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The American Nation
Chapter 13
Westward Expansion,
1820–1860
Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
The American Nation
Chapter 13: Westward Expansion, 1820–1860
Section 1:
Oregon Country
Section 2:
The Republic of Texas
Section 3:
California and the Southwest
Section 4:
The Mexican War
Section 5:
Americas Rush West
Copyright © 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights reserved.
Oregon Country
Chapter 13, Section 1
• Why were settlers and trappers attracted
to Oregon and the Far West?
• How did mountain men help explore lands
in the Far West?
• What role did missionaries play in the
settlement of Oregon?
• What hardships did settlers face on wagon
trains to the West?
Settlers and Trappers Were Attracted to Oregon
Chapter 13, Section 1
Oregon Country—a huge region west of the Rocky
Mountains that included present-day Oregon, Washington,
Idaho, and parts of Wyoming, Montana, and western
Canada.
• Good farmland along the Pacific coast attracted farmers.
• Fertile soil
• Mild temperatures year round
• Plentiful rainfall
• Forests further inland and in the Rocky Mountains
attracted fur trappers.
• Beavers and other fur-bearing animals
At first, four countries claimed Oregon—United States,
Great Britain, Spain, and Russia. Later, Spain and Russia
dropped their claims.
Settlers and Trappers Were Attracted to Oregon
Chapter 13, Section 1
Mountain Men in the Far West
Chapter 13, Section 1
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The China trade: New England merchants stopped along the
Oregon coast to buy furs to sell in China.
The mountain men: These rugged individualists—people who
follow their own independent course in life—led dangerous
lives. They faced long, cold winters, wild animals, and hunger.
Often they learned trapping and hunting skills from Indians.
The fur trade: During fall and spring, mountain men tended
their traps. Then in July, many mountain men headed for a
rendezvous—a French word meaning “get-together”—at a
place chosen the year before. There they met with traders, who
bought the furs.
Famous mountain men: In their search for furs, mountain men
explored parts of the West, then showed settlers the way.
Jedediah Smith, Manuel Lisa, and James Beckwourth were
some well-known mountain men.
Missionaries in Oregon
Chapter 13, Section 1
• The first white Americans to settle permanently in Oregon
Country were missionaries, including Marcus and Narcissa
Whitman.
• The Whitmans built a mission near the Columbia River.
They worked with the Cayuse Indians. Soon other
missionaries and settlers joined them.
• Missionaries attracted more settlers when they sent
glowing reports about Oregon to friends and family in the
East.
• Some settlers carried diseases that struck the Indians. A
measles outbreak killed many Cayuses.
• Indians, angry over the spread of disease attacked the
Whitman’s mission and killed the Whitmans and 12 others.
Life On the Oregon Trail
Chapter 13, Section 1
Beginning in 1843, wagon trains left an area near Independence,
Missouri, every spring and followed trails 2,000 miles west to
Oregon. The route became known as the Oregon Trail.
• People met there and formed themselves into wagon trains.
• Each group elected leaders.
• On the trail, people awoke at dawn. Everyone had a job to do.
• Often people discarded belongings along the way to lighten
their wagons.
• Wagon trains faced many dangers—rain-swollen rivers in the
spring, blistering heat in the summer, early snows in the fall.
The biggest threat was sickness.
• Pioneers often traded with Native Americans for food.
Section 1 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 1
The mountain men of the West were known for trapping furs and also for
a) crossing the Pacific to sell their furs in China.
b) establishing missions among the Native Americans of the Oregon
Country.
c) making beaver hats.
d) exploring the land and showing settlers the way west.
The biggest danger pioneers on the Oregon Trail faced was
a) Indians.
b) illness.
c) wheat taller than a man.
d) not having enough gear.
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Section 1 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 1
The mountain men of the West were known for trapping furs and also for
a) crossing the Pacific to sell their furs in China.
b) establishing missions among the Native Americans of the Oregon
Country.
c) making beaver hats.
d) exploring the land and showing settlers the way west.
