1 / 27

Unit 4: Westward Expansion

Unit 4: Westward Expansion. The period 1800 – 1860 saw the U.S. grow in several ways: A. Geographically: the nation expanded all the way to the Pacific, acquiring new land thru purchase, war, and by treaty

davidjwhite
Download Presentation

Unit 4: Westward Expansion

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Unit 4: Westward Expansion • The period 1800 – 1860 saw the U.S. grow in several ways: A.Geographically: the nation expanded all the way to the Pacific, acquiring new land thru purchase, war, and by treaty B. Building “infrastructure”: expanding the network of roads, canals, and especially railroads opened new markets C. Population: Immigration continued, growing to a tidal wave in the 1840’s

  2. A. Geographic Growth: The Louisiana Purchase • 1803…during Thos. Jefferson’s admin. • French ruler Napolean Bonaparte envisioned a North American empire • Anticipating war with England (again), Napolean sold LA Territory to U.S. for $15 million • Purchase doubled size of U.S.

  3. The Louisiana Purchase

  4. New States: 1803 - 1819 • Ohio (1803) • Louisiana (1812) • Indiana (1816) • Mississippi (1817) • Illinois (1818) • Alabama (1819)

  5. As new states were added: • At issue was this question: • Will each new state come into the Union as a slave state or free state? (we’ll return to this issue in the next unit…)

  6. What to do about native Americans? • Widely believed by the 1820’s that Indians could not be assimilated into white culture • Indian Removal Act (1830) • Andrew Jackson’s presidency • Remove tribes to fed’l. lands (present day OK) • The “Trail of Tears”…Cherokee Nation of NC forced to march to res. In OK…thousands died

  7. The “Trail of Tears”

  8. B. Building Infrastructure: Roads, RR’s, & Canals • During the ½ century 1,000’s of miles of new roads, RR’s, and canals were built • Effect / Impact: possible to move people and goods over great distances • farmers in rural areas could get goods to distant markets • New, expanding market for finished goods

  9. Farmers of the Ohio Valley now linked to east coast and its seaports Examples: • The National Road (linked MD to ILL) • The Erie Canal (linked Albany to Lake Erie)

  10. The Erie Canal

  11. C. Population growth • 1. Immigration: Immigrants came mainly from northern Europe (from Asia, too, a little later) a.)immigrantsmigrated to eastern cities, providing a cheap labor force for an emerging factory system of production b.) many headed west in search of opportunity c.) the greatest wave came from Ireland in the 1840’s b/c of the “Potato Famine” IMPACT? An ever-expanding pool of cheap labor

  12. “Manifest Destiny” • A popular belief from roughly 1840 to 1860 that westward expansion of the nation was inevitable because it was God’s will to do so…

  13. Why was this belief so popular? • There was plenty of land available (cheap!) • Expansion would create new markets • Harbors of the west coast would make trade with China easier • Moralistic reasons: to spread the virtues of “our” values (our values were the “right” ones and we had a duty to share / spread them)

  14. More land acquired: • Florida: ceded by Mexico in 1819 • Texas: need a new slide for this one!

  15. Texas • Following a revolution in which it won independence from Spain, Mexico opened its northern lands to settlement by Americans (1821) • In 1830, Mexico closed new settlement b/c: • Too many Protestants coming in • Many brought slaves (slavery outlawed in Mexico)

  16. Texas (con’t.) • 3. (1835) Texas claimed independence from Mexico… “Republic of Texas” • 4. Mex. Army under Santa Anna overwhelmed a small band of Texans at the Alamo, but the Texans later won indep. & TX was recognized by Pres. Andrew Jackson as a sovereign nation.

  17. Texas (con’t.) • Sought annexation (to be added to) by the U.S. • Texas finally came into the Union in 1845…why did it take so long? • Heated debates in Congress over its admittance to the Union as a free…or slave state

  18. The Oregon Territory • James K. Polk won 1844 election largely on his promise to add TX and the Oregon Territory • JKP negotiated deal w/Britain for 49o N to separate U.S. and Britain’s claims…added present day Wash., Oregon, and Idaho

  19. U.S. territorial expansion to 1853

  20. The Mexican-American War • 1846-1847 • Polk wanted war w/Mexico (to add more land) • The TX-Mexico border had been disputed for 10 yrs (Mex claimed it was the Nueces River… TX and now U.S. said Rio Grande River)

  21. The Mexican-American War • Polk sent troops into disputed area…provoked a fight • “…Mexico has…shed American blood upon American soil…” • The war itself was very one-sided: the U.S. had most of the advantages… industry, army, navy, military leadership, etc.

  22. The Americans won every major battle: • Gen.Stephen W. Kearney took N. Mexico • Col. John C. Fremont org’d. the Bear Flag Revolt (CA) • Gen.Zachary Taylor invaded lower Mexico…took Monterrey • Gen. Winfield Scott took Veracruz…marched to Mexico City…bitter resistance at Chapultepec

  23. The end of war and the spoils… • Mexico surrendered Sept., 1847 • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo • Mexico gave up northern third of nation...U.S. added 1.2 million sq. miles • U.S. added the “Mexican Cession”…present-day CA, AZ, NM, CO, UT • U.S. paid $15 million

  24. U.S. territorial expansion to 1853

  25. The Gadsden Purchase • Supporters of a southern route for a transcontinental RR agitated for U.S. to acquire land south of the Salt River… • 1853: U.S. bought that land… The continental U.S. is complete…

  26. U.S. territorial expansion to 1853

More Related