Name: ___________________________________
Test Date: _____________________
Lesson 12
Westward Expansion
Complete the following by using your textbook (chapters 12 & 13)
1. John Quincy Adams_ won the election of 1824 to become the 6th President. Describe the
circumstances and results of the win including the “corrupt bargaining” charge. Jackson
got the popular vote, but Adams went to Henry Clay and offered to make him Secretary of
State if he would swing the vote toward him (Adams) Adams won because the congress
had to decide because no one candidate got 50% of the vote.
2. Today’s _Democratic_ party traces its roots to the time of Andrew Jackson who became
the 7th President of the U.S. as a result of the 1828 election.
3. The map below represents what specific event that took place in the 1830’s?
_____Indian Removal Act/ Trail of Tears______
4. As a result of the Indian Removal _ Act, the Cherokees were driven hundreds of miles
westward by the U.S. Army. The Seminoles resisted and fought three wars before being
defeated.
5. Democrat, __Martin Van Buren, was the 8th President of the U.S. List 2 major results of
his one term in office.
 _Economic Panic of 1837
 Economic Depression (3 year)_
6. _Harrison__was a hero in the Battle of Tippecanoe and the 9th President of the U.S.
7. Summarize the purpose and the results of the Log Cabin Campaign.
__The Whigs wanted to make it seem that Harrison was a “man of the people” because he
was born and lived an humble life in a log cabin (it was not true
8. Why did Harrison only serve as President for a few weeks? ___He died of pneumonia_
9. What led settlers and trappers to move to Oregon and the Far West in the 1820’s? beavers
and other animals with fur that they could trap
10. What four countries had claims to Oregon Country?
U.S.
Great Britain
Russia
Spain
11. Evaluate the importance of mountain men and list 3 significant facts.
Fur trade, lead settlers cross trails, passes through the mountains, explored
Rockies
12.
Explain the significance of a rendezvous. Time for mountain men to socialize and
conduct trade
13. Missionaries were the first white Americans to settle permanently in Oregon Country.
Describe the role missionaries played in the settlement of the West. _They sent back
“glowing reports” to entice people to come out west
14. As Oregon Fever spread, pioneers and wagon trains left every spring from Independence,
Missouri to head for Oregon following a route called the __Oregon Trial
15. What was the BIGGEST threat to those who traveled West in wagon trains? Disease
(cholera)
16. In the early 1800’s, Texas was part of Spain. In 1821, Mexico declared its independence
from Spain, and Texas became part of Mexico. Who was given permission to allow 300
American families to settle in Texas? _Moses Austin (his son Stephen took over)
Justify why Mexico wanted the 300 families to settle in Mexico. To help improve the land
and fight against Indians
17. List two causes for conflict between the American settlers and Mexico.
18. Religion—Mexicans wanted Americans to become Catholic
19. Mexicans feared Americans would take over Texas
18. In 1833, Santa Anna gained power in Mexico and threw out the Mexican constitution.
He assumed the role of a dictator, which is someone with absolute power.
19. _Sam Houston _ was commander of the army for the Republic of Texas, and president
of the Republic of Texas.
20. In a seige, enemy forces try to capture a city or fort, often by surrounding and
bombarding it. What is the significance of the siege at the Alamo? It caused Texans to
rally against Mexico,,"Remember the Alamo"
21. At what final battle did Texans defeat Santa Anna and win independence? _San
Jacinto
22. List 3 problems the Lone Star Republic (Texas) faced after gaining independence.
 Mexican government didn't refused to acknowledge the
treaty signed by Santa Anna


nearly bankrupt/ no money
Indian attacks_______
23. In the United States, people were divided about whether to _annex,
or add on Texas.
Explain why people were divided. _Slavery- Southerners wanted Texas to be a
slave state while northerners opposed making it a slave state
24. In the early 1840’s, Mexico ruled California and all of the Southwest. This huge region was
called __New Mexico Territory ________________________. What present
day states did this region include?
_Arizona ________New Mexico
Nevada
Colorado
Utah__________
25. _Manifest Destiny _ is the belief that the United States was meant to expand to the
Pacific Ocean. Because of this belief, Americans believed expansion would offer new
economic opportunities.
26. __John Tyler_ was the 10th President of the United States. (1841-1845). He dropped
out of the 1844 election race sensing his support was weak. He is credited with approving
the annexation of Texas.
27. _James K Polk_won the election of 1844 to become the 11th President of the United
States. He favored expansion.
28. The slogan __"54 40 or fight!"_had to do with the demand for the annexation of all
of the Oregon Country.
29.How did the U.S. and Britain settle their dispute over Oregon? _Compromise- they
agreed to divide Oregon at 49 degree latitude_____
30. How was Texas finally admitted to the Union? _Sam Houston tricked the U.S. by
saying that if they didn't want Texas then Britian would.
31. List 3 causes of the Mexican War.
1._annexation of Texas enraged Mexicans
2. Americans resented Mexico3. Manifest Destiny was blocked
32. What final incident caused President Polk to urge Congress to declare war on Mexico?
___border dispute between Rio Grand River and Nueces River_____
33. The President of the U.S. was criticized by some during the Mexican War. Many people
including Abraham Lincoln referred to the war as Mr.
34.
Polk's War
The Bear Flag Republic was created in what present day state? California
35. With Mexico City in American hands, the Mexican government moved to make peace. In
1848, the _Treaty of Guadalupe was signed ending the war.
36. Mexico had to cede, or give up all of California and New Mexico to the United States.
These lands were called the Mexican Secession_.
37. In 1853, the U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for a strip of land in present day Arizona and
New Mexico. Americans wanted the land to complete a __railroad. The land was
called the _Gadsden Purchase_ (see map below)
38. In what ways did Mexicans influence American culture? food, architecture,
irrigation, farming, language__
39. The largest group of settlers to move into the Mexican Cession was the
40.
41.
_Mormons_
Who is Joseph Smith? ___founder of the Mormon religion__.
A _refuge_______ is a place where someone is safe from persecution.
42. Brigham Young_ was the Mormon leader who led the group to settle in Utah. He
was later named governor of the territory in 1850. Why did the Mormons move west to
settle Utah? __persecution_______________________
43. Sutter_ was the owner of a sawmill where gold in California was first discovered.
44. More than 80,000 people made the long journey to California in 1849. They became
known as the _forty-niners________________.
45. Who were vigilantes and why were they formed?
self appoined law enforcers/ because there was no law in the
mining camps
46. Sometimes a person accused of a crime was _lynched, meaning they were hanged
without a legal trial.
47. When gold mines ran dry, small towns went bust and people moved on. Many small towns
became known as _ghost towns_____.
48. As a result of the Gold Rush, the population in California increased. How did this affect the
Native Americans? _they were pushed onto reservations_
49. California realized they needed a strong government to stop lawlessness. In 1850 California
was admitted as a free state. Chinatown developed in the present day city of San
Fransisco.
50. Not many of the forty-niners actually became wealthy. The Gold Rush ended in a few years
but had long-lasting effects on California’s economy and population. Why did California
develop such a diverse population? _people
search for gold/ _
came from all over the world to