Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

1
Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

• 1843-1869 Oregon Trail
• 1846-1848 U.S. Mexican War
• 1849-1852 California Gold Rush

2
Oregon Trail

• 1843 Great Migration Westward to the Oregon
  Territory
• Approximately 200,000 traveled along this trail
• Most traveled in covered wagons
• Ended with the completion of the Transcontinental
  Railroad in 1869

3
The Trail West

• From Independence to Portland

4
Why Head West?

• Freedom of life on the frontier
• Manifest Destiny
• Reputation for good farmland
• Escape from epidemics of disease and infection in
  the east
• 640 acre land grants for free
• To prevent this territory from falling under the
  control of the British

5
Role of the British in the Oregon Territory

• Occupied this territory to profit from fur trade
• 1844, Presidential Candidate James Polk ran on
  the platform 54 40 or Fight
• British military considered a war to keep
  control, but decided against it because of U.S.
  patriotism and military

6
Polk 54 40 or Fight

• Through negotiations with the British after
  Polk's inauguration, the boundary between the
  U.S. and British Canada was established at 49
  with the Treaty of Oregon in 1846.

7
Jumping Off Cities

• Independence, MO, and Council Bluffs, Iowa
• Economies of these towns prospered from growth of
  supply shops that served the emigrants

8
Remnants of the Trail are Still Visible Today

• Scotts Bluff National Monument, Scottsbluff,
  Nebraska (left)

9
Hardships Along The Way

• 2000 mile journey - Walking
• Purchase 1000 pounds of food for the journey
• Disease Cholera
• Weather
• River Crossings
• Wagon accidents

10
Death along the way

• There are several graves marked with fieldstones
  in a fenced in area at Register Cliff in
  Scottsbluff.

11
Mexican American War

• 1846-1848
• First Major conflict connected to idea of
  Manifest Destiny
• Mexico refuses to accept U.S. offer to purchase
• Border dispute over strip of land between Nueces
  and Rio Grande River Polk asks for a
  declaration of war from Congress

12
U.S. vs. Mexico

• General Zachary Taylor Santa Anna

13
(No Transcript)
14
Mexican American War

• General Zachary Taylor leads American Forces
• Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna leads Mexican Forces
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed in 1848,
  granting U.S. present day NV, UT, CA, and NM.
• Mexico receives 15 million in compensation

15
Battles

• Siege of Vera Cruz Resaca de la Palma

16
California Gold Rush

• 1848 John Marshall discovers gold while working
  at Sutters Mill in Coloma, CA
• 1849 President Polk confirms discovery of Gold
  to Congress word spreads quickly throughout
  U.S.
• Thousands head west in covered wagons in search
  of gold given name 49ers
• California cities and economies sprung up

17
California Gold Rush

• Sutters Mill

18
Mining

• Only a knife, pick, shovel and pan needed at
  first to pry gold from rocks
• Dirt from rivers and creeks could be swirled in a
  pan and sifted
• By 1852, most of the surface gold had been
  removed, and mining was no longer profitable

19
The Long Tom

• Miners would shovel dirt into it, pour water over
  it, and rock it like a cradle. Lighter dirt and
  gravel was washed away, leaving heavier gold.

20
Panning for Gold

• The sand and dirt would float in the water and
  could be poured off leaving heavy rocks, and
  hopefully gold.

21
John B.L. Soule/Horace Greeley

• Go West, Young Man, and Grow Up with the
  Country.

22
Quiz 1

• In 1843, people began traveling westward towards
  the Oregon territory. Eventually, over 200,000
  people made this journey. This was called
• A.) The Great Exodus
• b.) The Great Migration
• c.) The Great Journey
• d.) The Great Trail

23
Quiz 2

• Before the Americans settled the Oregon
  Territory, what country profited from the fur
  trade of this region?
• A.) Great Britain
• B.) Mexico
• C.) Spain
• D.) France

24
Quiz 3

• What presidential candidate ran on the slogan 54
  40 of Fight, which was a reference to his desire
  for the U.S. to expand the Oregon Territory to
  the 54 40 line of latitude?
• A.) Andrew Jackson
• B.) William Henry Harrison
• C.) James K. Polk
• D.) James Monroe

25
Quiz 4

• Who was the American general that led troops into
  several battles during the Mexican American War?
• A.) Zachary Taylor
• B.) Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
• C.) James K. Polk
• D.) Andrew Jackson

26
Quiz 5

• Who was the Mexican president during the
  Mexican-American War?
• A.) Zachary Taylor
• B.) Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
• C.) James K. Polk
• D.) Andrew Jackson

27
Quiz 6

• What treaty ended the Mexican - American War?
• A.) Treaty of Paris
• B.) Treaty of Ghent
• C.) Treaty of California
• D.) Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

28
Quiz 7

• In 1848, gold was discovered in what California
  location?
• A.) Death Valley
• B.) Los Angeles
• C.) Sutters Mill
• D.) San Diego

29
Quiz 8

• List and explain one cause of the
  Mexican-American war.

30
Quiz 9

• Describe two hardships that emigrants faced along
  the Oregon Trail.

31
Quiz 10

• Explain how the gold rush changed the population
  and the economy of California.

32
Bonus

• What new territory did the U.S. acquire as a
  result of the Mexican-American War?