The Oregon Country

Spain, Great Britain, Russia and the United States claimed parts of the Oregon Country. Eventually Spain and Russia gave up their claim. Great Britain and the United States divided the territory. Great Britain took the northern part, and the United States took the southern.

Many people traveled west to Oregon in search of fertile farmland. The route they took to Oregon was called the Oregon Trail. The Oregon Trail began in Missouri and ended in Oregon.

Texas

Texas was part of Mexico and both belonged to Spain. Mexico fights a war with Spain and becomes independent. The government of Mexico invites Americans to come and live in Texas. Stephen F. Austin brings the first American families to Texas (Mexico).

S T P H E N A U S T I N

In order to get land in Texas, the Americans had to follow these rules: learn Spanish become Mexican citizens become Catholics obey Mexican laws

By 1830 there were more Americans in Texas than Mexicans. The United States offered to buy Texas from Mexico twice. Mexico said no. In 1830 Mexico passed a law to stop Americans from coming to Texas.

Americans living in Texas became angry and fought the Mexican government. The Americans won and Texas became a separate country. Texas asked to be part of the U.S. President Andrew Jackson refused.

After James K. Polk became president, Texas became a state of the United States on December 28, 1845

Mexican War

President Polk wanted California and New Mexico territories (New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and parts of Colorado and Wyoming). He offered to buy the areas from Mexico, but Mexico refused. Polk planned to provoke Mexico. He wanted Mexico to attack the U.S., so that he could have a good reason to declare war on Mexico.

The reason for the Mexican War: When the U. S. annexed (added) Texas, the U.S. believed that the Southern border of Texas was the Rio Grande River. Mexico believed that the Southern border of Texas was the Nueces River.

President Polk sent American soldiers to set up a fort between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River. Mexican soldiers attacked the fort. U.S. Congress declared war on Mexico on May 11, 1860.

President Polk told Congress that Mexico had “invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.”

The Mexican War was fought over the southern border of Texas. The U.S. won the war. The U.S. took from Mexico what is now New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada, and part of Wyoming and Colorado. This area is called the Mexican Cession.

Later the U.S. bought the lower part of New Mexico and Arizona from Mexico for $10 million. This area is called the Gadsden Purchase. The U.S. wanted the Gadsden Purchase to build a railroad through the area.

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny is the idea that the U. S Manifest Destiny is the idea that the U.S. was meant to extend its borders from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Many Americans felt it was their right and duty to move westward and take over the continent.

Gold Rush 1849

Gold was discovered in California in 1848. In 1849 many people rushed to California with dreams of becoming rich. People that went to look for gold were called forty-niners.

The discovery of gold in California contributed to an increase in population that led to statehood for California. San Francisco became a center for banking, manufacturing, shipping and trade as a result of the 1849 California Gold Rush.

Mormons

The Mormons were a religious group that wanted to build an ideal society. The Mormons migrated to what is now Salt Lake City, Utah, and it was the largest single migration in American history.