Manifest Destiny,
1835-1848
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 Section 1
THE WESTERN PIONEERS
Americans Head West
• Reasons for heading west:
– Religious
– Masters of their domain
– Manifest Destiny – the idea that God had given
the continent to Americans and wanted them to
settle western lands.
• Farming the New Lands
– Squatters who settled on lands they did not own,
claimed the land from the Federal government.
Americans Head West
• John Deere’s steel
bladed plow.
• Cyrus McCormick’s
mechanical reaper.
• Reduced the amount of
labor needed and time
spent working.
Reviewing Information
• Question #1 – What were some of the reasons
Americans decided to head west?
Settling the Pacific Coast
• Oregon Territory
– 1818: U.S. and Britain agree to co-occupancy
– Missionaries who worked to convert Native
Americans persuade many to come.
• Populating California
– California government relied on foreign settlers
(Americans) to populate the territory.
– John Sutter’s trading post and cattle ranch
Settle The Pacific Coast
• The Trails West
• Mountain men carve out east-to-west passages
Settling the Pacific Coast
• Wagon Train Life
– The first wagon trains hired mountain men to guide
them.
– Overlanders found their own way with the help of
guidebooks.
– Donner Party
– 5 – 6 month journey
• Native Americans
– Emigrants feared attack, but attacks were rare
– Native Americans feared buffalo herds being disrupted
– Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) – promised that
designated territories would belong to Native
Americans forever.
Reviewing Information
• Question #2 – What were the difficulties
facing Western settlers?
The Mormon Migration
• 1844: Brigham Young leads his
followers west, forming the
Mormon Trail.
• Valuable route west
• Settled at the Great Salt Lake
Oregon Trail: Board Game
Task: This project is about
using your own creativity to
put together a board game
that the class can try out
and play. This is designed
for you to have a better
understanding of the
Oregon Trail and what the
people of the time went
through during their
westward migration. Along
with learning, an important
goal is to have fun with this
project.
Oregon Trail: Board Game
• Group Project (5-6 members)
• Roles:
– Project manager/Researcher
– Rule Maker (2)
– Board Designer (1-2)
– Card Maker
• Materials You Will Need:
– Posterboard, dice, game pieces/accessories, index
cards
Oregon Trail: Board Game
• Procedures:
1. Use provided material to research
2. Brainstorm!!!
3. State the purpose of the game.
4. Make a complete list of rules. Be precise!
5. How much $$ will you start out with?
6. Create minimum of 10 cards to draw from (some
good, some bad)
7. Design your board
– Must include pictures…hand drawn or print out
Chapter 9 Section2
INDEPENDENCE FOR TEXAS
Opening Texas to Americans
• Mexico was unable to convince tejanos,
Spanish speaking inhabitants, to est.
settlements in the northern Indian territory.
• Mexico passed Colonization laws, offering
cheap land to anyone willing to come.
– Must become Mexican citizens
– Live under Mexican law
– Convert to Catholicism
Opening Texas to Americans
• 26 empresarios encouraged Americans to
settle the region.
– Stephen F. Austin was the most successful
• Few American settlers adopted the Mexican
customs, resulting in the Americanizing of
Texas.
– Independent nation of Fredonia declared
– 1830, Mexico closed its borders to immigrants and
raises taxes on imported goods hoping to
discourage trade with the United States.
Texas Goes to War
• 1834, President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
declares himself dictator.
• 1835, Stephen F. Austin encourages Texans to
raise an army against him.
• Early Battles.
– Political instability in Mexico City led to a poorly
led, trained, and supplied army.
– Americans earn early victories at Gonzales and
San Antonio
– Sam Houston takes command
Texas Goes to War
• The Alamo
– Santa Anna organized a force of about 6,000
– 180 American Rebels
– Wanted to delay Santa Anna and give Houston
more time to prepare.
Travis’ Appeal for aid at the Alamo
1. According to William Travis, why do they
fight?
2. In what ways does he appeal for help?
3. What do you think Travis meant by “The
American character”
4. Was this letter successful in its intended
purpose, to rally support? Why?
Texas Goes to War
• Remembering The Alamo
– 13 day standoff
– March 6, 1836, Santa Anna stormed the Alamo,
taking no prisoners.
