Chapter 13

Westward Expansion

Moving Westward

• America began to expand west with the idea of Manifest Destiny-the belief that it was God’s will that America have all the land in the west

• This led to the mountain men who lived in the Rockies and trapped furs to be sold in the East

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Trailblazers

• Jedidiah Smith-one of the most influential mountain men who located the most useful pass through the mountains

• Smith’s work led to the formation of the Santa Fe Trail, the first American route west of the Missouri River

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Americans in Texas

• Mexico opened Texas up for settlement to those who were willing to become citizens of Mexico and become Catholic as well

• The settlers wanted more rights and Stephen Austin asked the Mexican government to allow the American settled area to become a separate Mexican state

• Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, Mexico’s president, decided to use force instead

Fight for Independence

• Jim Bowie and Sam Houston believed that Mexico would try to attack in the winter

• Houston wanted to avoid a fight at the Alamo but Bowie wanted to stay

• They fought against 4,000 Mexican troops with less than 200 men

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The Lone Star Republic

• The Alamo became a rallying cry for Texans, who won the Battle of San Jacinto in 20 minutes

• Texas received independence after this but was known as the Lone Star Republic because they were not yet part of the US and had their own government

• The US resisted the annexation (process of joining the Union) because of war with Mexico and to keep slave and free states equal

• Texas became a state in 1845 after James K. Polk ran for president on the platform that Texas would be admitted

Settling Oregon, Utah and California

• The Oregon Trail was created for the transport of furs and became the most important route for missionaries and settlers going west

• The Mormons moved west because of disagreements with others and to have religious freedom

Mormonism

• Mormonism was created by Joseph Smith, who claimed that an angel had appeared to him and that his followers were God’s chosen people

• Residents in Illinois were upset about Mormon beliefs and a mob formed that killed Joseph Smith

• Brigham Young became the next leader of Mormonism and led his followers to Utah where they set up their own government and rules

Settling California

• The California Trail departed from the Oregon Trail and became the main overland path to California

• John Sutter had been given a land grant by the Spanish and hired James W. Marshall to build and operate a sawmill. Marshall found gold while working which led to the California gold rush.

• The men who came to search for gold became known as the forty niners for the year in which they began to arrive

Fighting for the Southwest

• Mexico and the United States argued over where the southern border of Texas would be.

• Zachary Taylor was sent to try to keep the peace and intimidate Mexico.

• The situation led to the Mexican War and President Polk set his sights on acquiring more land

Santa Fe and California Campaigns

• New Mexico was captured without a shot being fired

• California had been taken easily as well. • John Charles Fremont went to California

and claimed that he had authorization from the President to lead the Bear Flag Revolution. Fremont was aided by the navy who had brought several warships over

Battle of Mexico City

• Winfield Scott was put in charge of the attempt to take Mexico City. Scott was successful and the Treaty of Guadalupe ended the war.

• The Rio Grande River became the border for Texas and the Mexican Cession gave California, Nevada and Utah to the US for $20 million

• The lower 48 states were completed with the Gadsden Purchase which was bought for $10 million

Compromise of 1850

• David Wilmot of Pennsylvania had come up with the Wilmot Proviso which tried to ban slavery in land obtained from Mexico but Congress did not approve this

• California applied for statehood as a free state and the Compromise of 1850 was written which allowed popular sovereignty (state choice of slavery) in Utah and New Mexico

Compromise of 1850

• Zachary Taylor died while in office and his vice president, Millard Fillmore, became president

• Stephen Douglas of Illinois split the compromise up into 5 parts which allowed it to get enough votes to pass

• The government is largely split into those for slavery and those against slavery

• Northern Democrats called doughfaces were the only ones willing to compromise on the issue

• One of these Democrats, Franklin Pierce, won the election of 1852