~A tourist’s guide for the best field trip through the Manifest Destiny~

By: Megan Mahetta

Fort MandanFort Mandan was where Lewis and Clark stopped

to rest after a year into their expedition. The exact location was unknown, but it was said that they were on the Missouri river a couple miles from North Dakota.

This was where they encountered Sacagawea and her Indian tribe, the Shoshone’s. She had agreed to accompany Lewis and Clark on their journey as a translator. She is the one with all of the knowledge of land that helped them find their resources and explore through the west.

Independence, MissouriIn 1843, the families who decided to venture on

the Oregon Trail, all met up in Independence Missouri in the Spring.

Many pioneers were in a race to get to Oregon because they suffered from what is called “Oregon Fever.” They had heard about the “tales of wheat that grew taller than a man and turnips five feet around,” and wanted it all for themselves.

They all formed into wagon trains and hurried off to reach Oregon before early October.

Rio Grande RiverThe United States and Mexico both claimed the

land between the Rio Grande and the Nueces river. President Polk told the US to set up posts at the area around each river and when the Mexicans found out they went in for attack.

Polk was outraged that Mexicans invaded American territory and shed American blood on their own soil. Congress allowed them to declare war.

The Americans first army met Santa Anna at the battle of Buena Vista, even though they were outnumbered, they forced Santa Anna to retreat.

San Antonio, TexasThe Alamo was what inspired the Texans to win their

independence. After Santa Anna and his Mexican troops defeated the Alamo around February 23, 1836, many Texans wanted their revenge.

In April of 1836, when the Texans heard that Santa Anna and his army were camped out by the San Jacinto River, they immediately headed down there for a surprise attack.

It was known as the Battle of San Jacinto which only lasted a merely 18-20 minutes. The Texans were outnumbered but they captured a huge number of Mexicans, and later captured Santa Anna and forced him to sign a treaty for Texan Independence.

Santa Fe/San Diego, CAGeneral Stephen Kearny led the third American

Army into Santa Fe and captured it without firing a gun. They then hurried on into San Diego. It took many battles, but they finally gained control over southern California in 1847.

Sutter’s Mill (Sacramento, CA)It started in 1849 when James Marshall spotted a

bunch of gold in a ditch that was on the American River where John Sutter’s sawmill was being built.

He originally wanted to keep his findings a secret but that plan failed. Once the news spread about the California Gold Rush, thousands of people made their way over to the US and had caught “the gold fever.”

Over 80,000 people had come over to California and became known as the forty – niners.

Charleston, TennesseeDue to the westward push of settlers, white

Americans began to take Native land pushing them to the frontier.

Natives were also pushed off their land due to rumors of gold and once again American greed to control.

In 1830, a Indian Removal Act was passed and the Natives started their long journey on the “Trail of Tears” which started in Charleston, Tennessee.

The Trail of Tears

Battle at th

e Alamo