Manifest Destiny Unit

1. Manifest Destiny Unit

2. Oregon Country • Large area of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains north of California • Many different countries had claims to the land • Americans wanted control of the Oregon Country

3. Adams Onis Treaty • Secretary of State John Q. Adams negotiated the Adams-Onis Treaty with Spain • Russia soon gave up their claim to the Oregon country as well • Britain and the United States now had joint occupation of the territory

4. Settling the Oregon territory • The first settlers in the territory were Mountain Men who would live in the wilderness trapping beavers and other animals. • Soon many people were coming to the new area and most used the famous Oregon trail

5. Manifest Destiny • Many Americans believed it was the country’s mission to spread to the Pacific Ocean • In the 1840s a Newspaper Editor John O’Sullivan came up with the idea of Manifest Destiny: it was the destiny of the U.S. to expand its territory from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans Complete the Handout about Manifest Destiny

6. Election of 1844 • Democrat James K. Polk vs Whig Henry Clay • Polk campaigned on the slogan “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight” • Polk was elected as the 11th President of the United States • By 1846 Great Britain gave the United States the territory but at the latitude of 49 degrees

9. Independence for Texas

10. Beginning of Problems • The Adams-Onis Treaty gave the area of current day Texas to Spain • The territory had a very low population so the Spanish Government sold cheap land to get settlers to come • Americans, not Mexicans, bought the land and settled the territory

11. Growing Tension • To stop the growing American population the Spanish stopped American immigration and put taxes on trade with the United States • Soon General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became the leader of Mexico. His dictatorship resulted in war with the American Texans

12. War for Texan Independence • The War started off well for the Texans but soon they were met with fierce defeats at the Alamo and Goliad • Still, in April 1836, the Texans, lead by Sam Houston won a decisive battle at San Jacinto • On May 14th, 1836 Santa Anna recognized the Independence of Texas

13. Annexing Texas • Texas remained an independent Lone Star Republic for 10 years as President Jackson and Van Buren didn’t want to annex, or make into a state, the region • President Tyler wanted to annex Texas but he didn’t have the support of Congress. • Situation changed in 1844 election. On December 29th, 1845, president James K. Polk and Congress made Texas a state

15. War With Mexico

16. New Mexico Territory • A large territory known as the New Mexico Territory was under Mexican control, however they governed themselves • William Becknell was the first American to reach Santa Fe in the New Mexico Territory • He began a trade route known as the Santa Fe trail which lead to Americans settling in the region

17. California • California had a large Native American population that was soon populated with Spanish Missionaries • When Mexico gained independence California became a state, they outlawed the Missionaries • They sold large plots of land to Mexicans who created ranchos where Native Americans worked as slaves

18. Manifest Destiny in California • Americans soon wanted to make add California to the nation • President Polk offered to purchase it from Mexico, but the Mexican government refused, so the United States decided to go to war for the territory

19. Mexican War • America wanted California for a clear passage to the Pacific Ocean • After Texas had been made a state there was a border dispute in the Rio Grande • Polk sent in General Zachary Taylor to the disputed territory • On May 11th 1846 Mexican forces attacked the troops and war began

20. Feelings about the War • The feelings about the War were split • Some thought it was unjust and cruel while others believed it was our right as apart of Manifest Destiny

21. Polk’s War Plan • 1. American troops would drive Mexicans out of the disputed Texas territory • 2. The United States would seize New Mexico and California • 3. American forces would take the Mexican Capital at Mexico City

22. Mexican War • Zachary Taylor accomplished he first goal and secured the Texas border • A small group of Americans seized California on their own and set up the Bear Flag Republic • In the final part of his plan General Winfield Scott captured Mexico City by August 1847after a 300 mile trek and many battles

23. Effects of The War • After Mexico City fell the Mexicans surrendered and ended the war with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo • Mexico gave up the disputed Texas Border and California and New Mexico for 15 million • The United States also took a strip of land containing Arizona and New Mexico through the Gasden Purchase for 15 Million • The United States lost 1,712 men in fighting and 11,000 via disease. The War cost 100 million and Mexico lost half its territory.

25. Settling California and Utah

26. Gold Rush • Gold was discovered in California in 1849, 80,000 Americans known as forty-niners flocked to the area

27. Life in California • Many Mexicans, now known as Californios lost their land to new settlers • Communities and towns known as boomtowns formed overnight • Most of the new cities had no government or law enforcement and vigilantes took laws into their own hands

28. Utah • Joseph Smith founded the Mormon religion in 1830 • Smith met steep opposition in the United States and was killed by a mob in Illinois • His successor Brigham Young decided to move the religion and its followers to Utah and present day Salt Lake City • Because of opposition over their beliefs Utah didn’t become a state till 1896

29. Classwork • Complete the California Handout, if you do not finish in class, finish for Homework. We will go over it tomorrow.