Manifest Destiny

The term manifest destiny originated in the 1840s This expansion would involve not merely territorial aggrandizement but the progress of liberty and individual economic opportunity as well.

The Original Thirteen Colonies Settled by the English Independence won through the American Revolution-1775–1783 Differing geographic regions gave rise to different economic systems… the beginning of the Civil War

The Northwest Ordinance (1787) Temporary forbidden by the Proclamation of 1763 Contained provisions for the advancement of education, the maintenance of civil liberties and the exclusion of slavery Accelerated the westward expansion of the United States

A portion of eastern North America; the 1763 "proclamation line" is the border between the red and the pink areas

Florida Spanish territory Controversy: West Florida declares independence from Spain; Seminole attacks and runaway slaves John Q. Adams takes advantage of Andrew Jackson’s aggressive military actions to acquire Florida from Spain

The Louisiana Purchase (1803) Challenged Jefferson’s strict interpretation of the Constitution… justified with presidential power to make treaties More than doubled size of US Control port of New Orleans = control trade up and down the Mississippi River Future controversy: slave state vs. free state

Purchased for $15,000,000 Its population was around 60,000 inhabitants, of whom half were colored

The Oregon Territory Originally Spain, Great Britain, Russia, and the United States claimed the territory The border of the Oregon Territory unsettled between the US and Great Britain 1843 marked increased American immigration on the Oregon Trail to the Territory Polk settled the boundary of the Oregon Territory on the 49 degree line

Oregon Territory, as originally organized, in 1848 Oregon Territory (blue) with Washington Territory (green) in 1853 State of Oregon (blue) with Washington Territory (green) in 1859

Texas Texas declares independence from Mexico and requested annexation by the US Refused: did not want to start war with Mexico; Texas as a slave state Annexed in 1845 thereby increasing tensions with Mexico over the southern border of Texas

Mexican Cession Disputes over southern border of Texas resulted in the Mexican-American war War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, granting the US approximately 525,000 square miles Multi-million dollar question: slave state or free state

Gadsden Purchase (1854) An agreement between the United States and Mexico Provided the land necessary for a southern transcontinental railroad and attempted to resolve conflicts that lingered after the Mexican-American War Last piece of mainland USA = transcontinental power!