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Explore the history of Westward Expansion in the United States, from the desire for more land to the acquisition of territories like Louisiana, Florida, Texas, Oregon, and the Mexican Cession. Learn about the motivations, conflicts, and consequences of this transformative period in American history.
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An Introduction toWestward Expansion From Colonies To A Continent By Rebecca Hippert Revised by: Margaret Shermer
Questions That Need Answers: • Why did the United States want to expand? • How did we get the country we know about today? • Who’s land is this, really? • Brainstorm some ideas for answers to these questions before we go on.
What was “The West?” • By the end of the Revolution, Americans wanted more land. • Why do you think they wanted more land? • Remember why European countries wanted more land? • “The West” referred to anything west of the 13 original colonies.
This interactive map will show you how the United States we know today came to be. Click on the flag! http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/books/applications/imaps/maps/g5s_u5/index.html
The Louisiana Purchase, 1803 That’s huge!
The Louisiana Purchase • Who was involved? • Thomas Jefferson bought this territory from France. • How much was spent? • 530 million acres • $15 million (What a deal!) • Why did we do it? • Control of trade through New Orleans and along Mississippi. • To limit French military threat to the United States. • To build a better relations with France in the long term. • Can you think of other reasons for getting this land? Thomas Jefferson signing the treaty See Lewis and Clark explore this territory by clicking here!
Did You Know…? • There was opposition to the Louisiana Purchase • Some government leaders thought Jefferson was acting against the Constitution when he bought this land. • Americans thought it was a better idea to be friends with Britain than France (just had a war after all…). • Some thought natives of the new territory and residents of the east coast wouldn’t get along. • This territory would add to the numbers of states that could hold slaves. The northern states didn’t like that. • Can you think of other reasons this might have been a bad idea?
Acquisition of Florida, 1812-1818 Right here!
Acquisition of Florida • Florida land changed hands several times before it belonged to the United States. • First it belonged to Spain. • Then it belonged to Britain. • After the British were defeated in the Revolutionary War, Florida was given back to Spain. • Spain ceded Florida to the United States in exchange for complete control of Texas. Whew! • What advantages do you think Florida offered the US?
Texas Annexation, 1845 Lone Star State?
Texas • Remember how we got Florida? We gave Texas back to Spain in exchange. • Mexico declared independence from Spain, so Texas became part of Mexico. • An American colony began in Texas in 1823. • When Santa Anna became Mexico’s president, he imposed rules on the territories that the American settlers didn’t like. • Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836. • Texas couldn’t make it on its own, so Texans pushed for annexation, which was granted in 1845. The Siege of The Alamo, 1836
Acquisition of Oregon Country, 1846 The Great Northwest
Oregon Country • This territory was once claimed by England, France, Russia, Spain, and the US!!! • Eventually only Britain and America disputed the land. The others went looking elsewhere. • In 1818, the two nations agreed to share the area. • In 1843, some US settlers in the Willamette valley of Oregon established a government. • This government pushed for the annexation of all of Oregon Country. • The Oregon Treaty of 1846 was a compromise with Britain to define the boundary at the 49th parallel (separates the US and Canada today).
The Mexican Cession, 1848 You Are Here
The Mexican Cession • Mexico owned what is now southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. • Mexico had never acknowledged Texas’ independence. • President Polk authorized an offer of $30 million for the area in dispute, which was rejected. • The citizens of the United States agreed to go to war with Mexico for the land. • After a series of battles, the Mexicans were defeated. • The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in February 1848, ceding the whole of the territory to the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The War with Mexico: Opposition • The Democratic party supported the war, the Whig party, including Abraham Lincoln, did not. • Opponents claimed the purpose of the war was to expand slavery. • Some opponents went so far as to state that the United States already had enough land.
The Gadsden Purchase, 1853 Last part!
The Gadsden Purchase • Why did we want it? • Boundaries were still in dispute after the War with Mexico • The land was going to be used to create a transcontinental railroad More info about Transcontinental Railroads HERE • How Much? • $10 million • Consequences • Santa Anna of Mexico took the money and squandered it, thereby ending his political career • The slavery controversy became more heated because more land was added to the slave territories
There You Have It These events all added up to the current boundary and reach of the United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii of course…those came later) Looking at the map here, write down the order of each territory acquired by the US, and state one reason we got it.
