American Progress by John Gast 1872 The

“American Progress” by John Gast, 1872

The Frontier Draws Settlers In the 1840’s, Americans began to believe that their movement west and south was destined and ordained by God § “Manifest Destiny” expressed their belief that the U. S. ’s destiny was to expand to the Pacific Ocean and into Mexican territory. §

Other Reasons… Panic of 1837 - people suffered economic hardship and wanted a fresh start out West. § Abundance of Land- land ownership was an important step toward prosperity. § Farmers, Miners, Merchants § Trade done with Asia through Oregon Territory harbors. §

Settlers and Native Americans § § Some Natives began to assimilate. Black Hawk War § Settlers in western Illinois and Eastern Iowa put pressure on local tribes to move further west of the Mississippi River. § Tribe representatives visited Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk tribe and one of them had a vision that Black Hawk would lead a rebellion against the U. S. § The Black Hawk War began in Illinois and spread into the Wisconsin Territory. § It ended in June, 1832 when Wisconsin militia slaughtered 200 Sauk and Fox tribe members. § The Tribes were forcibly moved to areas West of the Mississippi River.

Fort Laramie Treaty § Federal government responded to settlers’ fears of attack by calling a conference near what is now Laramie, Wyoming §Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sioux, and Crow. Cheyenne Sioux § 1851 - Treaty was signed §It gave Native American nations control of the Central Plains, land East of the Rocky Mountains that went from the Arkansas River North to Canada. §In return they promised no more attacks on settlers and to allow the construction of government forts and roads §U. S. government repeatedly violated the Treaty terms.

Trails West Santa Fe Trail- 780 miles from Independence, Missouri to Santa Independence Fe, New Mexico. Between 1821 -1860’s, traders loader their covered wagons with cloth, knives, guns. For the first 150 miles, wagons traveled alone, which made them alone vulnerable to attacks. Traveling in groups- “circle the wagons” for protection. § They reached New Mexico, traded and loaded their wagons with silver, gold, and furs and began the trip back to Missouri. silver gold §

Trails Westward

“Eastward I go only by force, but westward I go free. ” § Oregon Trail began in Independence, Missouri and ended in Portland, Oregon. Portland Some of the same trails as Lewis and Clark Fertile soil and abundant rainfall Trip took months Fevers, diarrhea, cholera killed many § By 1844, 5, 000 settlers had arrived in the Willamette Valley.

The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869

Resolving Territorial Disputes §The British shared joint-occupation of the Oregon Territory from the Treaty of Ghent § 1844, James K. Polk was running for President. His platform called for annexation of the entire area. “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!” § Britain and the U. S. peacefully decided in 1846 to extend the boundary with Canada along the 49 th parallel westward from the Rocky Mountains to Puget Sound, establishing the current U. S. border § The border for the South would not be so easy.

The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or Fight! § By the mid-1840 s, “Oregon Fever” was spurred on by the promise of free land. § The joint British-U. S. occupation ended in 1846.

Overland Immigration to the West • Between 1840 and 1860, more than 250, 000 people made the trek westward.

Southwest Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821. E The Mission System declines. E Spain’s Catholic missions in CA, NM, and TX E tried to convert NA to Catholicism. E This system of missions declined during the 1820’s -1830’s after Mexican independence. E Mission land was offered to government officials and ranchers from the Mexican government. E Most NA left the missions, returning to their customs. E Mexicans captured some NA forced labor E Comanche and Apache retaliated by sweeping through TX, terrorizing Mexican settlements and stealing livestock.

Mexican Independence E Trade opportunities with the U. S. increased Cattle and other goods provided trade in Santa Fe. The capital, Mexico City, seemed distant from the border trade and indifferent to the problems of those in TX. E What did Mexico hope to gain from Anglo settlement in TX? Protection against NA attacks and horse thieves. To bring American manufactured goods into Mexico. E Land grants to empresarios: tempting for Americans. E Bought cheap land from Mexico in exchange for a pledge to obey Mexican laws and observe the official religion of Roman Catholicism

Austin in Texas Most successful empresario, Stephen F. Austin E Established a colony between the Brazos and Colorado Rivers. E By 1825, Austin issued 297 land grants to the group called Old Three Hundred. - He Hundred chose the settlers carefully. E E Each family received 177 acres of land 10 years exemption from paying taxes E Americans were encouraged to go South. - “Go To Texas” E E E Americans wanted to extend the U. S. border to Rio Grande River. John Quincy Adams - $1 million dollars, Andrew Jackson - $5 million dollars. Mexico refused and began to regret being so hospitable to Anglos.