The biggest danger pioneers on the Oregon Trail faced was
a) Indians.
b) illness.
c) wheat taller than a man.
d) not having enough gear.
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The Republic of Texas
Chapter 13, Section 2
• Why did American settlers in Texas come
into conflict with Mexico?
• How did the siege of the Alamo become a
rallying cry for Texans?
• How did Texas become an independent
nation?
• What challenges did the Lone Star
Republic face?
Americans in Texas Come Into Conflict With Mexico
Chapter 13, Section 2
1821
• Spain granted an American, Moses Austin, the right to set up a
colony in Texas.
• Mexico gained independence from Spain.
• Moses Austin’s son Stephen obtained Mexico’s permission to carry
out his father’s grant.
• Austin gathered about 300 families, who began settling in Texas.
These settlers agreed to become Mexican citizens and worship in
the Roman Catholic Church.
1830
• About 20,000 Americans were living in Texas. By this time, few kept
the agreement with Mexico. Most felt little loyalty to Mexico. Most
were Protestant.
• Mexico barred any more American settlers. It was feared that
Americans would try to make Texas a part of the United States. The
Mexican government began to enforce the old law that required
Texans to worship in the Catholic Church as well as laws banning
slavery.
Americans in Texas Come Into Conflict With Mexico
Chapter 13, Section 2
1833
General Antonio López de Santa Anna came to power in Mexico. Two
years later he became dictator, a ruler with absolute power and
authority. Americans in Texas felt that Santa Anna would drive them
from Mexico and that they must do something.
1835
Americans in Mexico had the support of many Tejanos, Mexicans who
lived in Texas. The Tejanos wanted Santa Anna out of power. Texans in
the town of Gonzales clashed with Mexican troops, forcing the
Mexicans to withdraw. Two months later, Texans occupied San
Antonio. Santa Anna marched north with a large army.
1836
A group of Texans declared independence for the Republic of Texas
and made Sam Houston commander of the army.
Americans in Texas Come Into Conflict With Mexico
Chapter 13, Section 2
The Siege of the Alamo
Chapter 13, Section 2
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By the time Santa Anna reached San Antonio with 6,000 troops,
about 150 Texans had taken up positions in an old Spanish
mission called the Alamo. The Texans had little ammunition, food,
water, or medicine.
On February 23, 1836, Mexican troops began a siege—enemy
forces try to capture a position by surrounding and bombarding it.
The American commander, William Travis, sent a message asking
for aid. He sent scouts to find volunteers and food. About 40 men
joined the fighters in the Alamo.
The siege continued for 12 days. Finally, on March 6, a Mexican
cannon shattered the mission walls. Thousands of Mexican
soldiers poured over the walls, shouting “Viva Santa Anna!” About
180 Texans and almost 1,500 Mexicans lay dead.
The fall of the Alamo ignited cries for revenge. “Remember the
Alamo!” became a rallying cry as Texans fought for independence.
Texan Independence
Chapter 13, Section 2
• A few weeks after the Alamo, Mexican troops killed several
hundred Texas soldiers after they had surrendered at
Goliad. This action made Texans furious.
• Sam Houston worked to turn the volunteers into an
effective army.
• On April 21, 1836, Texans surprised Santa Anna and his
army near the San Jacinto River. In the Battle of San
Jacinto, the outnumbered Texans defeated the Mexicans.
The next day, the Texans captured Santa Anna and forced
him to sign a treaty granting Texas independence.
• Texans nicknamed their new nation the Lone Star Republic.
They wrote a constitution modeled after the United States
Constitution. Sam Houston was elected president of the
Republic of Texas.
Texan Independence
Chapter 13, Section 2
The Lone Star Republic Faced Challenges
Chapter 13, Section 2
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The government of Mexico refused to accept the treaty Santa
Anna had signed. For Mexicans, Texas was still part of their
country.
Texas was nearly bankrupt.
Comanches and other Indian groups threatened to attack Texan
communities.
To face these challenges, most Texans thought Texas should
become part of the United States. In the United States, people
were divided over whether to annex, or add on, Texas.
White southerners generally favored the idea.
