The Western Pioneers

1
The Western Pioneers

• Americans moved west for land, adventure, or
  trade. ?

• Many people believed that the movement west was
  Manifest Destinythe idea that the nation was
  meant to spread all the way to the Pacific. ?
• The first settlers west of the Appalachians were
  squatters, because they settled on lands they did
  not own. ?
• The Pre-Emption Act in 1841 gave them the
  opportunity to buy their land.

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2
The Western Pioneers (cont.)

• The push to settle Oregon and California happened
  partly because emigrants thought the Great Plains
  had poor farming land. ?

• Settlers were interested in Oregon and
  California, although Native Americans and other
  nations had already claimed parts of the region.
  ?
• The United States and Great Britain both wanted
  to own Oregon.

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3
The Western Pioneers (cont.)

• Britain dominated Oregon until about 1840 when
  many Easterners settled there as a result of the
  encouragement of American missionaries. ?

• Most came for the farm land rather than the
  missionary work. ?
• Mexico controlled California, and the local
  government wanted to attract more settlers. ?
• Because few Mexicans wanted to live there,
  foreign settlers were welcomed.

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4
The Western Pioneers (cont.)

• By the 1840s, several east-west passages, such as
  the Oregon Trail,had been carved out. ?

• These trails were very important to the
  settlement of the West. ?
• As overland traffic increased, Native Americans
  on the Great Plains were concerned and angry over
  the large numbers of emigrants across their
  hunting grounds.

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5
The Western Pioneers (cont.)

• The Plains Indians relied on the buffalo, and
  they feared that the settlers would cause the
  buffalo herds to die off or migrate elsewhere. ?

• The federal government and eight Native American
  groups negotiated the Treaty of Fort Laramie, in
  which the United States promised that defined
  territories would belong to the Native Americans
  forever.

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6
The Western Pioneers (cont.)
Why did Native Americans begin to fear American
settlers who migrated west?
Native Americans feared the threat that
immigration posed to their way of life.They
relied on buffalo for their food, shelter,
clothing, tools, and other necessities.They
worried that the increasing flow of American
settlers across their hunting grounds in the
Great Plains would disrupt the buffalo herds.
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7
Americans Settle in Texas

• Texas was under Mexican control after Mexico
  achieved independence from Spain in 1821. ?

• Tejanos, the Spanish-speaking people of the area,
  had established settlements in the southern part
  of the region. ?
• Since Tejanos refused to move to the northern
  part of the region where Native American groups
  lived, Mexico invited Americans and others to
  settle there.

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8
Americans Settle in Texas (cont.)

• Most American emigrants to Texas came at the
  encouragement of empresarios, or agents. ?

• Mexico gave empresarios large areas of Texas
  land. ?
• In return, the empresarios promised to get a
  certain number of settlers for the land. ?
• Stephen Austin was the first and most successful
  empresario.

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9
Americans Settle in Texas (cont.)

• At first the Americans agreed to Mexican
  citizenship, as required for settlement. ?

• But the Americans did not adopt Mexican customs,
  nor did they think of Mexico as their country.

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10
Americans Settle in Texas (cont.)

• In 1826 empresario Haden Edwards and his brother
  declared that the American settlements in Texas
  were the independent nation of Fredonia. ?

• Stephen Austin and some troops, however, helped
  Mexico stop Edwardss revolt.

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11
Americans Settle in Texas (cont.)

• The Mexican government feared an American plot to
  take over Texas. ?

• So in 1830 Mexico closed its borders to
  immigration by Americans. ?
• The government also banned the import of enslaved
  labor and discouraged trade with the United
  States. ?
• These new laws angered settlers.

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12
Americans Settle in Texas (cont.)
Why did the Mexican government close its borders
to American immigration?
Americans did not adopt Mexican customs, nor did
they think of Mexico as their country. A revolt
led by an American caused the Mexican government
to fear that the Americans wanted to take over
Texas. So the government closed the borders to
American immigration.
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13
Texas Fights for Independence

• American settlers in Texas held a convention in
  1832 and asked Mexico to reopen Texas to American
  immigrants and to decrease the taxes on imports. ?

• The convention held in 1833 was more aggressive.
  ?
• At that time, Texas was part of the Mexican state
  of Coahuila. ?
• The convention members asked Mexico to separate
  Texas from Coahuila and create a new Mexican
  state.

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14

• The convention sent Austin to Mexico City to
  negotiate with the Mexican government. ?

• Negotiations failed, and Austin wrote back to San
  Antonio suggesting that Texas should organize its
  own state government. ?
• Stephen Austin then persuaded Mexican President
  Antonio López de Santa Anna to agree to lift the
  immigration ban and other demands. ?
• Meanwhile, Mexican officials intercepted his
  letter.

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15

• In January 1834, Austin was arrested by Mexican
  officials and jailed for treason. ?

• In April 1834, Santa Anna denounced the Mexican
  Constitution and made himself dictator. ?
• When Austin was granted amnesty from prison in
  1835, he urged Texans to organize an army,
  because he foresaw war with Mexico. ?
• The Texan armys first victory against Mexico was
  at the military post of Gonzales.

