

16. Texas war

17. Alamo today

18. US Territorial Expansion
When?
F - Oregon Territory
1846
From Where?
Great Britain
Why?
Claimed by four countries (G. Britain, Russia, Spain, & US)
Americans demanded “54° 40’ or fight!”
Britain compromised 49° & US accepted F A C B E D

19. US Territorial Expansion
When?
G - Mexican Cession
1848
From Where?
Mexico
Why?
Polk offers to buy G from Mexico & they refuse
War!
US wins
In Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, US offers $15 million for G F A C B G E D

20. US Territorial Expansion
When?
H-Gadsden Purchase
1848
From Where?
Mexico
Why?
Needed for completion of Railroads
Purchase for $10 million F A C B G E D H

21. Land acquisitions map

22. Squatters Settled on lands they did not own
WHO WENT WEST?
Squatters
Settled on lands they did not own
Preemption Act of 1830: government guaranteed squatters could claim land and buy up to 160 acres at 1.25$/acre

23. Advances Jethro Wood: iron-bladed plow
John Deere: plow with sharp edged steel blades
Cyrus McCormick: reaper pulled by horse/mule

24. Prairie Schooner

25. Trails map

26. Oregon Trail
Developed by early traders and fur trappers, known as Mountain Men.
Independence, Missouri to Portland, Oregon
People began moving to Oregon in the 1830’s, and by there were over 5,000 whites permanently settled in the Oregon Territory
The journey took several months and was very difficult. Settlers endured:
Rough roads/trails
Sickness
Indian attacks
Hot summers, cold winters

27. Santa Fe Trail
Trade route between Independence, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico
Traders developed a caravan system to pass through dangerous Indian lands
Settlers adopted this technique to get to California, Oregon, and Utah
People gained economically from the trade, but also realized there was a lot of open land with little control by the Mexican government

28. Mormons
1830 – Joseph Smith founded the Mormon church in Kirkland, Ohio
1839 – Following grew to 15,000; they moved west to Illinois, where Joseph Smith was killed
1847 – Brigham Young led the Mormons west, where they eventually ended up in present day Salt Lake City, Utah

29. What about the Native Americans?
Traded goods and information with settlers
Treaty of Fort Laramie: 8 groups agreed to boundaries in return for that land being theirs forever

30. Discussion Question (Don’t write!! Just think!)
Why does the U.S. keep offering countries money for territories we gain through war (Ex. Florida and Mexico)?