Territorial ExpansionMoving West

Manifest Destiny

The belief that God has ordained that Americans should expand west

Manifest Destiny

• Main draw – land• Owning land was an important first step

toward prosperity• Other Reasons– Expanding markets– Fresh start – economic trouble

Native AmericansBlack Hawk War- Fought over rights to land – Native Americans lose and are forcibly

removed to land WEST of Mississippi- continued pattern of Native American groups being pushed farther west by white settlers

Native AmericansTreaty of Fort Laramie• Agreement between the US Government and

several Midwestern tribes who guaranteed not to attack white settlers moving West

• US Government agreed to honor boundaries• US Government repeatedly violated it’s side of the agreement

Trails West• Aside from settlers two

other groups moved across the west

traders and missionaries

Trails West

• Santa Fe Trail• From Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico• Traders took cloth, guns, knives and returned with gold,

silver and furs

• Oregon Trail * From Independence, MO to Portland, OR * Methods of travel: 1) prairie schooners or 2) walking * Why Oregon? – plenty of rain and fertile soil

Trails West

• Mormon Trail• moving west to escape religious persecution• Practice that caused so much controversy –

polygamy or • (the practice of having more than one wife)• Led west by Brigham Young• Eventually settled in an area they called Salt

Lake City

Border DisputesOregon TerritoryThe U.S. and Britain had been

sharing the Oregon Territory. • President Polk used the slogan

“Fifty-four Forty or Fight” to gain support for annexing (adding) the Oregon Territory

• Britain eventually agreed and the US Boundary extended all the way to the Puget Sound

• The US’s northern boundary with Canada is now established

Border Disputes (Mexico and Texas)

Mexican Land grants to settlers

Mexico grants land to white American settlers in present day Texas to cut down on Native American attacks in the area

The Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, Texas becomes a state

Texas Revolution*Alamo*San Jacinto

The Republic of Texas

Texas Annexation

North

South

War with Mexico

Mexican American War

America gains the spoils of war –

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848

North? No! We don’t want to expand slavery!

South? Yes! Let’s fight! More land could equal more slavery!

Gold!California Gold Rush People come from all over the

world in 1849Looking for gold is

difficult work

How did this affect California and the United States?

Population EXPLOSION in California. California will be the first U.S. territory in the land won from Mexico to apply for statehood.

Could this upset the balance of free vs. slave states???...