Chapter 9

Americans Head West In 1800 less than 400,000 settlers lived west of the Appalachian Mountains. By the beginning of the Civil War, more Americans lived west of the Appalachians than lived along the Atlantic coast. Americans moved west for religious reasons and to own their own farms.

American Westward Expansion 1783: Treaty of Paris - America stretches from Atlantic Coast to Mississippi River 1803: Louisiana Purchase - Extends American western boundary to the Rockies 1819: Adams-Onis Treaty - America acquires Florida from Spain

Americans Head West A magazine editor (John Louis O’Sullivan) declared the movement west was Manifest Destiny – the idea that God had given the continent to Americans and wanted them to settle western lands. The first settlers west of the Appalachians were squatters, because they settled on lands they did not own.

Americans Head West Farming in the Midwest was made easier by new farming technology. In 1819 Jethro Wood patented a plow with an iron blade. In 1837 John Deere designed a plow with sharp-edged steel blades that cut cleanly through the tough Midwestern sod. In 1834 Cyrus McCormick patented the mechanical reaper.

Settling the Pacific Coast Native Americans and other nations had already claimed parts of Oregon and California The United States and Great Britain both wanted to own Oregon. Mexico controlled California, but its distance from Mexico City made it difficult to govern. In 1839 a German immigrant, John Sutter, built a trading post and cattle ranch on 50,000 acres in Sacramento Valley. Gold would later be found near his mill around Push to settle Oregon and Cali. was that they thought Great Plains had poor soil.

Settling the Pacific Coast By the 1840s, mountain men had carved out several east-west passages, such as the Oregon Trail. These trails were very important to the settlement of the west. Wagon trains used mountain men as guides at first, but over time relied on guidebooks written by earlier emigrants.

Donner Party In 1846 the Donner Party–a group of 87 overlanders named after the brothers who led them–were trapped by winter snows in the Sierra Nevada.  Almost half the party died of starvation.  Between 1840 and 1860, attacks by Native Americans were rare.  As overland traffic increased, however, Native Americans on the Great Plains were concerned and angry over the threat that immigration might change their way of life.

Settling the Pacific Coast (cont.) The federal government and eight Native American groups negotiated the Treaty of Fort Laramie in Agreement between the US and Lakota people. Lakota get the Black Hills – Closed to whites Gold prospectors would travel over this land. Farmer, blacksmith, carpenter, engineer, gov’t agent and miller would stay with the Indians. US took this land back in GOLD

The Mormon Migration In 1844 a mob murdered the Mormon leader Joseph Smith. Brigham Young, the new leader of the Mormons, decided to take his people west in search of religious freedom Several thousand Mormons emigrated on the Mormon Trail. In 1847 the Mormons stopped at the Great Salt Lake to build their new settlement.

Checking for Understanding Idea popular in the United States during the 1800s that the country must expand its boundaries to the Pacific Ocean. Manifest Destiny

Review What two inventions made it easier to farm the frontier? The steel-blade plow and the mechanical reaper.

Opening Texas to Americans Texas was under Mexican control after Mexico achieved independence from Spain in Because the Spanish-speaking people of the area refused to move to the northern part of the region where Native American groups lived, Mexico invited Americans and other to settle there.

Texas Independence Americans invited by Mexico to move to Texas if they: - Became Mexican citizens - Became Roman Catholics - Did not bring slaves - Americans come but don’t follow rules

Opening Texas to Americans At first, the Americans agreed to Mexican citizenship, as required for settlement. The Americans did not adopt Mexican customs, however, nor did they think of Mexico as their country. In 1830 Mexico closed its borders to immigration by Americans

Opening Texas to Americans The government also banned the import of enslaved labor and discouraged trade with the United States. These new laws angered settlers.

Texas Goes to War American settlers in Texas asked Mexico to reopen Texas to American immigrants and to decrease the taxes on imports. A convention held in 1833 asked Mexico to create a new Mexican state. (Texas) They wrote a constitution for the new state but the Mexican government denied it.

Texas Goes to War Stephen Austin persuaded Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna to agree to lift the immigration ban and other demands. Austin had written a letter suggesting that Texas should organize its own state government. Mexican officials intercepted the letter and he was arrested.

Texas Goes to War In April 1834, Santa Anna denounced the Mexican constitution and made himself dictator. When Austin was released from prison in 1835, he urged Texans to organize an army, since he foresaw war with Mexico. Eventually, Sam Houston, a former governor of Tennessee and an experienced military leader, took command of the Texas army.

Texas Goes to War When Santa Anna and his forces came to San Antonio in 1836, over 180 Texan rebels were at the Alamo, an abandoned mission inside the town. The small force, commanded by William B. Travis and joined by 32 settlers, held off Santa Anna’s army for 13 days. On March 6, 1836, Santa Anna’s army defeated the Texans at the Alamo.

Texas Goes to War During this time, the new Texas government declared independence from Mexico. At the Battle of San Jacinto, Sam Houston and his Texas troops launched a surprise attack on the Mexican army. They captured Santa Anna, who was forced to sign a treaty recognizing independence for the Republic of Texas.

Major Battles Alamo: -188 Texans vs 2000 Mexicans - Every Texan killed and burned San Jacinto: - Texans defeat Mexican Army and capture Santa Ana Texas becomes an independent country! : United States annexes Texas

Texas Goes to War In 1836, Sam Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas. The citizens of Texas voted for annexation – to become part of the United States. Many northern members of Congress were against admitting Texas as a slave state.

Texas and Oregon Enter the Union In 1844, Congress voted against annexation of Texas. Many northern Congressmen felt that it was a pro- slavery plot. James K. Polk, a candidate in the 1844 presidential election promised to annex Texas and Oregon and to buy California from Mexico. He won. President Tyler annexed Texas before Polk took office and Mexico broke diplomatic relations with the US. Mexico and the U.S. government disputed the southern border of Texas.

Texas and Oregon Enter the Union In public, Polk said the U.S. had a right to Oregon. Those people who supported this stand on Oregon used the slogan “Fifty-four Forty or Fight.” In private, Polk agreed to split the territory with Great Britain. In June 1846, the two countries agreed that the U.S. would acquire most of Oregon south of 49° north latitude.

Election of 1844 James Polk: Promises to expand America - “54° 40’ or Fight” Oregon Country - Boundary dispute with England Compromise: Boundary set: 49 °

The War with Mexico Polk sent a representative to negotiate the purchase of California from Mexico. Mexico refused to meet with him. Polk sent troops across the Nueces River, led by Zachary Taylor. Mexico saw this as an invasion of their country and sent troops to attack. Polk declared war on Mexico.

The War with Mexico Taylor defeated the Mexican forces under Santa Anna In California, John C. Fremont had little trouble overcoming the Mexican presence there. On June 14, 1846, the settlers declared California independent from Mexico and named the region the Bear Flag Republic. A few weeks later, the U.S. Navy took possession of California for the United States. In 1847 the U.S. defeated Mexico and took over Mexico City.

The War with Mexico In 1848 Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and ceded, or gave up, 500,000 miles of land to the United States. This land is now the states of California, Utah, and Nevada, as well as most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande as the southern border of Texas. The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million and took over $3.5 million in debt Mexico owed U.S. citizens.

Reviewing Themes The idea of Manifest Destiny was realized as a result of the war with Mexico. What new problems did this increase in land cause for the United States? The increase caused the expansion of slavery into the new land.