1. Territorial Expansion Moving West

2. Manifest Destiny
The belief that God has ordained that Americans should expand west

3. Native Americans Black Hawk War Treaty of Fort Laramie
Fought over rights to land; continued pattern of Native American groups being pushed farther west by white settlers
Treaty of Fort Laramie
Land guarantees to the some bands of the Lakota people; included encouragements to “civilize” the tribes

4. Border Disputes (Oregon and Trails)
Oregon Territory
The U.S. and Britain had been sharing the Oregon Territory. The U.S. wanted to keep the entire territory (“54 40 or fight!”) but eventually decided to give up the land because it was not great for farming
Mormon Trail
To escape religious persecution
Santa Fe Trail
To trade
Oregon Trail
To set up schools and missions

5. Border Disputes (Mexico and Texas)
Mexican Land grants to settlers
Mexico grants land to white American settlers in present day Texas to cut down on Native American attacks in the area

6. The Texas Revolution, the Republic of Texas, Texas becomes a state
*Alamo*San Jacinto
The Republic
of Texas
Texas Annexation
North
South

7. War with Mexico Mexican American War Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848
North?
No! We don’t want to expand slavery!
South?
Yes! Let’s fight! More land could equal
more slavery!
Mexican American War
America gains the spoils of war –
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848

8. Texas Annexation By March 1845 Congress approved Texas Annexation
Texas: 28th state in December of 1845.
Mexico: cutting off all diplomatic ties with the U.S.

9. Boundary Dispute
Rio Grande boundary
Nueces River boundary

10. Steps to War June 1845- President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor
take U.S. troops into disputed border region
to protect Texas from possible Mexican attack

11. Steps to War
Polk sent diplomat John Slidell to purchase CA & NM ($30 million)
Mexican officials refused to meet with Slidell
John Slidell

12. Steps to War
March 1846 – General Taylor’s troops made camp in disputed territory
April 1846 –
Mexican commander insisted U.S. troops must leave area
Taylor refused to move
Mexican forces crossed the Rio Grande and attacked group of 63 U.S. soldiers
11 Americans killed

13. Steps to War May 11, 1846 – Polk addressed Congress
“Mexico has shed American blood upon the American soil.”
Congress declared war on Mexico

14. Support of the War Greater national pride Spread republican values
Southerners: Any territory won = slave states

15. Opposition to the War Conflict was unjustified
Northerners: any territory gained = slave states
Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln wrote the “Spot Resolutions” in 1848– asking Polk to show the spot where American blood had been shed on American soil

16. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
Forced on Santa Anna and Mexico
Southern boundary of Texas set at the Rio Grande
Mexico ceded:
Present-day states of California, Nevada, and Utah
Most of Arizona and New Mexico
Parts of Colorado and Wyoming
U.S. agreed to pay $15 million to Mexico and pay debts of Mexico to U.S. citizens

18. Gold! California Gold Rush People come from all over the world in 1849
Looking for gold is
difficult work
How did this affect California and the United States?
Population EXPLOSION in California. California will be the first U.S. territory in the land won from Mexico to apply for statehood.
Could this upset the balance of free vs. slave states???...