1. MANIFEST DESTINY
WESTWARD EXPANSION

2. MANIFEST DESTINY
The belief that the United States was meant to span from sea to sea

3. POLITICAL
NATIONALISM- Americans loved their country. Spread democracy from sea to shining sea!!
NATIONAL SECURITY- Feared we might be endangered by foreign powers. To conquer that fear, conquer more land!
BY FORCE- Expand across the continent. Use force if necessary to remove Indians & Mexicans.

4. ECONOMIC
FAMILY FARMERS- Dreamed of owning own farms. Frontier land was cheap and sometimes free!!
BUSINESSMEN- Non-farmers could start their own business
UNEMPLOYED- When faced with unemployment in cities, they were advised: “Go West young man!”
SOUTHERN SLAVEHOLDERS- Soil in plantations were depleted of minerals. Land ownership associated with wealth and political power.
SEA MERCHANTS- Merchants on the East Coast wanted to trade with countries in the Pacific.

6. SOCIAL
RELIGIOUS MISSION- America was destined by God to expand its borders.
WHITE SUPREMACY- White man had the right to destroy anything and anyone who got in the way. (Indians & Mexicans)
PROGRESS- Could make better use of the land than those who occupied it. Brought GOD, technology, and civilization.
OUTLET FOR POPULATION- Population increase due to a high birth rate and immigration. Between 1820 & 1850, 4 million moved West!

7. DONE IN STAGES Up to 1776 East Coast Colonies
After E. of Mississippi R Treaty of Paris
After 1787 Great Lakes & Ohio R. Valley Ordinance of 1787
After Mississippi R. Valley Louisiana Purchase
After Gulf of Mexico War of 1812 / Treaty 1819
After Oregon The Oregon Trail
After California Gold Rush / 49’ers
After The Great Plains Homestead Act of 1862

8. Louisiana Purchase

9. Famous Explorers Lewis & Clark (1804)
President Jefferson sent them to explore the Louisiana Territory
They explored 8,000 miles
Sacakawea became their guide
US would claim Oregon

10. Explorers… Zebulon Pike (1806) Expeditioner, explorer, and hunter
A frontier businessman!
Climbed the Rockies
These were his favorite!
“Pike’s Peak” named after him

12. DONE IN STAGES Up to 1776 East Coast Colonies
After E. of Mississippi R Treaty of Paris
After 1787 Great Lakes & Ohio R. Valley Ordinance of 1787
After Mississippi R. Valley Louisiana Purchase
After Gulf of Mexico War of 1812 / Treaty 1819
After Oregon The Oregon Trail
After California Gold Rush / 49’ers
After The Great Plains Homestead Act of 1862

13. After the War Era of Good Feelings Nationalism
1815 to 1825
Time of peace, pride, and progress
Nationalism
Feelings of pride and loyalty to the nation
All good things must come to an end.

14. Nationalism Read pages 302-303
On a notecard, draw an illustration of one of the following:
Peace and prosperity in America
National Bank issuing a single currency
Easy interstate trade
Improve roads
Canals

15. Sectionalism brought an end to Nationalism
intense loyalty to a region due to differences regarding national issues
North vs. South vs. West

16. Issues Dividing the Nation
States’ Rights
Tariffs
National Bank
Internal Improvements
Slavery
Admitting new states to the Union
Slave state or free state
Missouri Compromise

17. DONE IN STAGES Up to 1776 East Coast Colonies
After E. of Mississippi R Treaty of Paris
After 1787 Great Lakes & Ohio R. Valley Ordinance of 1787
After Mississippi R. Valley Louisiana Purchase
After Gulf of Mexico War of 1812 / Treaty 1819
After Oregon The Oregon Trail
The Republic of Texas Mexican-American War
After California Gold Rush / 49’ers

18. Explorers… Jim Bridger (1824) A trapper, hunter, fisher, & explorer
Trail guide to the West
Went out to find the ocean --
Came across a huge body of water
and mistook it for the Pacific. It
was actually the Great Salt Lake!

20. Explorers… John C. Fremont (1840’s) Explored the region between the
Rockies and the Pacific Ocean
Created the 1st official map of the American West
Nicknamed “The Pathfinder”
Led 4 expeditions
South Pass - mapped a plateau in the Rockies
Oregon Trail - Found a trail NW of Missouri River, across Rockies, and into Oregon
Great Basin to the Pacific Coast
Try to find a RR route from Missouri to California - didn’t work!

22. WAR! Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
The first major conflict driven by Manifest Destiny was war with Mexico.
Mexican-American War ( )
Polk wanted to seize large amounts of Mexican land.
Offered to buy CA and NM for $20 million
Mexico refused
*This is where the Battle of the Alamo
comes in… Americans will win the war by
occupying Mexico’s capital in Mexico City!

23. Other Land Expansions…
Erie Canal (1825)
1000 laborers will dig by hand.
4 feet deep!
Connected the North with the West.
Revolutionized trade and transportation
California Gold Rush (1848)
A saw mill was built for a man named Sutter.
When milling, they found gold!
Became known as Sutter’s Mill (near Sacramento, CA)
In 1849, 80,000 prospectors (the 49’ers) showed up to mine gold.
The settlers established towns and cities (boomtowns) and sped up the drive for statehood.

24. Land Deals… Gadsden Purchase (1853)
The US bought a little strip of land from Mexico for $10 million.
It lies in southern Arizona and New Mexico.
It was needed to build the southern route for the transcontinental RR.

25. Communication in the West
Transcontinental Telegraph (1861)
In 1860, the Pony Express was the best form of communication.
Employers wanted orphans (risky job)
This only lasted 19
months!
Replaced by the
telegraph, which was
invented by Samuel Morse
(think Morse Code!)

26. Travel in the West Transcontinental Railroad (1869)
Made settlement in the West much easier
United the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railways - Promontory Point, Utah
Where the 2 railroads met
A golden spike is driven
into the railway connecting
the two.