Chapter 12, Chapter 12, Section 1Section 1

The Oregon CountryThe Oregon Country

Oregon CountryOregon Country

Oregon Country contained what is Oregon Country contained what is now Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, now Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, plus parts of Montana and Wyomingplus parts of Montana and Wyoming

Britain, Russia, Spain and the United Britain, Russia, Spain and the United States claimed the territoryStates claimed the territory

Oregon CountryOregon Country

Adams-Onis TreatyAdams-Onis Treaty

Negotiated by John Quincy AdamsNegotiated by John Quincy Adams The Spanish agreed to set the limits The Spanish agreed to set the limits

of their territory at what is now of their territory at what is now California’s northern border and California’s northern border and gave up their claim to Oregongave up their claim to Oregon

Britain and America decided to Britain and America decided to share joint occupation of the share joint occupation of the territoryterritory

Adams-Onis TreatyAdams-Onis Treaty

Mountain MenMountain Men

The first Americans to reach Oregon The first Americans to reach Oregon Country were fur tradersCountry were fur traders

John Jacob Astor organized the American John Jacob Astor organized the American Fur Company, which allowed him to build Fur Company, which allowed him to build up trade with the East Coast, the Pacific up trade with the East Coast, the Pacific Northwest and ChinaNorthwest and China

For mountain men, the rendezvous was For mountain men, the rendezvous was the high point of the yearthe high point of the year

The South Pass was the main route The South Pass was the main route settlers took to Oregonsettlers took to Oregon

The Whitman MissionThe Whitman Mission

Among the first settlers of Oregon Among the first settlers of Oregon were missionaries who wanted to were missionaries who wanted to bring Christianity to Native bring Christianity to Native AmericansAmericans

New settlers brought measles to the New settlers brought measles to the mission, killing many Native mission, killing many Native American childrenAmerican children

The Native Americans attacked the The Native Americans attacked the mission and killed the Whitmansmission and killed the Whitmans

The Oregon TrailThe Oregon Trail

In the 1840’s, “Oregon Fever” had hit In the 1840’s, “Oregon Fever” had hit and the Great Migration had begun and the Great Migration had begun with tens of thousands of emigrants with tens of thousands of emigrants heading out to Oregon Countryheading out to Oregon Country

Starting in Independence, Missouri, Starting in Independence, Missouri, the Oregon Trail went across the the Oregon Trail went across the Great Plains, along the Platte River, Great Plains, along the Platte River, and through the South Pass of the and through the South Pass of the Rocky Mountains.Rocky Mountains.

The Oregon TrailThe Oregon Trail

Expansion of FreedomExpansion of Freedom

In the 1800’s, many people believed In the 1800’s, many people believed that the United State’s mission was that the United State’s mission was to spread freedom and democracy by to spread freedom and democracy by occupying the entire continentoccupying the entire continent

Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny

New York newspaper editor, John New York newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan coined the term, O’Sullivan coined the term, “Manifest Destiny.”“Manifest Destiny.”

He said that the United States was He said that the United States was ordained by God to spread its ordained by God to spread its culture from sea to shining sea (or culture from sea to shining sea (or all the way to the Pacific Ocean)all the way to the Pacific Ocean)

““Fifty-Four, Forty, or Fifty-Four, Forty, or Fight!”Fight!”

James K. Polk was the Democratic James K. Polk was the Democratic nominee for president.nominee for president.

His campaign slogan was “Fifty-Four, His campaign slogan was “Fifty-Four, Forty or Fight!”Forty or Fight!”

In other words, we would have sole In other words, we would have sole occupation of Oregon Country or we occupation of Oregon Country or we would fight for it!would fight for it!

Polk beat Clay in the election, who did Polk beat Clay in the election, who did not take a stand on Oregon Countrynot take a stand on Oregon Country

Reaching a SettlementReaching a Settlement

In June, 1846, Britain and America In June, 1846, Britain and America reached a compromise setting the reached a compromise setting the boundary between American and boundary between American and British portions of Oregon at latitude British portions of Oregon at latitude 49 degrees north49 degrees north

America had officially extended its America had officially extended its territory to the Pacific Oceanterritory to the Pacific Ocean