1. “Go West Young Man” - Horace Greeley
Westward Expansion

2. Themes Expansion of U.S. territory:
- Texas, Oregon, California, and Southwest
Manifest Destiny
Personalities: Stephen Austin and James K. Polk

3. Move West!

4. Move West!

5. Early Settlement and Texas
In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain
In early 1820s about 3,000 illegal immigrants (mostly from the United States) lived in Mexico
Mexican Government: Passed legislation hoping immigrants would become loyal Mexican citizens

6. Mexican Colonization Law (1824)
American immigrants could receive a League and Labor of land if they
Became Mexican citizens
Obeyed Mexican laws
Converted to Catholicism

7. League and Labor League- 4,400 acres of grazing land
Labor – 170 acres of farmland

8. Texas Colonizer Stephen Austin
An empresario who led many American families to Texas
Over 35,000 Americans had moved to Mexico Texas by 1835
Texans
- Former American citizens who moved to Texas
The majority of these settlers lived in what is now east Texas

9. empresario
empresario – facilitated relocation of American families to Mexico
Agents received land grants in return for recruiting settlers to move

10. Mexican Government (A New President)
Goal of Texans and Tejanos: More autonomy
Goal of Santa Ana: Limit power of Mexican states
1829 – Mexico abolishes slavery
Law of 1830 – The Mexican government passes a law stopping legal immigration into Texas from the United States
Result- Texas War for Independence

11. Prelude to War
Many Texans are angry about the Law of 1830 led by Stephen F. Austin
In 1833, Stephen F. Austin goes to Mexico City to discuss reforms. The trip results in him arrested without any charges
1834, President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna suspends the Mexican Constitution and assumes power
Result- Texas War for Independence

12. Texas War for Independence (1835-1836)
Texans and Tejanos vs. Mexico
Sam Houston led Texan army
Some Americans became involved but not the U.S. government (stay out of foreign affairs)
Texans compared their rebellion to American Revolution

13. Texas War for Independence (1835-1836)
Texas Revolution began with the Battle of Gonzales (1835)
Mexican Army was sent to Gonzales to retrieve a canon but was defeated by John Henry Moore and Joseph W.E. Wallace
The Texans stood their ground, and the Mexican Calvary returned empty-handed to San Antonio

14. Texas War for Independence (1835-1836)
With war the only option, Austin now leader of the ALL volunteer Texan army marched out of Gonzales and to San Antonio
Two others shared command: James Bowie and James W. Fannin
Bowie and Fannin led a siege on San Antonio by wining the Battle of Concepcion in October
The siege of Bexar would come to an end on December 5 when over 300 volunteers, led by Benjamin R. Milam, into the heart of the city
After 3 days the city was taken along with the Alamo
Milam would be shop by a sniper during the siege and die instantly

15. Texas War for Independence (1835-1836)
By March 2 the Convention of 1836, formally voted for independence
The convention appointed Sam Houston major general of the Texas army
Shortly after Santa Ana’s forces grew to over 8,000 while he crossed the Rio Grande heading for San Antonio

16. The Alamo Battle of the Alamo – 187 Texans vs. 5,000 Mexicans
Texans led by Jim Bowie and William B. Travis
While waiting for reinforcements that never came, the Texans that stayed at the Alamo knew they would all die fighting
- “Remember the Alamo” became a battle cry
Davey Crocket, William B. Travis, and Jim Bowie were killed

17. The Battle of Goliad
Battle of Goliad – Santa Ana ordered the execution of over 400 prisoners of war in a Texan defeat
-James Fannin is executed

18. The Battle of Goliad

19. Texas War for Independence (1835-1836)
Battle of San Jacinto - Texans slaughter Mexicans and win the war
Santa Ana captured
Treaty of Velasco signed to end the war
- Texas independence was recognized, hostilities were ended, and the Mexican army was retired beyond the Rio Grande

20. Lone Star Republic
The Texans had won their independence and attempted to join the United States
From Texas was an independent nation: The Lone Star Republic
Because of the slavery issue, Texas was not admitted into Union
Sam Houston became the 1st President of Texas
Border at Nueces River (disputed)

