Manifest Destiny 1835 -1848 Chapter 9 Western

Manifest Destiny: 1835 -1848 Chapter 9

Western Pioneers Section 1

Americans Head West • Americans headed west to: (1) spread religion, (20) own their own farms, (3) GOLD • Manifest Destiny: Americans should settled lands from Atlantic to Pacific oceans • Plows – help farm the west – J. Wood – iron-bladed plow – J. Deere – steel bladed, sharp plow – Mc. Cormick – mechanical reaper

Settling the Pacific Coast • Oregon was claimed by both the United States and Great Britain • 1821, Mexico gained independence from Spain – Mexico now controlled the territory of California

Trails West • Most popular trail west: Oregon Trail – California Trail & Santa Fe Trail • Wagon Train Life – Travel in covered wagons – Used guidebooks made by earlier emigrants – A trip typically took 5 -6 months traveling 15 miles/day

Native Americans • Native Americans gave settlers gifts: food, water, horses, information • Settlers did pose a threat to Native Americans’ way of life – Depended on the buffalo for food, shelter, clothes • Treaty of Fort Laramie – 8 Native American groups met with the U. S. – U. S. promised lands would forever belong to the Native Americans

Mormon Migration • Mormon were persecuted for religious beliefs • Mormon Church founded by Joseph Smith • Mormons led west to Utah by leader Brigham Young

Independence for Texas Section 2

Opening Texas to Americans • Inhabitants established settlements in southern parts of present-day Texas • Mexico invited foreigners to TX because Mexico could not persuade its own people to settle in upper parts of Texas • National Colonization Act: (1) Mexico gave contractors large grants of TX land, (2) empresarios promised to settle land with certain # of settlers – Mexicans distrusted new settlers because of American lifestyle

Texas Goes to War • Santa Anna – Mexico’s dictator • Mexican Army’s Problems: – No training, no leadership, no support • Sam Houston led the Texan troops • The Alamo (March 6, 1836) Santa Anna sieges the old mission with only a few Texans inside to defend. Texans hold the Mexican troops, but eventually lose the battle – Goliad – loss, but it united the Texans behind a cause – “Remember the Alamo!”

Texas Goes to War • San Jacinto – Texas victory! – 700 Mexican soldiers captured; Texans only lost 9 men & 34 were wounded • Independence declared September 1836 – Sam Houston elected President of Texas – Texans voted in favor of annexation • President Jackson did not want to recognize TX as independent & annex it because: (1) upset balance of free/slave states, (2) did not want to risk a costly war with Mexico

War With Mexico Section 3

Texas? • U. S. claimed TX was part of the Louisiana Purchase • President John Tyler wanted to annex TX, but Northern congressmen opposed it because TX would be a slave state & Mexico never recognized TX as independent

Texas & Oregon in the Union • No reelection for Tyler because he included a pro-slavery letter in the annexation proposal of TX, oops! – TX annexation – Senate voted 35 against – 16 for – Election of 1844 • Whig = Henry Clay • Democrat = James K. Polk – 11 th U. S. President – He promised to annex TX & Oregon & buy California • Oregon – U. S. & Great Britain split OR – 49°

Annexation of Texas • 1845, Congress votes to annex TX as President Tyler is leaving office & Polk is taking office – Mexico cut off diplomatic ties with the U. S. – Mexico & U. S. disputed the location of the TX southwestern border • Mexico = Nueces River • U. S. = Rio Grande River – When Polk wanted to buy CA it made things worse • Mexico refused to meet with Slidell, the representative from the U. S.

War With Mexico • Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to lead U. S. troops – He wanted to taunt the Mexican army so they would shoot first – 1846 = Americans @ war – “American blood has been shed on American soil!” • 3 -Pronged Military Strategy – Page 309 – read & find out

War with Mexico • Americans took lots of Mexican land, but Mexico refused to surrender – 1847, Mexico City is captured by General Winfield Scott – important because it the capital • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican. American War – Mexico ceded more than 500, 000 square miles of land to the U. S. – Rio Grande – TX border – U. S. paid Mexico $15 million & took $3. 25 million in debts

War with Mexico • Manifest Destiny dream is accomplished! • But the question of slavery in the newly acquired lands would begin tensions leading to the Civil War

• French – Bought it for $15 million • Spain – Adams-Onis Treaty: Spain ceded (gave up) lands • Mexico – Texas applied for statehood/approved 1845 • Mexico – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo • Mexico – Purchase it for $10 million in 1853 • Great Britain – Border dispute settled by President Polk (49 degrees N Latitude)