– During the seize, Texas declares independence
• The Goliad
– Mexican forces executed 300 rebels
Texas Goes to War
• The Battle of San Jacinto, April 21
– “Remember the Alamo”, “Remember Goliad”
– Lasted less than 20 minutes
– Santa Anna captured and forced to order his
troops out of Texas and sign a treaty recognizing
independence for the Republic of Texas.
• Mexico refused to accept treaty but didn’t want to fight
– Texas wins the war!
The Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas
• Sam Houston elected first president.
• Voted in favor of annexation, or become part
of the U.S.
• Northern members of Congress opposed
admitting Texas as a slave state.
• Avoiding increasing North-South tensions,
President Jackson made no moves toward
annexation.
• Officially recognized Texas as an independent
nation.
“Remember the Alamo”: Debating the
Legacy of the Alamo
• What were the causes that led to the
American inhabitants of Texas wanting to gain
independence from Mexico?
Forget the Alamo?
1. Summarize the argument made by Don
Santina.
2. What evidence does he use to substantiate
his assertions?
Round Table Discussion
1. After, reading Santina’s article, do you believe
slavery, manifest destiny, the Americanization
of Texas, Mexican policies towards
Americans, or another reason was the
motivating factor for Texas independence?
2. Whatever you believe to be cause, were the
American rebels justified?
3. As historians, what lessons can we learn from
the Texas Revolution?
Chapter 9 Section 3
THE WAR WITH MEXICO
Texas and Oregon Enter the Union
• John Tyler’s defends slavery in Texas.
– Northern Senate members vote against
annexation.
• The Election of 1844
Texas and Oregon Enter the Union
• Oregon
– “Fifty-four Forty or Fight”
– Settled at 49 degrees North latitude
• Texas Annexation
– Feb. 1845, Texas joins the Union.
• Outraged Mexico.
– The Texas-United States claim covered far more
territory than the Mexico claim.
The War With Mexico
• Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to cross
the Nueces River – in Mexico’s view, an
invasion of it’s territory.
• May 1846, Congress votes in favor of war.
• Calling All Volunteers
– 73,000 answered the call
The War With Mexico
• The Fighting Begins
– John C. Fremont declares California independent,
renames it Bear Flag Republic.
The War With Mexico
• The Peace Treaty
– Sept 1847: General Winfield Scott capture the
capital Mexico City.
– Feb. 2, 1848 Mexico’s leaders signed the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo.
– Mexico ceded, or gave up more than 500,000
square miles of territory to the U.S.
What Does the U.S. Victory Mean?
•MANIFEST DESTINY IS
REALIZED!!!!!
Chapter 9 Study Guide
• Key Terms (pg. 314)
– Identify key term and its significance
• Critical Thinking
1. How did technological advances of the early 1800s
contribute to westward expansion?
2. Identify the so called Americanizing of Texas and how
it was a motivating cause for the Texas Revolution.
3. Explain why the Alamo was the turning point of the
Texas Revolution.
4. Summarize the controversy between Mexico and the
United States over Texas.
5. How did realization of Manifest Destiny after the War
with Mexico contribute to growing sectionalism?
Essay Question
• Choose TWO
1. Describe the so called Americanizing of Texas
and how it was a motivating cause for the
Texas Revolution.
2. Explain why the Alamo was the turning point
of the Texas Revolution.
3. Summarize the controversy between Mexico
and the United States over Texas.
4. Analyze elements in the photo and how it
relates to Manifest Destiny.
Unit 3 Project
• The United States faced many challenges in its
early years. Internal improvements and
industrial development began to reshape the
nation, but this reshaping also highlighted the
growing differences between North and
South.
Unit 3 Project
• Select 1 major event from this unit that you
believe contributed to the crisis that would
soon engulf the nation.
• Write a 1 page paper analyzing its significance
to this growth in division. Your paper must
include the following information:
– Background to the event
– About the event
– How did the event lead to division and crisis?
Possible Topics
• Industry in the North and South
• The Missouri Compromise
• The Election of 1824 and the “Corrupt
Bargain”
• The Nullification Crisis
• The Second Great Awakening
• The Reform Movement
• The Abolitionist Movement
• The Annexation of Texas