1821 Stephen Austin settles in Texas.
1824 Jedediah Smith finds South Pass.
1836 Texas declares independence.
Battle of the Alamo fought.
Republic of Texas established.
1844 James Polk is elected president.
1846 War with Mexico begins.
1847 Mormons migrate to Utah.
1848 War with Mexico ends.
1849 California gold rush begins.
To World
1853 United States makes Gadsden Purchase.
Chapter 13
Manifest Destiny
1. What does the term “Manifest Destiny” mean to you?
2. What do you think daily life on the trail west might be
like?
3. What are some of the items people traveling west might
take?
4. What obstacles do you think they faced?
***Turn to your partner and discuss the answers, then we
will share.
What is Manifest Destiny?
The idea that America had the GOD GIVEN RIGHT to pursue
it’s dreams (more land, more wealth, and more international
power).
We believed that God intended for us to inhabit all land from
“sea to shining sea” (Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean).
Not only that but that it was an inevitability, it was BOUND to
happen sooner or later…
We used this belief to justify all the things we had to do in order
to achieve those goals (war, treaties, land purchases, removal of
the Indians, discrimination against the other native inhabitants of
the area, boundary disputes, annexation of land, etc.)
Causes of Manifest Destiny
Desire to control territory from coast to coast!
• Our settlers were moving West to find new land and opportunity.
More territory promised more economic opportunity for
Americans.
• The more land we had the more chances we had to make money and
expand our industry and economy.
• New trading systems began to emerge with new people our settlers were
encountering in the West.
• People wanted change and many dreamed of owning their own farms out
West.
Interest in Oregon Territory by Europeans.
• Other nations wanted to establish settlements in the western parts of the
continent and we knew if we wanted that territory we had better get there
fast!
5. Summarize the causes of Manifest
Destiny in one sentence…
The Road to Manifest Destiny
(Things that helped us achieve our goals)
There are Political, Economic, and Social events that
led us towards our destiny…
Political (new territory)
• Louisiana Purchase (1803)
• First big land purchase
• Doubled the size of America.
• Adams-Onis Treaty (1821)
• Brought what was once Spanish Florida under our control.
• Annexation of Texas (1845)
• A GREAT example of Manifest Destiny
• Helped cause war with Mexico
• Acquisition of Oregon Territory (1846)
The Political Road to Manifest Destiny
Cont.
The eyes of TEXAS are upon you…
Founder: Stephen F. Austin
Why did Texans revolt against Mexico?
• Didn’t like having to adapt to the Mexican way of doing things
• Didn’t like having to follow Mexican laws
• Didn’t want to have to speak Spanish or use Spanish even for
official government business.
• Texans were very upset when Mexico outlawed slavery.
• Mexico stationed troops in Texas to enforce laws and make
Texans pay taxes.
Texas was an independent nation for about 10 years before
becoming part of America in 1845.
6. Why would Americans want to move to Texas???
7. Texans were VERY upset at the new rules imposed by Mexico. Do
you think their reaction to the new Mexican government was
reasonable? Why or why not?
The Political Road to Manifest Destiny
Cont.
Causes of the United State’s War with Mexico
Expansion of Slavery
• Settlers began bringing slaves into future Texas territory while it was
still ruled by Spain.
• When Mexico gained it’s independence from Spain the new government
outlawed slavery but Texan settlers refused to follow the laws. Plantation
owners in Texas territory needed slaves to continue their economic
growth.
Annexation of Texas
• Texas had won it’s independence but Mexico still didn’t recognize them
as a free nation.
• When the US decided to annex Texas (accept them into the Union),
Mexico decided to fight for what was “theirs”
Border disputes between US and Mexico
8. Why might Mexico have banned slavery?
9. Why didn’t Texans want to follow that law?
10. What problems might the annexation of Texas have
caused IN AMERICA?
The Political Road to Manifest Destiny
Cont…
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo/Mexican Cession (1848)
•
•
•
•
•
Signed by President James K. Polk (president during the war)
Ended the war with Mexico
Recognized Texas as being part of the US
The cession cost us $15 million dollars
Gave us 2 million sq. miles of territory, including what is now
California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico
• COMPLETED MANIFEST DESTINY!!!!!
• We agreed to respect the rights of all Spanish speaking people in
the region (which we didn’t follow through with very well)
2 million square miles
11. Who (United States or Mexico) received the better deal?
What makes you say that?
12. How might the Mexicans living in this area felt about the
Mexican Cession and the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo?
13. What was the MAIN effect of this cession for the United
States?
The Political Road to Manifest Destiny
Cont.
