Manifest Destiny

What were the causes of westward migration? Texas, New Mexico & California have lots of natural resources but few people. Southern expansionists want to add more slave states to strengthen their position in Congress Merchants in Missouri wanted to trade across the Great Plains to Santa Fe, New Mexico along the Santa Fe Trail

What impact did the arrival of horses have on Native Americans?  Buffalo hunting for the Apache Indians became much easier  Men could see further, travel faster and kill their prey more quickly and safely

Who might have agreed with the idea of Manifest Destiny?  Expansionists – people who favored territorial expansion Who might have disagreed?  Mexicans & Indians

Describe what happened at the Alamo and Santa Anna’s role.  1834 Santa Anna (Mexican) takes over power. White settlers and Mexican natives did not like Santa Anna’s ruthless rule  1836 Texans rebelled against Mexican (Santa Anna’s) rule, declared their independence & created the Lone Star Republic  Santa Anna attacked at the Alamo. Santa Anna's forces win at the Alamo and all survivors are ordered killed

Describe what happened at the Battle of San Jacinto. Sam Houston led Santa Anna into a trap. The Mexican army was easily defeated, Santa Anna was captured To avoid execution Santa Anna signed a treaty recognizing Texan independence.  Who led Texas rebels at San Jacinto and became the 1 st president of the Republic of Texas? Sam Houston

What were the causes of the Mexican – American War?  Southern expansionist James K. Polk is elected president and Texas was admitted as a slave state just before he took office  Mexico disputed the Texas state border  Polk sent troops to the disputed border area near the Nueces & Rio Grande rivers  Shots are fired between American troops and the Mexican army  Polk declares war  Southern Democrats favored the war  Northern Whigs feared adding more slave states to the U.S.  U.S. wins easily: larger, wealthier, more people, industry for arms & ammunition, better navy, trained officers

What was the purpose of the Wilmot Proviso? Why was It controversial?  Wilmot Proviso – banned slavery in any lands won from Mexico in Mexican- American war  Northern Democrats & Whigs supported it  Southern Democrats & Whigs opposed it  Proviso passed the House of Representatives but failed in the Senate for 15 yrs.  Made issue of slavery a political issue for lawmakers in Congress and increased tensions between North & South

What caused the California Gold Rush in 1849?  Discovery of gold outside Sacramento California  Caused a mass migrations of 80,000 people

Why did the Wilmot Proviso and California’s statehood increase tensions over slavery?  California’s state Constitution ignored slave & free African Americans  Admission of California as a free state threatened to tip the balance of free and slave states in the U.S.  The debate over lands won from Mexico became a source of division between North and South that would lead to the civil war