1. Manifest Destiny

2. What were the causes of westward migrations?
Manifest Destiny
Section 1
Migrating to the West
What were the causes of westward migrations?

3. Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny – the belief that America was destined to stretch across continent.
This suggested that expansion was not only good but bound to happen.
Popular among many for different reasons
Southern expansionists & Northern abolitionists saw opportunities to expand their power in Congress
Manifest Destiny became a gov’t policy under James K. Polk (11th president)

4. Manifest Destiny Expansion came at the expense of Indians and Mexicans
“Manifest Destiny” mentioned in an newspaper editorial:
“The American claim is by the right to our manifest destiny to overspread and possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and self- government entrusted to us.” -John L. O’Sullivan - New York Morning News - December 27, 1845

5. Manifest Destiny
“The American claim is by the right to our manifest destiny to overspread and possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and self-government entrusted to us.”
-John L. O’Sullivan-
New York Morning News
December 27, 1845

6. “American Progress” by John Gast, 1872
“Star of Empire”
Lady Liberty
Carries a schoolbook…
…and telegraph wire
Buffalo & Indians are driven into obscurity…
“The tools of progress”
…as settlers move westward

7. Americans Look Westward
1821 – Revolution overturned Spanish rule in Mexico, U.S. recognized Mexico as a republic
American expansionists – those who favored U.S. territorial growth – looked at Texas, New Mexico, California as targets for American expansion
Few people living there
Rich in resources
Mexican government and economy weak after revolution
Mexicans did not deserve to keep territory Americans needed

8. US Territorial Expansion
When?
A - 13 Original Colonies
1776
From Where?
Great Britain A
Why?
US declared independence from Great Britain

9. US Territorial Expansion
When?
B - Western Lands
1783
From Where?
Great Britain
Why?
Part of results of Treaty of Paris (ended Revolutionary War) A B

10. US Territorial Expansion
When?
C - Louisiana Purchase
1803
From Where?
France
Why?
Napoleon needed $
Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans
He got all of this instead! A C B

11. US Territorial Expansion
When?
D - Florida
1819
From Where?
Spain A
Why? C B
Andrew Jackson invaded
Spain then sold it to us for $5 million D

12. US Territorial Expansion
When?
E - Texas
1845
From Where?
Republic of Texas (Independent Country) A C
Why? B
Texas independent from Mexico in 1836
Northerners feared it would become a slave state
Fears finally overcome in Presidential election E D

13. US Territorial Expansion
When?
F - Oregon Territory
1846
From Where?
Great Britain F A
Why? C B
Claimed by four countries (G. Britain, Russia, Spain, & US)
Americans demanded “54° 40’ or fight!”
Britain compromised 49° & US accepted E D

14. US Territorial Expansion
When?
G - Mexican Cession
1848
From Where?
Mexico F A
Why? C B
Polk offers to buy G from Mexico & they refuse
War!
US wins
In Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, US offers $15 million for G G E D

15. Obstacles Technology Indian Tribes Law and Order
Forests had to be cleared to make way for new cities- ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?

16. Technology Interchangeable Parts (1801)
Cotton Gin (1793) & McCormick Reaper (1831) – accelerated farming
Steamboats (1807) & railroads (1850’s) – provide faster movement of goods & services
Telegraph (1837) – speeds up the pace of business

17. Not Your Father’s Migration!
Different kinds of people move westward than had done during the 1600’s/1700’s (IN ORDER)
Land Speculators overran the tribes looking for quick profits & ignoring treaties (which the gov’t also ignored)
“The Law” (Gov’t, Police) follow the criminals
Religious Zealots - People who are extremely religious

19. 1. Sharing of Knowledge
Trappers like Jedediah Smith and Jim Bridger explored the west taking beaver pelts
Explored the Rockies
finding routes through
the mountains to the
west coast
Shared knowledge of
routes with pioneers

20. Explorations of Jedediah Smith
Southern Route Protected Pioneers!

21. 2. Trade with Other Countries
Mexican independence (1821) encouraged trade
Merchants from Missouri opened trade across Great Plains with Santa Fe, capital of New Mexico
Welcomed by
Mexico
Trade moved along
what become known
as the Santa Fe Trail

22. 3. Opportunities to Own Land
In 1836 missionaries Marcus and Narcissa Whitman followed what would be the Oregon Trail to the Willamette Valley in Oregon territory
Founded Indian mission
at Walla Walla
Later led wagon trains
to Oregon establishing
the trail as the way to
get to Oregon
Killed by Cayuse Indians
in 1847

23. Oregon Trail

24. 4. Religious Reasons
Mormons move west – after Joseph Smith was killed in Illinois in 1844, leadership of Mormon Church passed to Brigham Young
1847 Young led Mormon Exodus
to east shore of Great Salt Lake
Successful settlement
in desert
By 1860 over 40,000
Mormons in the West

25. 5. Land Speculation
Some Americans wanted to take away rich lands from Natives
Louisiana Purchase (1803) legitimized expansion
Speculators saw Natives as savages and not worthy of the land

26. The Results??
Wagons West – trains of 10 to 100 wagons moved settlers the 2000 miles from Missouri to Oregon or California
260,000 Americans
made the trip
Trip took 5 months
Donner Party (cannibalism)
showed the danger
Those that made it
got better farms

27. A Massive Migration Census reports record the new movement
westward ( )
Ohio: 50, million
Illinois: 12, ,000
Alabama: 22, ,000
By 1837, the number of
states doubled to 26
Michigan, Ohio, Illinois,
Kentucky, Alabama,
Tennessee, Mississippi,
Indiana

28. Effects on Nation
Events directly affected by “Manifest Destiny” 1. Indian Wars and Removal (1830’s) 2. The Alamo (1835)
3. Mexican War (1846)
4. Gold Rush (1849)
5. Reliance on slavery spins nation into Civil War (1861)