Jump Start
Read the “Manifest Destiny” handout
Judge what it says about how
Americans thought about
themselves.
Manifest Destiny
Our ‘God Given Right’
to settle this land
Manifest Destiny
Timeline
Missouri
Compromise
“The Liberator”
Founded
1820
1831
Oregon Trail
& Texas
Independence
1836
Texas Becomes
20th State
1845
Ft. Laramie
Treaty
1851
EXPANDING the US - 181O-185O This map shows the dramatic expansion of the territorial boundaries of
the United States after the Louisiana Purchase. Much of this acquisition occurred in the 1840s.
What events contributed to the annexation of new land to the States in those years?
Let’s discuss how this painting
“American Progress”
by John Gast, illustrates what
John L. O’Sullivan wrote about, in
the editorial on Manifest Destiny?
America’s Evolving Ideology
Expressed as
“Manifest Destiny”
Drives the Population West
Land Attracts Settlers
Why?
• Land was still a great measure of wealth
• Farmers still wanted their own
• Speculators gambled on price increases
• Railroad companies needed it to expand
• Pacific trade was becoming a reality, so we
had to find western harbors to trade with China.
Natives Welcome and Resist
• Native Americans helped many settlers - few tribes attacked.
Acted as guides and white men learned the routes
• As early as the 1820s and 1830s two major Trails West evolved:
Oregon Trail – Northwest to Portland (Wilmette Valley)
Santa Fe Trail – Southwest thru Santa Fe, NM
• Fort Laramie Treaty – agreement w/Natives about land use
- Whites could travel thru, build forts but natives had
control of plains
- Broke treaty often – started Indian Wars after 1851.
Oregon Trail Map, 1843
Wagon Trains to Santa Fe
• Heavily traveled between 1821 and 1848 in Spring
• Traders traveled in large groups of 100 to defend vs. Natives
• ‘Circled the wagons’ at night for defense & to corral horses
Oregon Trail Re-enactment, 1995
Natives Americans Forced Out
• Sauk – Black Hawk (chief) War – Ill & WI
• Cheyenne, Pawnee, Arapahoe,
Ute, Nez Perce – all right in the
paths of the major routes – wars
lasted for 50 years.
• Sioux (Sitting Bull) and Apache
(Geronimo) among last tribes to resist
• Many worked their way south
toward Texas (Mexico)
Mexico Attracts Americans
• Independent since 1821 – cannot defend all its land.
• Mexico sought trade opportunities with the US and
offered land grants to ‘Empresarios’ – Stephen Austin.
• Believed it would help shield them from Natives and
increase trade because more Americans lived there.
• Soon more Americans than Mexicans lived in Texas.
Tensions with Mexico
• English vs. Spanish language & culture
• Slavery – Mexico abolished it in 1829 – insisted that
Americans free their slaves too.
• Mexico prohibits more immigration in 1830
• Taxes (tariffs) imposed on American goods in Mexico
• Austin arrested asking for more self – gov’t. - 1833.
• No Deal - Texans begin to rebel – Texas Revolution - 1835
Santa Ana Attacks Texas
• Santa Ana moves to Texas to try to stop the rebellions as
Texas declares independence
• Colonel Travis, Davey Crockett,
Jim Bowie & 187 defenders
killed at the Alamo
after holding out for 12
days vs. Santa Ana & his
4000 man Mexican Army.
The Alamo Then & Now
Santa Ana Stopped
• Sam Houston & Rebel Army
captures Santa Ana & force him
to recognize Republic of Texas.
But he later reneges and tries to
get it back for Mexico.
• Texas invites the US to “annex” it.
President Polk’s Mission
• Sectionalism (slavery vs. abolition) prevented Texas’
admission to the US as a state or territory
• President James K. Polk, a slaveholder won in 1844,
favored western expansion and wanted Texas ASAP
...as well as the rest of the current US!
• December, 1845 Texas became the 28th state
• Mexico goes nuts!