1. Manifest Destiny
Chapter 13
US History

2. Overview:
From , Westward Migration of the American people grew and Manifest Destiny became a national belief.
During this time America gained new lands through the
Texas Revolution, the War with Mexico, and the California gold rush.

3. Trails West
Why go west?
An opportunity to make $$$- land speculators bought up huge areas of land, hoping that it would increase in value.
Merchants and manufacturers headed west in hopes of selling supplies to farmers and others who had moved.
Others made the trip to find jobs, or to escape people they owed money to.

4. The Trails Leading to the West:
The Trail to Santa Fe
Oregon Trail
The Mormon Trail
Old Spanish Trail
California Trail

5. Trails West

6. The Trail to Santa Fe From Missouri to Mexico City
Mexico is now free from Spain and eager to trade;
Traders set out on the trail annually to make huge profits from their merchandise.

7. The Oregon Trail From Missouri to the Oregon Territory
Many people took the 2,000 mile journey after hearing stories of fertile land, sunshine, and livestock.
The rush to Oregon became known as Oregon Fever.

8. The Mormon Trail Groups of Mormons move for religious freedom.
Led by Brigham Young
Set out from Illinois to Utah and part of Mexico.
Joseph Smith
Brigham Young

9. The Texas Revolution Texas was originally controlled by Spain.
Not many Spanish settlers there, so Americans ask permission to move there.
Eventually, Mexico gains independence from Spain.
Stephen Austin
But with so many Americans moving in, Mexicans not happy and Texans declare “free and independent”
Santa Anna sends the military to try to send a message…
The Alamo
Defeat Mexico at San Jaunito and Texas becomes free.

10. Lone Star Republic
1836
In September of 1836, Texans raised a flag with a single star and proclaimed Texas a free republic. Most Texans considered themselves to be Americans and wanted Texas to join the Union.
Northerners objected letting them join, saying that they would want to become a slave state. Texas would remain an independent Republic for 10 more years.

11. James K Polk
“The Dark Horse”

12. Manifest Destiny
1845
Many Americans believed it was destiny that the US was supposed to stretch across the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. This idea was known as “Manifest Destiny”- a clear or obvious event that is sure to happen.
“Our Manifest Destiny is… to possess the whole of the continent.”
-John L. O’Sullivan
John Gast, American Progress, 1872

13. Spawned a war with Mexico.
1845
Texas was admitted as a slave state.
But Mexico still claimed the territory for its own.
Spawned a war with Mexico.
War with Mexico

14. (After 3 years of war)
By 1848, Mexico was defeated and gave up control of the Texas and California territory.
Later Mexico sold the area now known as Arizona and New Mexico to America for $10 Million. The US now stretched “from sea to shining sea.”

15. “From Sea to Shining Sea”

16. California Gold Rush
Prior to being acquired by America, Swiss settler James Marshall discovered small bits of gold near his mill. News of this discovery spread and people from all over California rushed to the river in search of more.
The following year, thousands more forty-niners (miners) came out in search of gold. The young miners set up tent camps, which eventually changed to wooden building that included stores and saloons.
Mining was hard work and it was rare to find large pieces of gold.