1. Remember the Alamo!!
1836- Texas fought a war to become independent from Mexico.
1836-the Mexican army attacked and defeated Texan soldiers at the Alamo, a fort in San Antonio.
Soon after the Texans lost at the Alamo, Texan troops under Sam Houston defeated the Mexican forces.

2. It’s Hard To Be Independent!!
Texas found it very difficult to run an independent government.
Texas was its own nation from
Sam Houston was the president of Texas from and
Sam Houston and some Texans wanted to become part of the United States.
If Texas had become a state, the balance of slave and free states would have favored the South because the south would have more votes in Congress.
“Andrew Jackson, had to say no to his old soldier friend, Sam Houston.”

3. Mexican-American War
U.S. admitted Texas to the Union in December of 1845.
Texas thought their border went to the Rio Grande River.
U.S. said that Mexicans owed a great deal of money to American citizens.
War broke out!!!!!
The Mexican-American War lasted
U.S. forces took control of most of California in 1846.
In September 1847 U.S. took control of Mexico City.

5. United States Expands Again
In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed.
Mexico had to cede, or give up, territory.
US gained West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, and most of Colorado, and part of Wyoming.

8. The Oregon Trail
Settlers followed the route across the Rocky Mountains between 1840 and 1860 searching for new lands and fortune
The trip was dangerous and took six months
Settlers traveled with the necessary items they needed to start a new life

9. The Gold Rush In 1848, gold was discovered in California
Pioneers were called “forty-niners”
Mining was dangerous
Keeping law and order was not easy
After a few years, gold was hard to find