Settling the west

16.1 Introduction

• The U.S. spread across North America by taking over territories: large regions of land

• Many Americans believed it was Manifest Destiny (obvious fate) that they should control this land.

• The U.S. annexed (added) territory by: buying it, making treaties (agreements with other countries) and wars.

16.2 The U.S. in 1783• After the Revolutionary War, the U.S controlled the land

from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.

• Other areas of North America were controlled by Spain, France, Mexico, Britain, Russia

• Americans want all the land in North America:

a growing population needed room to spread out (farming, homes, work)

natural resources & new markets to sell goods

safety from attacks by other countries

Manifest Destiny

• The belief that it is natural and right for Americans to spread their religion, government, and way of life across the continent.

16.3 The Louisiana Purchase (1803)

• Louisiana Purchase: the U.S. bought the land from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains from France.

• The U.S. wanted this land to make shipping goods easier and quicker (use the Mississippi River).

• The French were willing sell this land because they needed money for their army, due to a possible war with Britain.

• The Louisiana Purchase benefited Americans, but it hurt Native Americans, were were forced from their homes on to reservations in Oklahoma (“Trail of Tears”)

16.4 The Lewis & clark expedition (1804-1806)

• The purpose of the expedition: to explore the huge territory of the Louisiana Purchase (describe plants, animals, Native Americans, geography, and find locations for trading posts and settlements)

• The important people involved: President Thomas Jefferson, Lewis, Clark, York, Sacagawea.

• Significance: Discovered two new routes across the Rockies, and the knowledge they gathered made it easier to settle the area.

16.5 Florida Acquisition (1819)

• In the early 1800s, Florida was controlled by Spain

• Americans in the Southeast wanted the U.S. to take over Florida:

Slaves were running away to Florida

Seminole Indians were raiding settlements in Georgia

• The U.S. gained control of Florida: After General Andrew Jackson and the US Army attacked, Spain agreed to sell it to the US for $5 million.

16.6 Texas Annexation (1845)

• By the 1820’s, Mexico controlled the region known as Texas (they gained their independence from Spain)

• The Mexican government wanted Americans to settle in Texas who would raise crops/animals, pay taxes, and spread the Catholic religion

• The Mexican government encourage Americans to settle in Texas by giving them free land.

• Tensions increased between the American settlers and the Mexican government when Americans outnumbered Mexicans, and the Americans illegally brought slaves there.

• Texas won its independence from Mexico by fighting a war: the American settlers there defeated the Mexican army in April of 1836.

• Texas was independent at first, but became part of the U.S. when the area was annexed by the US in 1845.

16.7 Acquisition of Oregon Country (1846)

• In the early 1800s, Britain and the US jointly controlled the Oregon Country?

• The U.S. gained control of the Oregon Country by a treaty with Britain in1846.

• The Native Americans living in the Oregon country lost their land, fought wars with the settlers, and were eventually forced onto reservations.

16.8 Mexican Cession and Gadsden Purchase (1848 & 1853)

• The U.S. gained control of a huge territory (Mexican Cession) in the Southwest as a result of a war with Mexico. At the end of the war, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed.

• The US got the land, but also had to pay Mexico $15 million.

• Gadsden Purchase: this land was bought from Mexico because it contained a pass through the mountains where a railroad could be built.

• Native Americans there fought wars with the settlers, but were eventually forced onto reservations.