Chapter 13
Moving West
The American People, 6th ed.
I.
Probing the TransMississippi West
The International Context
for American Expansion
 In 1815, save for the Louisiana Purchase, Spain
held onto most of the trans-Mississippi west.
 Spanish holdings eventually encompassed
present-day Texas, Arizona, New Mexico,
Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California and more.
Mexican independence in 1821 gave the new
country all of Spain’s holdings.
 North of California was Oregon Territory,
disputed between America and England.
Early Interest in the West
 Early settlers sought beaver skins as
early as 1811 in the Oregon backcountry.
 In the Southwest the collapse of the
Spanish Empire flooded the region with
an assortment of settlers.
 A few New Englanders settled in
California and exploited the sea-otter
trade.
 Many Indians relocated from eastern
lands to present-day Oklahoma.
Manifest Destiny
 Phrase coined in 1845 by John L.
O’Sullivan, editor of the Democratic
Review.
 Expressed conviction that the
development of a superior system of
government and lifestyle dictated a Godgiven right of Americans to spread their
civilization to the four corners of the
continent.
 Territorial expansion was a mandate of
Manifest Destiny.
II.
Winning the TransMississippi West
Annexing Texas, 1845
 Mexico feared a hostile takeover of Texas after
repeated attempt by the United States to buy the
territory.
 To strengthen border areas, Mexico offered land
for reduced costs requiring only that the settlers
become Mexican citizens and Catholics.
 Stephen Austin and many other contractors
organized parties of settlers into Texas.
 Few settlers honored their agreement with
Mexico.
 Texans won their independence from Mexico in
1836 and were annexed by America nine years
later.
War with Mexico,
1846 - 1848
 Mexico severed diplomatic ties with
America after its annexation of Texas.
 President Polk failed to appreciate the
humiliation of the Mexicans and sent
American troops to forestall a potential
invasion. Hostilities quickly followed.
 Debate in Washington simmered as U.S.
forces swept into Mexico and took the
capital city.
California and New Mexico
 President Polk communicated that any
resolution of the Mexican war would have
to include California and New Mexico.
 The U.S. government, magnanimously
attempted to buy the territories from
Mexico to no avail.
 Superior American military strength
secured the future states in 1847.
The Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo, 1848
 The final treaty between America and Mexico in
the era
 Set the Rio Grande as America’s south border
 Increased U.S. territory by 529,000 square miles
 Awarded Mexico $15 million and set terms for
Gadsden Purchase of southern Arizona and
parts of New Mexico for an additional $10 million
The Oregon Question,
1844 - 1846
 Although disputed by both America and
England, President Polk claimed settlement of
Americans in the territory as a “presumption of
possession.”
 The British government did not agree but were
powerless to stop thousands of settlers
migrating to Oregon.
 Despite slogans and diatribe, Polk was
unwilling to fight and sought a diplomatic
resolution to the issue.
 England eagerly accepted Vancouver Island in
return for dropping her claims to Oregon.
III. Going West and East
The Emigrants
 Most emigrants to the far West were
white and American by birth.
 Some free blacks also make the sixmonth overland trip.
 Most traveled with family and relatives.
 Only during the Gold Rush years did
large numbers of unmarried men travel
West independently.
Migrants’ Motives
 Most emigrants sought wealth in the form
of gold and silver.
 Other sought to set up businesses as
merchants or land speculators.
 Some traveled to the warmer climate to
restore their health.
 Others followed the direction of church
leaders for religious or cultural missions.
IV. Living in the West
Farming in the West
 New arrivals in the West had to stake a
claim and clear the land of obstructions.
 As they began their farming, the
emigrants unconsciously harmed the
land by introducing foreign weeds and
poor farming techniques.
Cities in the West
 Some emigrants went west for the
express purpose of living in a fastgrowing city such as San Francisco or
Denver.
 Young, single men made up an
overwhelming majority of these urban
centers’ populations.
 Opportunities were always greatest for
those who brought significant assets with
them from the East.
V. Cultures in Conflict
Confronting the
Plains Tribes
 Americans moving west were continually
shocked by the cultural differences between
them and the native tribes along the trails.
 Problems arose as grazing cattle and
indiscriminate buffalo hunting quickly depleted
the traditional hunting grounds of the Plains
tribes.
 A chain of American forts was constructed along
the major trails to foil Indian interference.