Antislavery northerners opposed it.
Andrew Jackson thought annexation would cause war with
Mexico; therefore, Congress refused to annex Texas.
Section 2 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 2
One situation that led Texans to rebel against Mexico was that
a) Santa Anna had declared himself dictator of Mexico.
b) Mexico invited too many Americans to settle in Texas.
c) Mexico allowed German and Swiss settlers to move in.
d) they let the Alamo’s walls crumble from disuse.
When Texas became an independent nation, one problem it faced was that
a) it attracted new settlers.
b) most Texans opposed slavery.
c) it was nearly bankrupt.
d) there was no one to act as president.
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Section 2 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 2
One situation that led Texans to rebel against Mexico was that
a) Santa Anna had declared himself dictator of Mexico.
b) Mexico invited too many Americans to settle in Texas.
c) Mexico allowed German and Swiss settlers to move in.
d) they let the Alamo’s walls crumble from disuse.
When Texas became an independent nation, one problem it faced was that
a) it attracted new settlers.
b) most Texans opposed slavery.
c) it was nearly bankrupt.
d) there was no one to act as president.
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California and the Southwest
Chapter 13, Section 3
• Why did Americans take an interest in the
New Mexico Territory?
• What was life like for Native Americans on
California’s missions and ranches?
• Why did many Americans support the idea
of westward expansion?
American Interest in the New Mexico Territory
Chapter 13, Section 3
New Mexico Territory
• Ruled by Mexico in the early 1840s.
• Included all of present-day California, Nevada and Utah, most
of Arizona and New Mexico, and parts of Colorado.
What attracted Americans to parts of the New Mexico Territory?
• Reading books about the Southwest, like Richard Henry
Dana’s descriptions of California life in Two Years Before the
Mast.
• Trade—William Becknell led traders from Franklin, Missouri, to
Santa Fe in present-day New Mexico. The route they followed
became known as the Santa Fe Trail.
Native-Americans on California’s Missions and Ranches
Chapter 13, Section 3
Missions
• Spanish missionaries built 21
missions along the California
coast.
• Each mission included a church
and the surrounding land.
• Each mission produced enough
for its own needs. Missions also
supplied meat, grain, and other
foods to the forts nearby.
• Native Americans herded sheep
and cattle and raised crops for
the missions. Mission life was
hard.
• Native Americans lived at the
missions and learned about the
Roman Catholic faith.
Ranches
• To encourage economic growth,
the Mexican government took
land from the missions and gave
it to wealthy people.
• These people set up huge cattle
ranches, where Native Americans
tended the cattle and other
animals.
• The Indian and Mexican
cowhands who worked on the
ranches were called vaqueros.
They were excellent riders and
ropers. Their traditions
influenced later cowhands.
American Support for Westward Expansion
Chapter 13, Section 3
• Every year, more Americans moved west. The United States
government offered to buy California from Mexico.
• Some Americans wanted control of the ports at San
Francisco and San Diego.
• Many people believed that Americans had a right and duty
to spread their culture and its democratic government all
the way to the Pacific Ocean. This belief was called
Manifest Destiny. Manifest means clear or obvious. Destiny
means something that is sure to happen.
• Many Americans believed that expansion would open new
opportunities for the United States economy.
• Some people believed that white Americans were superior
to Native Americans and Mexicans and deserved to take the
land from those people.
Section 3 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 3
When California belonged to Mexico, California’s economy revolved mainly
around
a) the Santa Fe Trail.
b) orange groves.
c) a string of 21 missions.
d) wheat farming
Manifest Destiny was the belief that
a) Texas should remain an independent nation—the Lone Star Republic.
b) Americans had a right and duty to spread their culture from coast to
coast.
c) missionaries were destined to convert Indians to the Roman Catholic
faith.
d) Mexico should let Americans use the port of San Francisco.
