Manifest Destiny1803-1853

The United States Expanded from the Atlantic to the Pacific

in 50 years

Manifest DestinyA belief shared by many Americans in the mid 1800s that the United States should expand across the continent to the Pacific Ocean.

President Polk believed it was our manifest destiny, or “obvious fate” to settle land all the way to the Pacific Ocean in order to spread democracy.

Louisiana Purchase: 1803

Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million.

Jefferson wanted to make sure the U.S. had control of the Port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River.

The Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States.

The U.S. stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains.

Florida: 1819The U.S. wanted to take Florida from Spain because of attacks by Seminole Indians and runaway slaves in Georgia.

In 1819, President Monroe sent General Andrew Jackson to Florida to help protect the U.S. border.

Jackson invaded Florida and overthrew the governor of Florida. He had no direct orders from President Monroe.

Spain gave Florida to the U.S. in exchange for $5 million and control of Texas.

Texas: 1830sIn 1821, Texas was a part of Mexico.

Stephen Austin was an empresario = agent to bring settlers to Texas.

Stephen Austin brought the first 300 families to Texas - known as the Old Three Hundred.

By 1830, 25,000 Americans were living in Texas. They were required to become Mexican citizens and become Catholic.

The Americans had to follow Mexican law.

When Americans complained, Mexico closed Texas to further American immigration.

Stephen Austin

Texas Revolution: 1835-36

After Mexico closed Texas to Americans, Stephen Austin went to negotiate with the Mexican leader, Antonio López de Santa Anna.

Austin was jailed, and the Texans revolted.

In February 23- March 6, 1836, Mexico attacked the Texans at the Alamo. This 13-day siege resulted in the killing of all the Americans (except some women, children and slaves).

In April, the Mexican army massacred the Texan rebels at Goliad.

After the Alamo and Goliad, Sam Houston surprise attacked Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. “Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!” Texas won its independence.

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

Texas Statehood: 1845

Santa Anna was captured and forced to sign a treaty giving Texas its independence.

Texas became an independent nation in 1836 called the Lone Star Republic.

Sam Houston became President.

Annexation of Texas was delayed:Worry that adding Texas as a slave state would upset the balance between free and slave statesFear that annexing Texas would lead to war with Mexico

Texas joined the U.S. and became the 28th state in 1845.

Sam Houston

Oregon Country: 1846

In 1820, both the U.S. and Britain claimed to own Oregon Country.

In the 1830s and 1840s, thousands of American pioneers were going west to settle in Oregon Country.

President Polk wanted all of Oregon to the fifty-four fifty parallel. The American people cried, “Fifty-four forty or fight.”

Neither Polk nor Britain wanted war.

Britain and the U.S. compromised. They split Oregon in half at the 49th parallel. The U.S. got the southern half.

War with Mexico: 1846-48President Polk wanted to expand the U.S. territory

clear to the Pacific Ocean.

He offered to buy California and New Mexico territories from Mexico for $30 million. Mexico refused.

After the U.S. annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico and the U.S. disagreed on the Texas border

The U.S. claimed the Rio Grande River.Mexico claimed the Nueces River.

The U.S. sent troops to patrol the border.

Conflict broke out and the Mexican army killed U.S. troops on “disputed land.”

Polk declared war, claiming Mexico spilled American blood on American land.

War with Mexico: 1846-48

The U.S. Army had better weapons and equipment, but it was greatly outnumbered by the Mexican forces and was poorly prepared.

The U.S. took New Mexico territory without a fight and claimed the territory.

Zachary Taylor defeats Santa Anna at the Battle of Buena Vista.

U.S. troops under Winfred Scott (“old fuss and feathers”) capture Mexico City.

This led to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war.

Battle of Buena Vista

Bear Flag Revolt: 1846

Small group of American settlers seized the town of Sonoma.

Americans declared California an independent nation and made a grizzly bear flag.

John C. Fremont was leading a mapping expedition in the Sierra Nevadas. He joined the American settlers in their revolt against the Californios.

Shortly after, U.S. naval forces came ashore in California and raised the stars and stripes. They claimed California for the United States.

Mexican Cession: 1848

In the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico gave the U.S. the territories of California, Nevada and Utah, most of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.

The US also claimed Texas north of the Rio Grande

The U.S. paid $15 million for the territory

Today this is the American southwest.

Mexican Cession increased the size of the US by 25%

Gadsden Purchase: 1853

After the war with Mexico, Americans wanted to guarantee that any southern railroad to California would be built completely on American soil.

US paid $10 million for the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico.

The existing boundary between the U.S. and Mexico was fixed.

Donner Party: 1846Settlers bound for California took a southern route known as the California Trail. This path went through the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Settlers tried to cross the mountains before the first snow.

Guidebooks helped pioneers find their way.

Lansford Hastings wrote the “Emigrants Guide to Oregon and California.” Hastings’ guide advertised a new shortcut that would save 300-400 miles. Hastings had never traveled the route himself.

Following Hastings’ guide and shortcut, The Donner Party left the California trail and got lost. They were trapped in the Sierra Nevada in winter. They were stuck without food and resorted to eating the dead to survive. 42 of 87 died.

California Gold Rush: 1849

Gold was found in Sutter’s Mill in 1848.

In 1849, about 80,000 gold seekers, known as forty-niners, came to California hoping to strike it rich.

Panning for gold was the simplest method.

A miner fills a pan with dirt. He then puts the pan under water and shakes it until any gold settles on the bottom.

Sutter’s Mill

California Gold Rush: 1849

Mining camps sprung up whenever enough people gathered to look for gold.

At the mining camps, many people prospected (searched for gold). Others ran businesses that catered to the miners - laundry, food, innkeepers, legal services, supplies

Famine and economic hardship in China brought many Chinese to California. However, they faced discrimination and a high tax on foreign miners.

Impact of Gold RushThe arrival of 49ers created a population boom

Immigration increased diversity of population

California became a state in 1 year

Growth of new businesses and industry transformed California’s economy

Gold mining was important, but farming and ranching grew

Discrimination of Californios and Native Americans