AP Chapter AP Chapter 1414

Territorial Territorial Expansion of the Expansion of the

U.S.U.S.

Less than 60 years since independence more than half the population lived west of the Appalachian Mts.

Fur trade flourished from 1670-1840 and allowed for the exploration and expansion westward

Jebediah Smith a ‘Mountain Man” explored westward and made contact with the Native Americas

Westward Expansion Westward Expansion

Lewis and Clark Expedition mapped out the west and led to some small military expeditions

John C. Freemont mapped the overland trails to Oregon and California in the early 1840s

Explorers mapped out trails, rivers and mountain ranges that eventually led to settlement westward

Lewis and ClarkLewis and Clark

John C. FreemontJohn C. Freemont

Indians began being removed from their homelands in OK, NE and KS to make way for white settlers

Santa Fe Trail- 900 mile long trail used by merchants that traded throughout the Great Plains

Trail allowed for commerce to move but also led to conflict with the Indians

Expansion and Indian Expansion and Indian PolicyPolicy

Santa Fe TrailSanta Fe Trail

Frederick Jackson Turner’s Frontier Thesis (1890) talked about the U.S. frontier experience and how it impacted our country

Manifest Destiny- coined by John O’Sullivan preached U.S. efforts to control the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans b/c it was our god given right

Expansion was tied to politics and slavery

Political ExpansionPolitical Expansion

2,000 mile trip on the Overland Trails from the Missouri River to Oregon/California took at least 7 months and was dangerous

Pioneers often traveled in groups to prevent Indian attacks and help get across the rivers

Wagons trains experienced exhaustion, diseases along with nature

The Overland TrailsThe Overland Trails

U.S. and GB had shared the territory

1840s both countries claim to own more land than the other

“54-40 or Fight”- became a battle cry for war over the area

1846 Settlement set a dividing line along the 49th Parallel

Oregon Territory

Oregon Dispute

When Mexico won its independence they allowed American merchants to Santa Fe

Indian attacks along the trail were more common than along the Oregon trails

Congress voted for protection along the trail even though most of it was in Mexico

Americans and Mexicans intertwined economically and socially

The Santa Fe TradeThe Santa Fe Trade

Texas territory was controlled by Mexico but many of the inhabitants were Americans who owned slaves

Stephen Austin (U.S.) was a powerful land agent in Texas

Austin tried to mediate a peace between Mexicans and U.S. settlers but war broke out in 1835

Texas

Annexation of Texas

Americans lost badly at the Alamo but led by Sam Houston they defeated Santa Anna’s forces

1836 Texas wins its independence and was a free country from 1836-1845 mainly over a boundary dispute on the Rio Grande

Mexicans were furious over the lost territory and refused to recognize the treaty

Texas tried to become a slave state but denied b/c it would upset the balance in the Senate

Texans wanted to be annexed by the U.S.

Pres. Tyler lost the election to James K. Polk (D)

Tyler's last action made Texas the 28th state and the 15th slave state

Election of 1844Election of 1844

Mexico was upset by losing Texas and Americans wanted to fulfill their Manifest Destiny desire

John C. Freemont led the Bear Flag Revolt and declared California’s independent from Mexico

Pres. James K. Polk was an expansionist and went to war with Mexico

Mexican American War 1846-48

Polk had tried to buy Rio Grande border between Mexico and Texas but they refused

Congress declared war in May of 1846War divided the American people and

Whigs were against itHenry David Thoreau refused to pay

taxes that he felt would support the war and went to jail

Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau

By late 1846 the U.S. had secured most of the territory that they had hoped for but the war dragged on

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) ended the war the U.S. acquired the Mexican Cession, Rio Grande border and paid $15 million to Mexico

Gadsden Purchase- $10 million was done for the purpose of a southern transcontinental RR

Mexican Cession

Gadsden Purchase

The war was the first with regular on scene reporting by the press

Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott became famous from the war

U.S. fulfilled its goal of Manifest Destiny

Mexico lost a huge portion of its territory and resentment remained for years to come

1848 Gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill by James Marshall in California which led to the Gold Rush of 1849.

Thousands of Americans and Asians begin to flock to California

Americans did not like the Chinese and later placed a tax on foreign miners

Gold Rush in CaliforniaGold Rush in California

California Gold Rush

Merchants that sold goods to the miners made the most money

Levi Strauss became famous for his tough work pants sold to the miners

Mining towns sprung up wherever gold/silver was found and were dirty, violent places

California’s population skyrocketed and was very cultural diverse

Congressman Wilmot (PA) proposed that the new Mexican Territory ban slavery

Debate over the bill led to clear divisions between the North and South over the issue of slavery

Whigs and Democrats from both sections joined together to support or oppose the Proviso

Wilmot ProvisoWilmot Proviso

Started off as the Liberty Party and by 1844 became the Free Soil Party that supported the abolition of slavery

Free Soiler’s were okay with slavery remaining in existing states but were against the extension into the new territories

Some even proposed to limit blacks from migrating west

Free Soil MovementFree Soil Movement

Lewis Cass (D) vs. Z. Taylor (W) vs. Van Buren (FS) battled for the presidency

Popular Sovereignty became a major issue of the election

Taylor won the presidency but died in office

Election of 1848Election of 1848

U.S. wanted to expand its borders no matter what

Manifest Destiny became the rallying cry for U.S. expansion

U.S. acquired land through conquest, purchase, treaties, annexation and war

ConclusionConclusion