Manifest Destiny
Westward Expansion
The International Context for American
Expansion
• In 1815, save for the Louisiana Purchase, Spain held
onto most of the land west of the Mississippi.
• Spanish holdings eventually encompassed presentday 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.
Manifest Destiny
• Phrase coined in 1845 by John L. O’Sullivan,
editor of the Democratic Review.
• Definition: Expressed conviction that the
development of a superior system of
government and lifestyle dictated a God-given
right of Americans to spread their civilization
to the four corners of the continent.
• Territorial expansion was a mandate of
Manifest Destiny.
“Winning” the West
• Annexing Texas
• California and New Mexico
• The Oregon Question
Annexing Texas 1845
• Mexico offers land grants to American settlers
A. conditions
• Stephen F. Austin, largest empressario
• U.S. makes offers to by Mexico’s land
• Cultural differences grow
• Texas Revolution
• Republic of Texas
• Texas becomes the 28th state
Battle of San Jacinto - April 21, 1836
• Gen. Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna, taking him
prisoner.
Gen. Santa Anna standing before the wounded Sam Houston
after the Battle of San Jacinto.
Triggering Event of War with Mexico
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Mexico’s government unstable
Polk sends an emissary to Mexico
Polk sends military to blockade Rio Grande
Fremont leads “exploration” party through
Mexico’s land in California
• Mexico sends troops to Rio Grande
• Polk sends message of war to Congress
Quote from Robert E. Lee
“(The service from the American battery) was
terrific, and the shells thrown from our
battery were constant and regular discharges,
so beautiful in their flights so destructive in
their fall. It was awful ! My heart bled for the
inhabitants. The soldiers I did not care so
much for, but it was terrible to think of the
women and the children.”
California and New Mexico
• Stephen Kearney marches from Kansas to New
Mexico
• Not a single shot fired and New Mexico is ours
• June 1846, Sonoma Valley seized by Fremont
• Republic of California formed
• Kearney and Fremont join forces in California
and defeat Mexico
Meanwhile, 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.
• Attracted by open land and excellent soil, thousands of
people began to travel the Oregon Trail by 1843.
• Travelers had to cover 2,000 miles on foot in five months.
Emigrant William Kilgore:
"Buffalo extended the whole length of our afternoon's
travel, not in hundreds, but in solid phalanx. I estimated
two million."
Emigrant John Wyeth:
"We saw them in frightful droves as far as the eye could
reach; appearing at a distance as if the ground itself was
moving like a sea.“
Emigrant Isaac Foster:
"The valley of the Platte for 200 miles; dotted with
skeletons of buffalos; such a waste of the creatures God
had made for man seems wicked, but every emigrant
seems to wish to signalize himself by killing a buffalo."
Slaughtered buffalo
lying dead in the
snow in 1872.
• Today, the Oregon Country includes Oregon, Washington,
Idaho, and parts of Wyoming and British Columbia, Canada.
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 (Texas)
• Ceded New Mexico and California to US in return for $15
million for cession (CA, NV, NM, UT, AZ and parts of CO, and
WY)
• Mexicans remaining in US territories have guaranteed right of
freedom of religion, protection of property, bilingual
education and open borders.
• US size increases by 1/3.
• Mexico size shrinks by ½.
• Note: Gadsen Purchase – 5 years later - Awarded Mexico $15
million and set terms for Gadsden Purchase of southern
Arizona and parts of New Mexico for an additional $10 million