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16

• When Santa Anna and his forces came to San
  Antonio in February 1836, about 150 Texas rebels
  were at the Alamo. ?

• The small force, commanded by William B. Travis
  and joined by 32 settlers, held off Santa Annas
  army for 13 days. ?
• During this time the new Texas government
  declared independence from Mexico.

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17

• On March 6, 1836, Santa Annas army defeated the
  Texans at the Alamo. ?

• The dead included famed frontiersmen Davy
  Crockett and Jim Bowie. ?
• Two weeks after the Alamo fell, the Mexican army
  forced the Texas troops to surrender at Goliad, a
  town southeast of San Antonio. ?
• About 300 of the Texas troops were executed.

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18

• At the Battle of San Jacinto, commander in chief
  of the Texas forces, Sam Houston, and his Texas
  troops launched a surprise attack on the Mexican
  army. ?

• The Texan forces quickly beat the Mexican army. ?
  
• They captured Santa Anna, who was forced to sign
  a treaty recognizing the independence of the
  Republic of Texas.

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19

• In September 1836, Sam Houston was elected
  president of the Republic of Texas. ?

• The citizens of Texas also voted for
  annexationto become part of the United States. ?
  
• Many northern members of Congress were against
  admitting Texas as a slave state.

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20
Why did Texans declare their independence from
Mexico?
The Mexican government would not lift the ban on
immigration to Texas, and it would not make Texas
a separate state from Coahuila. After President
Antonio López de Santa Anna made himself dictator
of Mexico, Stephen F. Austin urged Texans to
organize an army.
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21
Texas and Oregon Enter the Union

• President John Tyler wanted to bring Texas into
  the Union. ?

• Texas, however, was certain to be a slave state.
  ?
• In early 1844, Congress voted against annexation
  of Texas. ?
• Many Northerners thought that annexation was a
  pro-slavery plot.

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22

• James K. Polk was the Democratic candidate in the
  1844 election. ?

• He promised to annex Texas and the Oregon
  Territory and to buy California from Mexico. ?
• He won the election.

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23

• President Polk said that the United States had a
  right to Oregon. ?

• Those who supported this stand on Oregon used the
  slogan Fifty-four Forty or Fight. ?
• In June 1846, Great Britain and the United States
  agreed that the United States would acquire most
  of Oregon south of 49 north latitude. ?
• At the urging of outgoing president Tyler,
  Congress passed a resolution that annexed Texas.

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24
How did Texas and Oregon enter the Union?
Texas was annexed after President Tyler sent a
resolution to Congress to annex Texas. President
Polk agreed to split the Oregon Territory with
Great Britain, so the United States acquired
Oregon south of 49 north latitude.
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25
War With Mexico

• Angry at the annexation of Texas, Mexico broke
  diplomatic relationswith the United States
  government. ?

• In addition, Mexico and the U.S. government
  disputed the locationof Texass southwestern
  border. ?
• In November 1845, President Polk sent John
  Slidell to Mexico City to purchase California. ?
• Mexicos president refused to meet with Slidell.

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26
War With Mexico (cont.)

• After Mexico refused to discuss the U.S. purchase
  of California, Polk ordered troops led by General
  Zachary Taylorto cross the Nueces River. ?

• Mexicans saw this as an invasion of their
  country. ?
• A Mexican force attacked Taylors men. ?
• Polk declared war with Mexico.

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27
War With Mexico (cont.)

• Even before Polk signed the declaration of war,
  Taylors troops defeated Mexican forces in two
  fights. ?

• Taylor and his troops continued south and
  defeated the Mexican army on two more occasions.

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28
War With Mexico (cont.)

• In northern California, settlers led byU. S.
  general John C. Frémont hadlittle trouble
  overcoming the Mexican representatives there. ?

• On June 14, 1846, the settlers declared
  California independent from Mexico. ?
• They called the region the Bear Flag Republic. ?
• A few weeks later, however, U.S. naval forces
  took possession of California for the United
  States.

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29
War With Mexico (cont.)

• Despite many defeats, Mexico refused to
  surrender. ?

• President Polk replaced Taylor with General
  Winfield Scott and sent him and his troops to
  capture Mexico City. ?
• The city was captured in September.

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30
War With Mexico (cont.)

• On February 2, 1848, the leaders signed the
  Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. ?

• In this treaty, Mexico gave the United States the
  land that includes what are now the states of
  California, Utah, and Nevada, as well as most of
  New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and
  Wyoming. ?
• Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande as the southern
  border of Texas.

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31
War With Mexico (cont.)

• The U.S. agreed to pay Mexico 15 million and
  take over 3 million in debt that the Mexican
  government owed American citizens. ?

• With Oregon and the former Mexican territories
  now a part of the U.S., the dream of Manifest
  Destiny had been realized and the country
  stretched from ocean to ocean.

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32
War With Mexico (cont.)
What were the provisions of the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo?
Mexico ceded to the U.S. the territory that
includes what are now the states of California,
Utah, and Nevada, as well as most of New Mexico
and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
Mexico agreed to the Rio Grande as the southern
border of Texas. The U.S. agreed to pay Mexico
15 million and take over 3 million in debt that
the Mexican government owed American citizens.
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