Manifest Destiny 1810 1853 Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny, 1810 – 1853

Manifest Destiny, 1810– 1853 § Westward expansion has political, economic, and social effects on the development of the United States.

Mountain Men Open the West § Mountain men explore the West while searching for furs § They provide knowledge of West that helps later pioneers move west § Jedediah Smith finds South Pass that was later used by pioneers as wagon trail

The Lure of the West § Many use the West to make money and take land from Native Americans § Land speculators buy huge areas of land, hope value will increase § If value goes up, speculators divide land into smaller sections

The Lure of the West § Make great profits selling sections to thousands of settlers § Manufacturers and merchants soon follow the settlers west § They hope to earn money, making, and selling items farmers need

The Santa Fe Trail

The Trail to Santa Fe § Mexico gains independence (1821) and opens its borders to American traders § William Becknell goes to Santa Fe, New Mexico, opens Santa Fe Trail § He makes profit trading, news spreads, traders can get rich in New Mexico

The Trail to Santa Fe § Becknell makes another trip to Santa Fe, uses a shortcut § Soon hundreds of traders use same route from Missouri to New Mexico

The Oregon Trail § Started in Independence, Missouri and ended in Portland, Oregon (the Willamette Valley) § The route to Oregon followed some of the same paths that Lewis & Clark had followed decades before.

Oregon Fever § Hundreds of settlers begin migrating west on the Oregon Trail § First whites to cross to Oregon are missionaries § U. S. and Britain argue over ownership of Oregon

Oregon Fever § Missionaries report about Oregon’s rich land, attract many settlers § In 1843, nearly 1, 000 people travel from Missouri to Oregon

The Mormon Trail

The Mormon Trail § Mormons—members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints § People fought against the Mormons because: § Beliefs are different from traditional Christianity § Practice polygamy § Vote in blocks § Opposition to slavery

The Mormon Trail § Mob kills Mormon leader Joseph Smith, Mormons decide to leave U. S. § Next leader, Brigham Young, leads 1, 600 Mormons to Utah (1847) § Build settlement by the Great Salt Lake

Americans Support Manifest Destiny § West occupied by Native Americans and Mexicans § Americans view West as unoccupied, many want to settle in region § Manifest Destiny—U. S. expansion from Atlantic to the Pacific is sure to happen

Americans Support Manifest Destiny § Manifest destiny becomes U. S. policy under President James K. Polk § U. S. and Britain divide Oregon territory at 49 th parallel (1846)

Troubles with Mexico § U. S. Congress admits Texas as slave state (1846) this angers Mexico § Texas and Mexico do not agree on official border, U. S. diplomacy fails § General Zachary Taylor stations U. S. troops in disputed region

Troubles with Mexico § Action viewed by Mexico as an act of war, Mexico attacks U. S. patrol § Congress declares war on Mexico, some Americans are against war § Southerners want to extend slavery into Texas, Northerners do not

The Invasion of Mexico § General Zachary Taylor leads U. S. troops into Mexico from Texas § Fights Santa Anna and Mexican troops at Buena Vista, the Mexican troops retreat

The Invasion of Mexico § General Winfield Scott and U. S. troops land in Veracruz, Mexico § They head inland to Mexico City, fight Mexican troops, and capture Mexico City

The Mexican Cession § War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) § Mexico recognizes Texas as a part of the U. S. and the Rio Grande as Mexican/U. S. border

The Mexican Cession § Mexico gives up vast region known as the Mexican Cession: § amounts to almost one-half of Mexico § U. S. pays Mexico $15 million for region

The Mexican Cession § Mexicans in U. S. become a minority and contribute to American culture

“From Sea to Shining Sea” § Mexico sells land to U. S. , the Gadsden Purchase (1853): § costs U. S. $10 million § includes southern New Mexico and Arizona

“From Sea to Shining Sea” § In 1848, the U. S. extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific § President Polk learns gold was found in California

California Before the Rush § Before gold rush, California is populated by Native Americans and Californios § Californios—California settlers of Spanish or Mexican descent § Most live on huge cattle ranches

Rush for Gold § News of gold discovery spreads rapidly and starts California gold rush § Gold rush occurs when many people move to where gold has been found

Rush for Gold § Thousands of gold seekers set out to California using one of 3 routes: § sail around South America and up Pacific coast § sail to Isthmus of Panama, crossover, then sail to California § travel overland across North America

Life in the Mining Camps § Forty-niners— people who go to California to find gold, starting 1849 § Often live in camps with colorful names like Coyote Diggings, or Hangtown

Life in the Mining Camps § Camp life is dangerous and the mining is hard work, few find much gold § Miners pay high prices for supplies and con artists swindle miners

The Impact of the Gold Rush § During gold rush 250, 000 people flood into California and it is over by 1852 § San Francisco becomes center for banking, shipping, and trade § Gold rush ruins many Californios, Americans seize their property

The Impact of the Gold Rush § Thousands of Native § § § Americans die from diseases brought by miners Thousands of Native Americans were killed Due to gold rush, California has enough people to apply for statehood California is admitted as free state in 1850

The Impact of the Gold Rush § Outlaws slavery but does not grant African Americans right to vote § Southerners fear California will upset the balance between slave and free states § Conflict over issue threatens survival of the Union

Chinese Americans § Chinese men came to American to § find jobs building railroads § to get rich finding gold in California § to find work as agricultural harvesters.

Chinese Americans § Many immigrants coming into the US were detained for weeks and sometimes months before being granted entry.

Chinese Americans § The first group of people to be legally excluded from entering the US were the Chinese.

The Transcontinental Railroad • At the end of the Civil War railroad tracks still stopped at the Missouri River. • Men had dreamed of building a line from coast to coast.

The Transcontinental Railroad • The Transcontinental Railroad, when built, was 1, 775 miles from Omaha, NE to Sacramento, CA.

The Transcontinental Railroad A path would have to be cut through: • Mountains higher than any railroad-builder had ever faced • Span deserts where there was no water anywhere • Cross treeless prairies where anxious and defiant Indians would resist their passage.

The Transcontinental Railroad • In 1862, Congress gave charters to two companies to build these tracks. • The Central Pacific was to push eastward from Sacramento, over the Sierra Nevada mountains. • The Union Pacific was to start from Omaha Nebraska, cross the great plains and cut through the Rockies.

The Transcontinental Railroad • The Union Pacific and Central Pacific were locked in a race to see who could lay the most track to get the most land money.

The Transcontinental Railroad The Central Pacific Railroad made these four investors some of the wealthiest men in America. Stanford Huntington Hopkins Crocker

The Transcontinental Railroad • Finally, on May 10, 1869, The Central Pacific Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad met at Promontory Summit, Utah.