Unit IV
Chapter 14 OM
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What comes to mind when you think of the
“Old West?”
American Progress by John Gast, mid 19th century
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By 1840 a majority of the population of the
United States lived WEST of the Appalachian
Mountains.
Made possible by the Market Revolution.
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Cottage Industry
Factories
Transportation Revolution
◦ Roads
◦ Canals
◦ Railroads
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Communication
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Expansion of trade, industry, territory, etc.
was a source of pride for Americans.
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A catalyst for western expansion
Challenge the British for dominance
Beyond the Great Lakes
Rendezvous System
Short-lived industry
Why?
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Government funded
◦ Lewis & Clark expedition
◦ Zebulon Pike’s expedition to the Rockies
Stephen Long’s mapping expedition of Great Plains
John C. Fremont’s mapping of Overland Trails
John Wesley Powell’s Grand Canyon surveys
Survey system (Land Ordinance of 1785)
Land giveaways
Indian Removal expense
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See map in OM p. 460 and 461.
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Frederick Jackson
Turner – “Frontier
Thesis”
Have Americans
been shaped into
adventurous,
optimistic, and
democratic people
because of their
frontier experience?
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John O’Sullivan, 1845 Democratic party
newspaper, Democratic Review, editor.
“…our manifest destiny to overspread the
continent allotted by Providence for the free
development of our yearly multiplying
millions.”
Inevitable
Ordained by God
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Sense of entitlement
Trade with Asia – need access to Pacific
More space would solve economic problems
More space would solve social problems
More cotton land
Other reasons?
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2000 miles, seven months
Wagon Trains
Deaths due to drowning, disease, starvation,
dehydration, accidents
Donner Party
Sager children
Motives for moving? (Push/Pull factors)
◦ Economic opportunity
◦ Healthy surroundings
◦ Adventure, experience the unknown
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Territory disputed by
U.S. and Britain
Missionary settlers
Nice climate
Fur trappers
Mid-west farmers –
“Oregon Fever”
James K. Polk, Fiftyfour Forty or Fight
Oregon Treaty – 49th
Parallel
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Mexican Territory
Attracted by trade
and profits
Santa Fe Trail
protected by the
U.S. government
Settlements &
trading posts
develop along the
trail.
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Main settlements: Nacogdoches, Goliad, San
Antonio
Buffer between Mexico and the Comanches &
Apaches
Tejanos
Moses Austin -> Stephen F. Austin
◦ Land grant
◦ 300 families - empresarios
◦ Become Mexican citizens, become Catholic
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Colorado & Brazos River Valleys
Sabine River Area
Constitution of 1824
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Mexico changes its government in 1828 and
tosses the Constitution of 1824.
Texians are outraged.
New settlers are anti-Mexican and refuse to
assimilate.
Gonzales
Alamo
Washington-on-the-Brazos (Independence)
Alamo
Goliad
San Jacinto
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Gonzales
Alamo
Washington-on-the-Brazos (Independence)
Alamo
Goliad
San Jacinto
Republic of Texas
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Continued problems with Mexico
1837 – rejected
Slave state
Polk elected 1844
Annexation of Texas 1845
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“This claim of President Polk’s (that Mexico
had invaded U.S. territory and shed American
blood) was…contrary to fact.
Congress declared war.
Division in the country over the war.
Read Thomas Corwin “Against the Mexican
War” APPARTS
$10,000,000 for a southern trans-continental
railroad route