1. The Oregon Country and Texas Independence
Chapter 12 Section 1 & 2 Pp

2. Oregon Country
Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains north of California
Present-day Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming
By 1818, U.S. and Britain had joint occupation of the area
People from both countries could settle there

4. Mountain Men
Tough, indepedent men who spent most of their time in the Rocky Mountains
Fur Traders
Many had Native American wives and adopted Native American ways
Buffalo skin lodges, buckskin pants, moccasins, and beads
Would later serve as guides for people moving west

5. The Oregon Trail Early 1840s
“Oregon Fever”
The Panic of 1837 caused many people to migrate westward
Tens of thousands made the trip
Emigrants: A person who leaves a country or region to live elsewhere

6. Oregon Trail

7. The Oregon Trail 2,000 mile journey
Prairie Schooners: Canvas-covered wagons
Trail began in Independence, Missouri
Ended in Champoeg, Oregon

8. Manifest Destiny
John O’ Sullivan (New York newspaper editor) coined the term
Beliefs of Manifest Destiny:
America is special
America should serve as a model of freedom and democracy
America should spread freedom by occupying the entire continent
America’s destiny to overspread and to possess the whole continent
J.Q. Adams: It is inevitable that America will spread to the Pacific

9. Manifest Destiny

10. Land Grants Texas belonged to Mexico
Few people lived in Texas (about 3,000 people)
Spain offered vast tracts of land to people who agreed to bring their families
In return, settlers agreed to learn Spanish, become Mexican citizens, convert to Catholicism, and obey Mexican law

11. Growing Tension 1830 Americans outnumber Mexicans
Did not adopt Mexican ways
Mexican government orders a stop to immigration from the U.S.
Tariffs were also used to stop trade between Texas and U.S.

12. The Struggle for Independence
1835
Unrest in Texas over their lack of rights
Santa Anna (Dictator of Mexico) sent an army to punish the rebels

13. The Battle of the Alamo San Antonio- 1836
Small Texan force barricaded inside a mission (church)
180 Texan soldiers vs several thousand Mexican troops
Texans held off for 12 days before Mexican soldiers killed all of the defenders
Including:
Davy Crockett, William Travis, and Jim Bowie

14. The Alamo

15. Texas Declares Independence
March 2, Texas Declaration of Independence
May 14, 1836
Santa Anna recognizes Texas independence
September, 1836
Andrew Jackson refused to annex, take control of, Texas
Upset the balance of free and slave states

16. The Road to Statehood Texas Mounting debt
Congress and Presidents avoided annexing Texas in order to keep the balance between the North and the South
This changed with Manifest Destiny and the Oregon Territory
James K. Polk annexed Texas in 1845
Oregon would balance out the North and the South

17. Quiz 1. Who were the Mountain Men?
2. What caused tens of thousands of people to journey on the Oregon Trail?
3. Who coined the term “Manifest Destiny?” What was his job?
4. What are the basic beliefs of Manifest Destiny?
5. What happened at the Alamo?
6. Why did so many presidents hesitate to annex Texas?