Manifest Destiny

“And that claim is by the right of 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 federated self-government entrusted

to us.”--John L O’Sullivan

Manifest Destiny

• 2 economic depressions– In 1819 and 1839

• Trade and commerce• Expansion – LAND!

– Represented wealth and power

– Inexpensive or free– High birth rate and

immigration– Cotton Kingdom -- Slavery

• Mission to expand ‘boundaries of freedom’ to others– Beliefs and democratic ideals

Oregon Trail

• Claimed by Spain, Russia, Britain and US– Spain and Russia gave up

claim– Britain and US agreed to

joint occupation (1819)

• Election of James K Polk (1846)– “54 40 or fight!”– Agreement with Britain

• Divide territory at 49th parallel– North to Britain – South to US

California Trail

• Claimed by Spain (1533)– Belonged to Mexico by

1840s

• Junipero Serra– Missionary that

established 27 missions• San Diego, San Francisco

• “Bear Flag” Republic– June 14, 1846

• Proclaimed by 33 settlers in Sonoma

• Revolted against Santa Anna’s policies

• Encouraged by US Army Majour John C Fremont

– Mexico sent 55 men to stop it; didn’t work

– June 23, 1846• Fremont arrived with 60

soldiers and took control

• “Republic” only lasted 26 days

Mormon Trail• Brigham Young led followers

– Escaping religious persecution– From Illinois to Salt Lake Valley

(1847)

• Followed Oregon Trail– Split at “Parting of

the Ways” in Idaho

Donner/Reed Party

• May, 1846– Left Missouri for California– Followed Hastings Cutoff through Utah and Nevada

• Shorter by 350 miles (longer by 150 miles)• No hostile Indians

– Big Mountain (Emigration Canyon)• Cut a path later used by Mormons• Took 2 weeks to get out of Canyon to Great Salt Lake

• Aug 30– Started across Salt Flats

• 2 days and 40 miles became 6 days and 80 miles, with little/no water

• Sept 26– Rejoined California Trail at Humbolt River

• Cutoff had taken more than a month longer

Nevada• Fighting amongst

themselves– Split into several scattered

groups

• Troubles with Indians• Little or no water

• Animals died/run off• Wagons left behind

• Sierra Nevada Mountains– Had been told snow

wouldn’t come until Nov– Oct 20th -- snow began to fall– Nov 4th – 2 camps created

• Truckee Lake– 3 leaky cabins– 60 people

• Alder Creek– Tents for shelter– 21 people

• Forlorn Hope– Late Nov-Jan– 15 tried to snowshoe

out; 7 survived– Took 33 days to

Miowk Indian village near Sacramento

Donner (Truckee) Lake• Spent winter snowbound in

Sierra Nevada mountains

• Feb-Mar 1847– Only 3 volunteers to go

– 1st Rescue• Took 23 people back to

Sutter’s Fort• Left 29 behind

– 2nd Rescue• Took 17 back, mostly children

• Of 87 people who began, only 48 survived

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Alamo

• Feb 23, 1836– Santa Anna’s 1,500 troops laid

siege– Goes on for 13 days

• Mar 6, 1836– Mexicans attack in pre-dawn

hours• Texians fend off 2 attacks but not

3rd

• April 21, 1836– Battle of San Jacinto

• Texians beat Santa Anna’s troops, ending Texas revolution

• 1835– Texians had driven all Mexican

troops out of Tejas

• All but 2 defenders were killed– 182-257 people killed

• Including William B Travis, Jim Bowie, and Davy Crockett

• Survivors were Travis’ slave Joe, Susanna Dickinson and her 15 month old baby

Texas• 1821

– Mexico wins independence from Spain

– Gov’t invites Americans to settle in Tejas• Agreed to follow Mexican laws

– No slavery– Convert to Catholicism

– Stephen Austin leads 297 settler families

• 1835– Texas Americans want

independence from Mexico– Santa Anna leads troops against

American defenders at the Alamo– “Lone Star” Republic

• 1845– US annexation of Texas

• 28th state

Mexican War• Dispute over border

– Nueces vs Rio Grande rivers

• April 25, 1846– Mexican troops crossed Rio

Grande– Attacked US soldiers

• May 13, 1846– Congress declares war on Mexico

• General Zachary Taylor– Led Northern Campaign with 20,000

troops– Buena Vista

• Almost overrun by Santa Anna• Saved by charge led by Jefferson Davis

• General Winfield Scott– Led invasion of Central

Mexico with 12,000 troops– Cerro Gordo

• Helped by– George B McClellan– Robert E Lee– Joe Johnston– PGT Beauguard

• June and July– Santa Anna

prepares to defend Mexico City

• Aug 7– Scott begins advance toward Mexico City

• Chapultepec– Against 13-14 yr old cadets– “Mexican Alamo”

• Mar 10, 1847– Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

• US– Paid $15 million for Mexican Cession– Agreed to treat Mexicans fairly

• Mexico– Gave up Mexican Cession– Recognized independence of Texas

• Gadsen Purchase (1853)– Gained bottom slice of AZ and NM

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General Zachary Taylor

• Led Northern Campaign– With 20,000 troops– Sept 25

• Monterrey

– Feb 22• Buena Vista

– Almost overrun by Santa Anna; retreats during night

– Saved by charge led by Jefferson Davis

• “Old Rough and Ready”

General Winfield Scott• “Old Fuss and Feathers”

• June and July– Santa Anna prepares to defend Mexico City

• Led invasion of Central Mexico– With 12,000 troops– Mar 10-28

• Veracruz

– Apr 18• Cerro Gordo against Santa Anna• Helped by

– George B McClellan– Robert E Lee– Joe Johnston– PGT Beauregard

• Aug 7– Scott begins advance toward Mexico• Fought at

– Contreras– Churubusco– Molino Ray– Chapultepec

» Against 13-14 yr old cadets» “Mexican Alamo”

• Mar 10, 1847– Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

• US– Paid $15 million for Mexican Cession– Agreed to treat Mexicans fairly

• Mexico– Gave up Mexican Cession– Recognized independence of Texas

• Gadsen Purchase (1853)– Gained bottom

slice of AZ and NM

• California Gold Rush– Jan 24, 1849– James Marshall found gold in

American River at Sutter’s Mill– Led to massive discrimination

against Chinese and Mexicans

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