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Section 3 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 3
When California belonged to Mexico, California’s economy revolved mainly
around
a) the Santa Fe Trail.
b) orange groves.
c) a string of 21 missions.
d) wheat farming
Manifest Destiny was the belief that
a) Texas should remain an independent nation—the Lone Star Republic.
b) Americans had a right and duty to spread their culture from coast to
coast.
c) missionaries were destined to convert Indians to the Roman Catholic
faith.
d) Mexico should let Americans use the port of San Francisco.
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The Mexican War
Chapter 13, Section 4
• How did the United States gain Oregon
and Texas?
• What were the causes and results of the
United States war with Mexico?
• What new lands did the United States
acquire as a result of the Mexican War?
• How did a mix of cultures shape California
and the Southwest?
The United States Gains Oregon and Texas
Chapter 13, Section 4
Oregon
• The United States and Britain agreed to a compromise. The
two countries divided Oregon at latitude 49°N latitude.
• Later, the Oregon Territory became the states of Oregon,
Washington, and Idaho.
Texas
• In 1844, Texan president Sam Houston signed a treaty of
annexation with the United States.
• Fearing war with Mexico, the United States Senate refused
to ratify the treaty.
• Houston pretended that Texas might ally itself with Britain.
This move prompted Congress to pass a joint resolution
admitting Texas to the Union.
Causes and Results of the Mexican War
Chapter 13, Section 4
Causes
Mexico did not accept Texan independence and was outraged by the
United States annexation of Texas.
Americans resented Mexico’s rejection of President Polk’s offer to buy
California and New Mexico.
A border dispute sparked war. Both nations claimed land between the Rio
Grande and the Nueces River and sent troops into the area. President Polk
claimed Mexico had invaded American soil and asked Congress to declare
war
Results
During the war, Americans in northern California revolted against Mexican
rule and declared California an independent republic, the Bear Flag
Republic.
In the fighting, the United States won control of all of New Mexico and
California. Despite the heroic stand of young Mexican soldiers in a battle at
Chapultepec near Mexico City, American forces took over the Mexican
capital.
The Mexican government moved to make peace. In 1848, it signed the
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, ending the war.
The Mexican War
Chapter 13, Section 4
The United States Acquires New Lands
Chapter 13, Section 4
In the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Mexico had to cede, or
give up, some of its lands.
• Mexico ceded all of California and New Mexico to the
United States. These lands were called the Mexican
Cession.
• In return, the United States paid Mexico $15 million.
• The United States agreed to respect the rights of Spanishspeaking people in the Mexican Cession.
In 1853, the United States bought the Gadsden Purchase.
• The United States wanted to build a railroad across an area
that is now the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico.
• The United States paid Mexico $10 million for the strip of
land, known as the Gadsden Purchase.
A Mix of Cultures in California and the Southwest
Chapter 13, Section 4
After 1848, English-speaking settlers flocked to the
Southwest. They brought their culture and ideas about
democracy.
Ideas and practices that Americans adopted from the
Mexican Americans who lived in the Southwest.
• Silver mining techniques.
• Methods of irrigation.
• Spanish and Native American words, for example,
stampede, buffalo, tortilla, soda, and tornado.
• Some Mexican laws, for example, one law that said that
a husband and wife owned property jointly and another
law that said landowners could not cut off water to their
neighbors.
Section 4 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 4
Hard feelings between Mexico and the United States had been growing since
Texas declared independence. War between the United States and Mexico
finally broke out when
a) Congress annexed Texas.
b) Mexican and American troops clashed in an area of land claimed by
both countries.
c) Mexico refused to sell California.
d) Sam Houston threatened to ally Texas with Britain.
American settlers in the Southwest adopted Mexican ways for
a) mining silver.
b) building railroads.
c) writing a constitution.
d) organizing a cession.
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Section 4 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 4
Hard feelings between Mexico and the United States had been growing since
Texas declared independence. War between the United States and Mexico
finally broke out when
a) Congress annexed Texas.
b) Mexican and American troops clashed in an area of land claimed by
both countries.
c) Mexico refused to sell California.
d) Sam Houston threatened to ally Texas with Britain.
American settlers in the Southwest adopted Mexican ways for
a) mining silver.
b) building railroads.
c) writing a constitution.
d) organizing a cession.
