1. Texas and Westward Expansion

2. Manifest Destiny

3. Manifest Destiny John Louis O'Sullivan, 1845
“Clear and unavoidable fate”
Fill the land with white Protestant Americans
Major political platform of the Democratic Party

4. U.S. in 1850

6. Texas 1821 Mexico won its independence from Spain
Needed to do something with its sparsely populated land in Coahuila y Tejas
General Colonization Law
Empresario & “League and Labor”
Stephen F. Austin
Convert to Catholicism
No slavery

7. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Led various coups against the new Mexican government
Elected president of Mexico in 1833
Attempted to centralize power in Mexico
Immigration to Texas had already been cut off
Santa Anna denied Texan requests to form its own Mexican state. Arrested Stephen F. Austin
Other issues: customs, tithes, garrison of troops

8. Texas' Independence
Mexico ordered the Texan militia to return a cannon it held in Gonzales
Battle of Gonzales – 2 Mexican soldiers died and 1 American. Mexican troops retreated
Santa Anna led a Mexican Army north into Texas. Warned Pres. Jackson against US interference.
March 2, 1836 Texas declares independence at Washington-on-the- Brazos

9. The Alamo & Goliad The Battle of the Alamo
13 day siege on the Alamo mission in San Antonio de Bexar ending on March 6, 1836
5,000 Mexican troops against or 257 Texans
Jim Bowie, William Travis, Davy Crockett
No male survivors... well maybe one
The Goliad Massacre
James Fannin was supposed to reinforce the Texan troops at the Alamo
Fannin's troops were caught in the open at Coleto Creek
All prisoners were executed

10. Battle of San Jacinto
Santa Anna then turned his army towards the last Texas forces controlled by Sam Houston
“Runaway Scrape,” race to Galveston and Louisiana
The Battle of San Jacinto
900 Texans against 1,200 Mexicans
Siesta
“Remember the Alamo” & “Remember Goliad”
18 minutes, 9 Texans dead & 700 Mexicans dead
“The Yellow Rose of Texas”
Treaty of Velasco

11. Lone Star Republic
Mexico did not recognize Texas' claim to independence
Split between Mirabeau B. Lamar and Sam Houston on annexation to the U.S.
What issue kept Texas from entering the United States?
Independent republic from

12. Annexation
On March 1, 1845 Congress passed and President John Tyler signed a bill annexing Texas to the US
James K. Polk took office immediately after on a platform of Manifest Destiny
But what was Texas?

13. Polk Pokes
Meanwhile, Polk attempted to purchase modern-day California and New Mexico from Mexico for around $25 million
Mexico refused the offer and insisted that the Nueces River was the southern border of Texas
Polk sent troops into southern Texas south of the Nueces R. to provoke Mexico and defend Texas
Mexican troops attacked a small regiment of US soldiers in 1846
US declares war – Mexican War

14. Mexican War, 1846 - 1848 Main US troops led by Zachary Taylor
Mexican troops led by Santa Anna
Unpopular with Whigs and the North
Complete US victory, even capturing Mexico City
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Rio Grande became the southern border
Gave US CA, NM, AZ, UT, & CO
US gave Mexico $15 million

15. Moving Forward
By 1850 the US had acquired much of its present day boundaries
Issues over statehood, slavery, and Native Americans
Who lived in the West?