1. Manifest Destiny
The Lure Of The West

2. Trails West
Mountain Men: Lived, trapped fur, & hunted near the Rocky Mountains
Jedediah Smith & Jim Beckwourth
Explored west of Mississippi
Discovered “passes” through Rocky Mts.
Thousands later followed their trails
Americans still had a great desire to trade. The best land still remaining, that was unsettled was mostly near the Rocky Mountains. It was during this time that the “Mountain Man” became part of the American legend.
Mountain Men like Smith opened up the West by discovering the best trails through the Rocky Mountains.
Later, thousands of pioneers followed these trails and these men played an important role as guides for people attempting to move west.

3. Land speculators bought huge areas of land
The Lure of the West
Land = $$ & opportunity
Land speculators bought huge areas of land
Divide & sold to settlers who dreamed of owning their own farms.
8.6 C The student will analyze the relationship between the concept of Manifest Destiny and the westward growth of the nation  

4. The Santa Fe and Oregon Trails
The Santa Fe Trail
Missouri to Santa Fe
The Oregon Trail
Missouri to Utah OR to either California (on the California trail) or to the Oregon Country.
By the 1840s thousands of people were migrating.
8.6 C The student will analyze the relationship between the concept of Manifest Destiny and the westward growth of the nation  
Traders also traveled west in search of markets. Santa Fe, the capital of the Mexican province New Mexico, was home to a traders market. The Santa Fe Trail began in Missouri and ended in Santa Fe.
William Bucknell
Hundreds of settlers also began to migrate west to the Oregon Territory. The Oregon Trail started in Missouri then headed west to Utah and then to either California (on the California trail) or to the Oregon Country itself. By the 1840s thousand of people were migrating.

5. The Mormons in Utah
The Mormons were founded in upstate New York in the 1830s by Joseph Smith.
They migrated to Utah after being forced out of NY, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois because of their beliefs.
In 1847 Brigham Young led them to the Great Salt Lake.
They became farmers and used irrigation to establish their community.
By 1877 there were 125,000 Mormons in Utah.

6. Manifest Destiny 1844: James K. Polk In favor U.S. expansion
Took every opportunity to expand the size of the U.S.
8.6 C The student will analyze the relationship between the concept of Manifest Destiny and the westward growth of the nation  
In the 1840s, American Politicians debated whether or not to expand the size of the United States. Most people were for expansion, but some politicians, such as Henry Clay were against it. So for the 1844 election an unknown democrat, with Andrew Jackson’s support won the presidency.
James K. Polk was in favor of massive U.S. expansion. He called the United States expansion to the West its “Manifest Destiny”.
Manifest Destiny: it was the destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory over the whole of North America
James K. Polk

7. Manifest Destiny
People believed that it was in the U.S.’s fate to expand from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans.
Explain the picture.
How does the picture relate to the idea of Manifest Destiny?
Explain this picture.

8. The Political, Economic, and Social Roots of “Manifest Destiny”
Expanding Democracy: Americans believed that God wanted them to spread democracy and be an example to the world.
Pioneering Spirit: Americans admired the rugged individuals that traveled to Texas, Oregon, California, and the Southwest.
Is Manifest Destiny a political policy or a social concept? Explain your answer.
The Political, Economic, and Social Roots of “Manifest Destiny”
Future Prosperity: Americans believed that the west was the key to economic prosperity and the success of farmers in Texas and discovery of gold in California encouraged this belief.
Security: Controlling the entire continent would lessen threats from England, Spain, and Russia.
Romanticizing the West: Americans created paintings, prints, and literature that showed the west as an ideal of nature.

9. The Annexation of Texas
In the 1820s large numbers of Americans migrated to Spanish Texas.
In the 1830s Mexico became alarmed at the number of Americans in Texas and tried to stop more from arriving.
In the Texans revolted against the Mexican government and established the Republic of Texas.
James K. Polk promised to annex Texas in his election campaign for President in 1844.
In 1845 Texas entered the U.S. as a slave state.

10. U.S.-Mexican War
Began over the dispute over the southern border of Texas.
Polk used this incident to declare war on Mexico.
Americans in California revolted at this time.
Within two years the U.S. captured Mexico City.
Mexico gave up California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado, and New Mexico in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million for the Mexican Cession.
US Claimed Border
Mexico Claimed Border

11. Impact of the Mexican War
Weakened political parties in the U.S.
Increase the size of the U.S.
8.6 D  The students will explain the major issues and events of the Mexican War and their impact on the United States
Increased the size of the U.S.
Escalated the disagreement of slavery in the new territories
Weakened political parties in the U.S.
Escalated the disagreement of slavery in the new territories

12. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
The Mexican Cession
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Mexico ceded (gave up) present day California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.
U.S. paid $15 mil cash
8.6 D  The students will explain the major issues and events of the Mexican War and their impact on the United States
In return for all of this land, the U.S. also had to pay $15 million in cash and $3.25 million to people in the new territory that claimed that Mexico owed them money.

13. Gadsden Purchase 1853 Purchased from Mexico for $10 million.
Bought because this area was seen as the most practical route for the new railroad that was expanding across the U.S.
8.6 D  The students will explain the major issues and events of the Mexican War and their impact on the United States
The last bit of territory added to the continental U.S. was a strip of land across what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona.
In 1853, Mexico sold the land – called the Gadsden Purchase – to the U.S. for $10 million
James K. Polk had already secured the Northern U.S. boundary by splitting the Oregon Country with Great Britain. They agreed to split the land at the area of the current Canadian boarder.
Therefore, this new Gadsden Purchase formed the southern boarder and gave the United States its current shape. The U.S. now stretched from ‘sea to shining sea.”
How does the payment for the Gadsden Purchase compare to the purchase of the Mexican Cession?

14. The California Gold Rush
Describe the men in the photos.
In 1848 gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada in California.
In 1949 and 1850 many people from all over the US rushed to find gold.
The gold rush lasted only a few years but the population of California greatly increased.
California became a new destination for settlers.

15. Effects of the Gold Rush
California became a state from increase population
Spanish heritage becomes an important part of California culture
8.6 D  The students will explain the major issues and events of the Mexican War and their impact on the United States
California became a state from increase population
San Francisco became a business center
Native Americans die by the thousands from disease
Spanish heritage becomes an important part of California culture
Native Americans die by the thousands from disease
San Francisco became a business center

16. America Expands
Westward