1825-1850 EXPANDING THE NATION

Capitalism: private businesses and individuals control the means of production and use them to earn profits

Technological changes Sewing Machine Telegraph & Morse Code Steamboat Railroad Steel Plow (John Deere)

Greater economic diversity among the regions of the nation Improved transportation and communication Regional specialties: South: cotton West: grain & livestock East: textiles & machinery

U.S. MARKETS EXPAND

NEW INVENTIONS

Charles Thurber: Typewriter: 1843 Nancy Johnson: Ice

Cream Maker 1843

Aldolphe Sax: The saxophone 1841

Daguerreotypes: first successfully commercial photographic process: Louis Daguerre 1839

Robert Bunsen: Bunsen Burner 1855

Economic Problems (Panic of 1837) Looking for a fresh start!

Abundance of land Land cost little $

Escape religious persecution (Mormons) Trade opportunities New markets for goods!

Manifest Destiny

REASONS TO MOVE WEST

West = the great untapped frontier Manifest Destiny America’s mission = expand from ocean to ocean, spreading

democracy and freedom Americans believed it was their God-given duty to conquer the

Western territories and unify the Nation

MANIFEST DESTINY

SETTLERS VS. NATIVE AMERICANS

Natives could choose: 1. Accommodation 2. Assimilation 3. Violence

Black Hawk War Pressure for Sauk tribe to move

west of Mississippi River 1832, IL militia slaughtered more

than 200 natives Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) Native tribes and US

representatives promise to maintain friendship Provided Natives with the Central

Plains and annual payments Natives must not to attack settlers Natives must allow construction of

govt roads/forts

Thousands make the journey west Wooden wheeled covered

wagons Caravans protect from

possible Native attacks Santa Fe Trail 780 miles: Independence,

MO to Santa Fe, NM Oregon Trai l USA and Britain peaceably

agreed to give OR to USA 54-40 or Fight! 2,000 miles: Independence,

MO to Portland, OR Mormons Exiled for polygamy (having

more than one spouse) Migration to Salt Lake City,

UT

TRAILS WEST

Oregon Trail: TODAY!

Mexico: Independent from Spain in 1821 Mexico tore down missions (religious

compounds where Native Mexicans were converted to Christianity) gave land to govt officials and settlers

Texas = province of Mexico Far from capital (Mexico City) = hard to

control Many Native attacks

Mexico encourages Americans to settle in Texas Larger population will intimidate

Native from attack Mexico-USA allianceopen

tradeimprove Mexico’s economy

EXPANSION IN TEXAS

Mexico grants land to empresarios (agents) who would sell cheap land to settlers if… 1. Follow Mexican laws (including

no slavery!) 2. Speak Spanish 3. Convert to Roman Catholicism

Expansion Americans in TX > Mexicans in TX “Gone to Texas!” Americans want to expand US to

the Rio Grande River

EXPANSION IN TEXAS

Tension Cultural Differences: Protestant vs. Catholic English (Anglo) vs. Spanish Anglo population doubled 1830-1834 1835, 1,000 per month (G.T.T. left on doors)

In Texas in 1836: 45,000 Americans 12,000 Native Americans 5,000 Africans 3,500 Tejanos

Political Differences Slavery = illegal in Mex US Southerners brought slaves to TX

TEXAS FIGHTS FOR INDEPENDENCE

Texas Revolution Stephen Austin (US/TX rebel) asks

Mex for self-govt in TX rejected & arrested Mex led 4,000 troops into Texas Austin: TX should arm themselves

Battle of the Alamo (1835) Texans capture the Alamo (Mex fort) Mex responds with an attack 4,000 Mex soldiers, 187 TX rebels All TX rebels were killed (“Remember

the Alamo!”)

Battle of Goliad: Mex troops execute 300 US defenders

Loss = motivation for Texan rebels to fight for independence

TEXAS FIGHTS FOR INDEPENDENCE

William Travis Jim Bowie Davy Crockett

Battle of San Jacinto Sam Houston defeats Santa Anna TX rebels kill 630 in 18 min

Force Santa Anna to sign Treaty of Velasco Grants independence for TX = Republic of

Texas 1845: Texas = 28th state to join Union Mexico furious over TX annexation

TEXAS FIGHTS FOR INDEPENDENCE

Election 1844: James K Polk = 11th Pres Polk urges war US could gain TX officially, NM, & CA Border dispute Rio Grande River vs. Nueces

River US sends negotiator to Mexico Asks to buy CA & NM Make Rio Grande the border Mex rejects negotiations

Polk orders Gen. Zachary Taylor to blockade Rio Grande Mexicans viewed as an INVASION of their

country!! North opposed war / South supports war (more power in Cong for the South)

WAR WITH MEXICO

War begins Mexico sends troops across the Rio Grande

and kills 16 US soldiers “American blood upon American soil!”

(Technically not…) Congress declares war US troops (Gen. Taylor) to Rio Grande to

invade Mexico while other troops (Gen. Kearny) to CA & NM to capture land Turns out NM & CA want to be a part of USA! Rich Mexicans want better economy California rebels against Mex and declare independence

War in Mexico Taylor’s army fought several battles Capturing major cities & defeating major

Mexican forces Fall of Mexico City ends military phase of

conflict

WAR WITH MEXICO

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1. Rio Grande = border btwn TX & Mexico 2. NM & CA = USA 3. US pays Mex $15 million for Mexican Cession (land from war) 4. Mexicans of TX, NM, CA will have: freedom of religion bilingual education open borders

Impact of War Mexico: 25,000 casualties & lost half of land USA: 13,000 casualties (only 2,000 from battle… rest from disease!)

& increased land by 1/3 Media First war to be covered by foreign correspondents Reports often supported U.S. involvement in the war & Manifest Destiny

WAR WITH MEXICO

GUIDELINES FOR NEW TERRITORY

Wilmot Proviso Promoted concept of “Free Soil”: no extension of slavery into new territories Why? Workers vs. plantation owners, abolitionists, etc. Bill defeated in Senate by John C Calhoun regional tension between

North/South Gadsden Purchase $10 million Mex sold strip of territory south of the Gila River (S. NM&AZ) Land used to build Southern Pacific Railroad

Rush begins James Marshall discovers gold in CA in

1848 at Sutter’s Mill Gold rush migrants = “Forty-Niners” (1849)

Impact of Gold Rush Population skyrockets in CA SF: 1,000 35,000 (1848-1850) 1849: CA population exceeds 100,000

Rush brings diversity Chinese immigration Wealthy & free African Americans

Issue of Slavery 1849 CA outlawed slavery Apply to be a state: Congress fights over

slave/free state issue CA becomes free state in 1850

GOLD RUSH