Manifest Destiny

US HistoryMcIntyre

Map of United States Circa 1830

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What is Manifest Destiny?

American Progress Color Lithograph by George A. Crofutt and John Gast

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What is “Manifest Destiny”•Belief that the US should expand its territory from coast to coast

•The idea that God gave Americans the continent and wanted them to settle western lands

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1776

•Great Britain

•US declared independence from Great Britain

A - 13 Original Colonies

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1783

•Great Britain

•Part of results of Treaty of Paris (ended Revolutionary War)

B

B - Western Lands

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1803

•France

•Napoleon needed $

•Jefferson wanted to buy New Orleans

•He got all of this instead!

B

C - Louisiana Purchase

C

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1819

•Spain

•Andrew Jackson invaded

•Spain then sold it to us for $5 million in the Adams-Onis Treaty

B

D - Florida

D

C

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Thinking Question

(don’t write this down!! Just think!)

Why weren’t Americans happy with the size of their country at this point in their history?

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Mr. Manifest Destiny

James K. Polk•Elected 11th President in 1845-1849

•Added more territory to the US (by any means) than any other President

•Died 103 days after his single term ended

•Born in Pineville, NC

•UNC Chapel Hill graduate

•Democrat

•Settled the disputed Oregon territory

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1845

•Republic of Texas (Independent Country)

•Texas independent from Mexico in 1836

•Northerners feared it would become a slave

state •Fears finally overcome in 1844 Presidential election

B

E - Texas

D

C

E

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Texas

Mexico invited Americans

•gave cheap land

•Mexican citizens

•live under their laws

•convert to Catholicism

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EmpresariosStephen Austin

Promised to fill land with a certain number of people

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Don’t Mess with Texas

After attempts to become independent, Mexico closed borders to all Americans

Banned slave labor

Taxed imports

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What is Texas? DO NOT WRITE

Ruled by Mexico or Empresarios?

The settlers did not bother to learn Spanish or convert to Catholicism.

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Texas / Lone Star Republictimeline

1821 – Mexico becomes independent of Spain

1821-23 – Mexico offers land grants to settlers

1823 – Stephen Austin led 300 families to Texas

1830 – Mexico closes the border to the US

1836 – the Battle of the Alamo

1836 – Texas declares its Independence from Mexico

1845 – Texas becomes the 28th state

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Texas war

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Alamo today

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1846

•Great Britain

•Claimed by four countries (G. Britain, Russia, Spain, & US)

•Americans demanded “54° 40’ or fight!”

•Britain compromised 49° & US accepted

B

F - Oregon Territory

D

C

E

F

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1848

•Mexico

•Polk offers to buy G from Mexico & they refuse

•War!

•US wins

•In Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, US offers $15 million for G

B

G - Mexican Cession

D

C

E

F

G

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US Territorial Expansion

A

When?

From Where?

Why?

•1848

•Mexico

•Needed for completion of Railroads

•Purchase for $10 million

B

H-Gadsden Purchase

D

C

E

F

G

H

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Land acquisitions map

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Squatters

Settled on lands they did not own

Preemption Act of 1830: government guaranteed squatters could claim land and buy up to 160 acres at 1.25$/acre

WHO WENT WEST?

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AdvancesJethro Wood: iron-bladed plow

John Deere: plow with sharp edged steel blades

Cyrus McCormick: reaper pulled by horse/mule

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Prairie Schooner

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Trails map

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Oregon TrailDeveloped by early traders and fur trappers, known as Mountain Men.

Independence, Missouri to Portland, Oregon

People began moving to Oregon in the 1830’s, and by 1844 there were over 5,000 whites permanently settled in the Oregon Territory

The journey took several months and was very difficult. Settlers endured:

Rough roads/trails

Sickness

Indian attacks

Hot summers, cold winters

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Santa Fe TrailTrade route between Independence, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico

Traders developed a caravan system to pass through dangerous Indian lands

Settlers adopted this technique to get to California, Oregon, and Utah

People gained economically from the trade, but also realized there was a lot of open land with little control by the Mexican government

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Mormons1830 – Joseph Smith founded the Mormon church in Kirkland, Ohio

1839 – Following grew to 15,000; they moved west to Illinois, where Joseph Smith was killed

1847 – Brigham Young led the Mormons west, where they eventually ended up in present day Salt Lake City, Utah

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What about the Native Americans?

Traded goods and information with settlers

Treaty of Fort Laramie: 8 groups agreed to boundaries in return for that land being theirs forever

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Discussion Question

(Don’t write!! Just think!)

Why does the U.S. keep offering countries money for territories we gain through war (Ex. Florida and Mexico)?