1. From the Atlantic to the Pacific
Manifest Destiny
From the Atlantic to the Pacific

2. Manifest Destiny
In the 1840s, many Americans believed in Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny was the belief that it was the nation’s destiny to expand from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast

3. The Will of God
The term “Manifest Destiny” was coined by a New York Editor, John L. O’Sullivan
He suggested that it was the will of God or a divine sort of destiny that the nation should encompass all that land

4. Westward Expansion
Of course, the Louisiana Purchase made Manifest Destiny possible
From France, Jefferson – the usually strict constructionist – gained the Great Plains, the Mississippi River, and the port of New Orleans

5. Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea
And the maps of the Louisiana Territory produced as a result of Lewis and Clark’s expedition with the help of Sacagawea made it easier for Americans to venture west

6. Other Factors Americans also settled in Texas
Initially with the blessings of the Mexican government if they converted to Catholicism and pledged loyalty to Mexico

7. Texas Independence
Eventually, the American settlers declared independence from Mexico and fought the Mexican government
First at the Alamo, a former mission, where many Americans were killed

8. Annexation
But over time and with more battles, Texans achieved independence
And by 1845, Congress voted to annex Texas

9. Just a Little More Land
The Americans wanted the border between Mexico and the USA to be at the Rio Grande
But the Mexican government believed the border was the Nueces River

10. The Mexican-American War
1846 – 1848
Mexico was defeated
The United States gained California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and New Mexico

11. The Gadsden Purchase
In 1853, the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico completed U.S. expansion in the southwest

12. The Oregon Territory
In an agreement with Great Britain in 1846, the line dividing Canada and the United States was extended westward to the Pacific, giving the U.S. part of the Oregon Territory

13. “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight”
Before the U.S. gained the Oregon Territory, Americans wanted the line of latitude for this territory to be the 54°40′ line of latitude
Thus, the slogan “Fifty-four Forty or Fight” but then settled on the 49th parallel

14. President Polk
President Polk is the President associated with Manifest Destiny
He was president from 1845 – 1849

15. The Gold Rush Gold was also discovered in California in 1848
By 1849, Americans rushed westward in hopes of finding gold in California

17. The Decline of the Plains Indians
As Americans moved west, they confronted Native American Indians
Indian Wars ensued
Eventually, Native American Indians were placed on reservations

18. The End of A Way of Life
As buffalo were killed for sport by American settlers, the very way of life of the Plains Indians was destroyed

19. Now that the Buffalo are Gone
For the Native American Indians, westward expansion and Manifest Destiny meant the end of their way of life and of their freedom

20. Alaska
And although it was not Atlantic to Pacific related, the United States also acquired Alaska
In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million

21. The Railroad Too The railroad also encouraged westward expansion
As a transcontinental railroad was built with often free federal land, Americans could more easily move west