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Americans Rush West
Chapter 13, Section 5
• Why did the Mormons move west to settle
in Utah?
• How did the gold rush affect life in
California?
• Why did California develop such a diverse
population?
The Mormons Settle Utah
Chapter 13, Section 5
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Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day
Saints in 1830 in upstate New York. Members of the church were
called Mormons.
Neighbors were angered by Mormon beliefs that property should
be owned in common and that a man could have more than one
wife.
The Mormons moved west to Ohio, where they faced opposition.
The Mormons moved to Missouri, and then to Illinois. In the 1840s,
they built a community called Nauvoo on the banks of the
Mississippi River. They again clashed with neighbors. An angry
mob killed Joseph Smith.
A new leader, Brigham Young, realized Mormons needed a refuge,
a place where they would be safe from persecution. In 1847, he led
an advance party to the valley of the Great Salt Lake, in presentday Utah. Thousands of Mormons followed.
People Rush Westward
Chapter 13, Section 5
The California Gold Rush
Chapter 13, Section 5
• In 1848, James Marshall was supervising the building of a
sawmill for John Sutter, when he discovered a lump of gold.
• Sutter tried to keep the news a secret, but within days
people from San Francisco and other California towns were
rushing to Sutter’s Mill to look for gold.
• Soon, thousands of Americans, as well as people from
around the world, were rushing to California to search for
gold. They became known as forty-niners.
• Early miners found gold easily. Some miners found a way to
get the gold out of riverbeds. Yet, very few miners struck it
rich. Many went broke trying to find gold. Still, although
many miners left the gold fields, they stayed in California to
farm or work at other jobs.
The California Gold Rush
Chapter 13, Section 5
• San Francisco grew from a sleepy town to a bustling city.
• When crime grew in the mining camps, miners and citydwellers formed vigilance committees. Vigilantes, or selfappointed law enforcers, dealt out punishments.
Sometimes, a person accused of a crime was lynched—
hanged without a trial.
• Californians realized they needed a strong government. In
1849, they wrote a state constitution and asked to be
admitted to the Union.
California’s Diverse Population
Chapter 13, Section 5
• Originally, many Native American tribes made
California their home.
• Before the gold rush, California’s population
included large numbers of Mexicans.
• The gold rush brought in people from all over the
world, including large numbers of Chinese. Many
stayed on when the gold rush ended.
• Escaped slaves and free blacks joined the gold
rush. Many African Americans also remained in
California.
People Rush into The West
• Texas wins war
for independence
• United States
annexes Texas
• Britain and United
States divide
Oregon
• United States
defeats Mexico in
war
• Cotton Kingdom
spreads
Effects Today
Effects
• Oregon has fertile
land
• Texas is ideal for
raising cattle and
growing cotton
• Many Americans
believe in
Manifest Destiny
• Mormons seek a
safe home
• Gold is
discovered in
California
Westward Movement
Causes
Chapter 13, Section 5
• United States
stretches from
sea to sea
• California and
Texas are the
most populous
states
• Mexican
American culture
enriches the
United States
Section 5 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 5
Large groups of Mormon settlers moved to Utah because
a) they were looking for gold.
b) they planned to start cattle ranches.
c) they wanted to live where they would be safe from persecution.
d) Brigham Young wanted to be a governor.
One important effect of California’s gold rush was that
a) Chinese immigrants had an opportunity to earn equal rights.
b) California became populated by many diverse groups of people.
c) most miners became very wealthy.
d) most Mexicans were forced to leave the area.
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Section 5 Assessment
Chapter 13, Section 5
Large groups of Mormon settlers moved to Utah because
a) they were looking for gold.
b) they planned to start cattle ranches.
c) they wanted to live where they would be safe from persecution.
d) Brigham Young wanted to be a governor.
One important effect of California’s gold rush was that
a) Chinese immigrants had an opportunity to earn equal rights.
b) California became populated by many diverse groups of people.
c) most miners became very wealthy.
d) most Mexicans were forced to leave the area.
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