And last but not least….
Gadsden Purchase (1853)
• Gave us a small strip of land at the lower end of Arizona.
• Cost us about $10 million dollars which is LOTS of
money if you compare it to the entire Mexican Cession
which only cost us $5 million more.
14. Why were we willing to pay SO much for this small piece of
land? Why was it so important to us? What was also going
on in the United States at this time?
The Social Road to Manifest Destiny
Social (people, families, immigrants, natives, etc.)
• Go West Young Man!!!
• Americans with big dreams of clean water and air,
owning their own farms, and making a good life for their
families began moving into the frontier land claimed by
Mexico and Great Britain
• Oregon Trail
• Went from Independence Missouri to the Oregon Territory.
• Trail was very dangerous so people formed wagon trails for
protection.
• People began spreading huge ‘tall tales’ about Oregon (sun
always shone, wheat grew as tall as men, life was easy).
1.
2.
What do you think it was like on the Oregon Trail?
Which trail do you think would have been better? The Oregon Trail or the
Santa Fe Trail? Why?
The Social Road to Manifest Destiny, Cont.
Nationalism
• With our victory in the War of 1812 we began to feel like
we were bigger and better and that we deserved room to
grow and expand as a nation together.
Uninhabited Land
• Although there were many natives and Mexicans living
throughout this territory we did not believe it was settled
land and therefore we could take what we wanted from it.
Religious…
• Mormons moved to Utah from New York after the
assassination of their leader and due to pressure from
society about their way of life.
The Economic Road to Manifest
Destiny
Economic (money or resources)
• Cheap Land in the Western frontier provinces held by
Mexico and Great Britain
• Speculators purchased large amounts of land and split it up,
selling many smaller plots for a big profit.
• Advances in transportation (Canals, roads, railroads,
steam engines, etc.)
• Allowed faster travel
• Allowed for goods to be shipped to new parts of the nation
15. How did advances in transportation
affect the idea of Manifest Destiny?
The Economic Road to Manifest
Destiny Cont.
California Gold Rush
• Soon after the War with Mexico was over
Gold was discovered in California.
• This caused a HUGE boom!
• Thousands and thousands of people flocked to
California to seek their own buried treasure.
• Most were young, single men… not many women
made the trek at first.
• Many people gave up everything (homes, families,
etc.) for a shot at California gold.
16. How could the Gold Rush have affected
California positively? Negatively?
The Economic Road to Manifest Destiny Con.
California Gold Rush (effects)
• Many new towns were created, seemingly, over night when
people moved in to press their luck at mining.
• Many of these new BOOM TOWNS were abandoned as
quickly as they were made although this boom gave
California enough settlers to apply for statehood by 1849.
• The large increase in population spread disease rapidly to the
Native Americans and Mexicans living in the region which
severely reduced their numbers.
• Not many miners became wealthy
• Gold was not easy to find
• They were charged outrageous prices for supplies they needed
and were swindled out of their money as well.
17. Summarize the effects of the California
Gold Rush in one Sentence…
The Road to Manifest Destiny…
Immigration to the US resulting to the California
Gold Rush
• Miners pooled in from all over the world
• Chinese immigrants fled crop failure and famine in China.
Many Chinese were resented for their successes in mining
because they were much more patient and found gold where
white miners hadn’t bothered to look.
• Mexican immigrants came from older mines in Mexico
• Immigrants from elsewhere in Europe, South America, and
Australia.
• Soon there started to be a lot of tension between citizens and
immigrants.
18. Laws were soon made in California forcing
immigrants OUT of the mines. What do you think the
effects of these laws might have been on California as a
state? The people who lived in California? The
immigrants?
Visual Summary
UNITED
STATES
in 1810
TRAILS WEST
Mountain men and
traders opened trails in
the Far West. Pioneers
then went west to gain
land, wealth, or religious
freedom.
THE TEXAS REVOLUTION
Americans moved into the
Mexican territory of Texas.
Conflicts led those Americans
to revolt, and Texas gained
independence.
THE WAR WITH MEXICO
President Polk wanted to
expand the nation. He
negotiated to gain Oregon.
The United States fought
Mexico to gain much of
the Southwest.
THE CALIFORNIA
GOLD RUSH
The discovery of gold
lured thousands of
people to California.
California’s economy
and population grew,
resulting in statehood.
UNITED STATES
in 1853
1.
2.
3.
4.
What objects do you see?
Which direction are they moving?
What is the feeling behind this?
What is a good title for this cartoon? Why?
19. Criticize and defend the ideas and actions
associated with Manifest Destiny. Be specific!