Texas Fights for Independence Tension grew over cultural differences. Different languages Southern plantation owners brought slaves with them Mexico had abolished slavery in 1824. 1830 - Mexico sealed its borders Taxed imports from U. S. Mexico lacked troops to watch the borders. Anglo population doubled from 1830 -1834.

Texas Revolution Mexican politics was becoming unstable Mexican President was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna He had Stephen Austin imprisoned for trying to revolutionize. Santa Anna revoked local powers in TX, several rebellions TX erupted.

Remember The Alamo! Santa Anna marched toward San Antonio with 4, 000 soldiers. Austin sent word out for Texans to arm themselves. Texans attack in late, 1835. They drove the Mexicans near the Alamo, an abandoned Alamo mission and fort All 187 defenders of the Alamo died. Jim Bowie – famous frontiersmen Davy Crockett Many Mexican soldiers died.

Remember the Alamo!

Davy Crockett’s Last Stand

General Santa Anna Recaptures the Alamo

Lone Star Republic 1836 - Santa Anna won more battles after the Alamo. A group of Texans, led by Sam Houston, defeated Santa Anna at the Houston battle of San Jacinto. They killed 630 Mexicans in 15 minutes and captured their leader. They set him free after he signed the Treaty of Velasco It gave TX its independence Houston became in charge of the Republic of TX.

Texas Declaration of Independence

Texas Joins the Union 1838, Sam Houston asked the U. S. to annex, or incorporate TX into the country. The country was divided on the issue. Southerners wanted to extend slavery into new states. Northerners feared that annexation of more slave territory would create an imbalance in the Senate in favor of slave states. President, James K. Polk was a slaveholder who favored annexation of TX. TX became the 28 th state in the Union. Mexico was angry and ready for a war.

The Slidell Mission: Nov. , 1845 § John Slidell Mexican recognition of the Rio Grande River as the TX-US border § US would purchase the New Mexico area for $5, 000 § US would buy California at any price. § Polk also sent General Zachary Taylor to the Rio Grande to blockade the river.

Wilmot Proviso, 1846 Provided, territory from that, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any the Republic of Mexico by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for territory crime, whereof the party shall first be Congressmen David Wilmot (D-PA)

Attitudes towards war §Issue of slavery §Abolitionists- against slavery, Abolitionists James Russell Lowell §Proslavery, John C. Calhoun § Southerners- wanted more states to be proslavery Increases power in the Senate for the Southern states. Wilmot Proviso prohibited slavery in any lands gained from Mexico § Northerners- did not want slavery to spread § Did not want the South to dominate in Congress § Questioned the reason for the war…slavery , expansion, or expansion both? both

The Mexican War Map

Battles and Strategies John C. Fremont sent a military exploration party into CA. CA This violated Mexico’s territorial rights. § Mexico responded § They sent troops to meet Gen. Taylor at the Rio Grande. § 11 U. S. soldiers died § Congress declared war after persuasion from Polk § § Abe Lincoln, a member of Congress, Lincoln questioned Polk.

Battles and Strategies § Polk orders Colonel Stephen Kearny to march from Kansas to Santa Fe. He and his men marched over 800 miles of barren land. They fought Mexicans and then marched into CA to meet up with Fremont They claimed the Republic of California. Other famous military officers- Robert E. Lee, Ulysses S. Lee Grant, Winfield Scott Grant

General Zachary Taylor “Old Rough and Ready”

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848 Nicholas Trist, American Negotiator

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo § February 2, 1848 § U. S. and Mexico signed the Treaty § Mexico agreed that the Rio Grande River was the new border for TX and gave over NM and CA. § The U. S. paid $15 million. § Today this includes CA, NV, NM, UT, most of AZ, parts of CO UT AZ and WY. WY § Any Mexicans living in these areas were given freedom of religion, protection of property, bilingual elections, and open religion elections borders. § 5 years later, President Franklin Pierce paid an additional $10 million of area South of the Gila River- current AZ. § Gadsden Purchase- set current Southern border for U. S.

The Mexican Cession

Results of the Mexican War? • The 17 -month war cost $100, 000 and 13, 000+ American lives (mostly of disease). disease • New territories were brought into the Union which forced the explosive issue of SLAVERY to the center of national politics. * Brought in 1 million square miles of land (including TX) • These new territories would upset the balance of power between North and South. • Manifest Destiny partially realized.

Free Soil Party ree Soil! “F Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!” Free

The 1848 Presidential Election Results

GOLD! At Sutter’s Mill, 1848 John A. Sutter

California Gold Rush, 1849 49 er’s

Diversity § CA population was over 100, 000 Chinese were the largest group of immigrants from overseas. Free blacks, the wealthiest lived in CA. Fastest growing population was Mexican § CA outlawed slavery. § Northerners were happy b/c TX was initially a slave state. § Southerners were angry, they wanted another slave state.