21. Stephen F. Austin (Angleton, TX)

22. Sam Houston (Huntsville, TX)

23. Benjamin Milam (Milam Park, San Antonio)

24. James Bowie (Texarkana, TX)

25. Davy Crockett (Lawrenceburg, TN)

26. William B. Travis (The Alamo, San Antonio)

27. James Fannin (9 miles east of Goliad, Texas)

28. Expansion West Manifest Destiny (1840s):
The nation’s obvious destiny was that it expand from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean
“ Our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federative self-government entrusted to us”
- John L. O’Sullivan (1845)

29. Expansion West Effects of O’Sullivan
Many Americans now believe the United States was special because of its democracy
It is the duty of America to conquer the land from ocean to ocean in order to secure democracy for all
Critics have argued the United States wasn’t very democratic (women, Indians, slaves)

30. Presidential Election and Manifest Destiny
Presidential Election of 1844:
James K. Polk vs. Henry Clay
Democrat- Polk
Whig – Henry Clay
James K Polk (from Tennessee) promised to:
1. Acquire Oregon, Texas, and California
2. Retire after one term as President

31. Polk and Texas After Polk’s election but before his inauguration:
- Texas entered the Union in 1845

32. Oregon Trail
By the late 1830s, settlers began to trickle along the Oregon Trail
The 1st wagon trains headed west in 1841, and by 1843 about 1,000 emigrants a year set out from Missouri
While many lived in peace with the Indians along the trail there were some who resisted
“Savage” Indians tribes- Sioux, Cheyenne, Shoshoni, Wichita, and Comanche

33. Oregon Country
Remember – Oregon was “jointly occupied” by the United States and Great Britain since 1819
Polk’s campaign slogan: “54, 40 or Fight!”
Privately, Polk agreed to compromise with the British; the led to Oregon Treaty (1846)

34. Oregon Country

35. Oregon Treaty (1846)
49th parallel became the boundary between the United States and Great Britain (Canada)
Great Britain retained control of Vancouver Island

36. James Polk and California
Polk tried to purchase California, New Mexico, and recognition of U.S. Annexation of Texas for $25 million.
Polk wanted the Rio Grande as the Texas border
- Mexico rejected this offer
Polk took advantage of the boundary dispute to provoke a war
U.S. troops were sent into the disputed region

37. Disputed Land in Texas

38. Mexican - American War
Before Polk was about to go to Congress to ask for a declaration of war, troops were attacked on the border of deep South Texas
Congress declared war in May 1846
Polk and his allies supported the war
But many in the United States were opposed
- Expansion of slavery
- War of conquest
James K. Polk will send Zachary Taylor to fortify Brownsville, TX

39. Mexican - American War
First major battle of the War took place at Palo Alto
Location: north side of Brownsville near the present-day city of Los Fresnos, TX
Zachary Taylor had two locations to capture: Fort Texas, a recently built fort on the Rio Grande near Matamoros, and Point Isabel where his supplies were
Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant would soon fight General Mariano Arista at Palo Alto
After weeks of skirmishes the fight was a draw until Mexican troops began to retreat deeper into Mexico

40. Mexican War (1846-1848) Zachary Taylor – Monterrey and Buena Vista
Halted due to lack of supplies
Battle of Buena Vista
- U.S. troops were outnumbered; however forced the Mexican army, led by Santa Ana, to retreat

41. Mexican War (1846-1848) Stephen Kearney – New Mexico
John C. Freemont – California
Winfield Scott and Robert E Lee – the Siege of Veracruz and occupation of Mexico City

42. Mexican War (1846-1848) About 13,000 Americans died
Officers introduced: Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant
Many Mexicans became resentful of the United States

43. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Treaty that ended the Mexican War:
The Rio Grande became border between Mexico and the United States
United States received California and territory in Southwest
United States gave Mexico $15 million

44. Mexican Cession (1848)

45. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Critics)
Many criticized the Treaty; expansionists such as Polk hoped to acquire more territory (ALL of Mexico)
Biggest obstacle: American racism

46. Review
Expansion West and U.S. acquisition of Texas, Oregon, and Southwest
James K. Polk – accomplished all his goals