1. Territorial Expansion Moving West

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

3. Manifest Destiny Main draw – land
Owning land was an important first step toward prosperity
Other Reasons
Expanding markets
Fresh start – economic trouble

4. Native Americans Black Hawk War
Fought over rights to land – Native Americans lose and are forcibly removed to land WEST of Mississippi
continued pattern of
Native American groups being
pushed farther west by white
settlers

5. Native Americans Treaty of Fort Laramie
Agreement between the US Government and several Midwestern tribes who guaranteed not to attack white settlers moving West
US Government agreed
to honor boundaries
US Government
repeatedly violated it’s
side of the agreement

6. Trails West Aside from settlers two other groups moved across the west
traders and missionaries

7. Trails West Santa Fe Trail Oregon Trail
From Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico
Traders took cloth, guns, knives and returned with gold, silver and furs
Oregon Trail
* From Independence, MO to Portland, OR
* Methods of travel: 1) prairie schooners or
2) walking
* Why Oregon? – plenty of rain and fertile soil

9. Trails West Mormon Trail moving west to escape religious persecution
Practice that caused so much controversy – polygamy or
(the practice of having more than one wife)
Led west by Brigham Young
Eventually settled in an area they called Salt Lake City

10. Border Disputes Oregon Territory
The U.S. and Britain had been sharing the Oregon Territory.
President Polk used the slogan “Fifty-four Forty or Fight” to gain support for annexing (adding) the Oregon Territory
Britain eventually agreed and the US Boundary extended all the way to the Puget Sound
The US’s northern boundary with Canada is now established

11. 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

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

13. 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

14. 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???...