1. American Expansion: The fulfillment of “manifest destiny”
From “city upon a hill” to transcontinental nation

2. 1. The Original United States
1776-Declaration of Independence
1783-Treaty of Paris-Great Britain grants American independence and brings an end to the American Revolution
With this treaty, the British officially ceded the land west to the Mississippi River

3. Territory west of the original 13 colonies was settled by pioneers
Next this land became territories through Congressional land ordinances and cessions by the original states
The land was really won through wars with American Indians

4. 2. Louisiana Purchase
1803-President Thomas Jefferson purchased land from France’s Napoleon for $15 million
The US really just wanted to control the port of New Orleans for trade
Napoleon had gained the land from Spain but due to events in Europe, France did not want to maintain the territory

6. 3. British Cession
After the War of 1812, tension still remained between the US & Great Britain
President Monroe encouraged treaties to ease the tension
In the Convention of 1818, the US/Canada border was established by the 49th parallel from Minnesota to the Rocky Mountains only
Great Britain agreed to occupy the Oregon Country with the US for only the next 10 years

8. 4. Spanish Cession
In 1812, the US incorporated West Florida, saying it was a part of the Louisiana Purchase
General Andrew Jackson pursued Seminole Indians into East Florida, claiming they were harboring slaves and attacking American settlements
In 1819, the Spanish sold East Florida to the US for $5 million & the US agreed to give up claims on Texas in the Adams-Onis Treaty

10. 5. Texas Annexation
By 1830, so many Americans had settled in Texas that they outnumbered Tejanos
In 1835, settlers & Tejanos rebelled against measures by Mexico to control Texas
From 1836 to 1845, Texas was an independent Republic
In 1845, President Polk pushed the issue to war by claiming the Rio Grande River as the Mexico/Texas border in order to annex Texas

12. 6. Oregon Country
In 1846, the US & Britain extended the border at the 49th parallel all the way to Puget Sound & the Pacific Ocean
Oregon which had already been explored by Lewis & Clark & settled by American frontiersmen became American

13. 7. Mexican Cession
The Mexican War started by the US annexation of Texas led to full-fledged war which included the declaration of a Republic of California
The Mexican War was settled by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 in which Mexico gave up Texas, California, Nevada, Utah and parts of AZ, CO & NM & the US paid $15 million

15. 8. Gadsden Purchase
In 1835, a US diplomat negotiated a deal with Mexico to purchase this strip of land for $10 million
The US claimed that this land would provide a route for a transcontinental railroad across the country’s southern border