Download The American Nation

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
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-bearin’ critters
At first, four countries claimed Oregon—United States, Great
Britain, Spain, and Russia. Later, Spain and Russia dropped
their claims.
Mountain Men in the Far West
Chapter 13, Section 1
• 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.
• They lived off of the land
• 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.
Who were the 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 Indians for food.
Oregon Trail
Continental Divide
Oregon Trail wagon ruts
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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
• Spain granted an American, Moses
Austin, the right to start a colony in
Texas.
• Mexico gained independence from Spain.
• Moses Austin’s son Stephen got
Mexico’s permission to carry out his
father’s grant.
• Austin and 300 families, began settling in
Texas & agreed to become Mexican
citizens and worship in the Catholic
Church.
Americans in Texas Come Into
Conflict With Mexico
• By 1830 about 20,000 Americans
were living in Texas.
• Few kept the agreement with Mexico.
Most felt little loyalty to Mexico. Most
were Protestant.
• Mexico feared Americans would try
to make Texas a part of the US and
barred any more settlers.
Americans in Texas Come Into
Conflict With Mexico
• Mexican government began to
enforce the old law that
required Texans to worship in
the Catholic Church and
banned slavery.
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
• General Antonio López de Santa Anna
came to power in Mexico. Two years
later he made himself dictator.
Americans in Texas felt that Santa Anna
would drive them from Mexico and that
they must do something.
• Americans in Mexico had the support of
many Tejanos who wanted Santa Anna
out of power.
Americans in Texas Come Into
Conflict With Mexico
• Texans occupied San Antonio.
• Santa Anna marched north with a
large army.
• 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
• 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.
• February 23, 1836, Mexican troops
began a siege of the Alamo.
Cast of Characters in the Texas Revolution
General Antonio Lopez de
Santa Ana: commander of
Mexican forces
James Bowie:
co-commander
of the Alamo
William B. Travis: cocommander of the Alamo
1849
daguerreotype
of the Alamo
General Sam Houston:
leader of the Texas
revolution
Davy Crockett: U.S. legislator
and hero of the Alamo
The Siege of the Alamo
• 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.
• About 180 Texans vs. over 6,000
Mexican troops
The Siege of 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!” In the end,
about 180 Texans and almost
1,500 Mexicans lay dead.
The Siege of the Alamo
• The fall of the Alamo ignited
cries for revenge. “Remember
the Alamo!” became a rallying
cry as Texans fought for
independence.
The Battle of the Alamo: A Mexican pyrrhic
victory
The defenders of the Alamo both Texans and
Tejanos fought to the death against
overwhelming odds and created an enduring
legend of courage and dedication
Texan Independence
• 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.
Texan Independence
• 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 Texans captured Santa Anna
and forced him to sign a treaty
granting Texas independence.
Texan 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
• 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.
The Lone Star Republic Faced
Challenges
• To face these challenges, most
Texans thought Texas should become
part of the U.S. In the U.S., people
were divided over whether to annex
Texas.
The Lone Star Republic Faced
Challenges
• Southerners generally favored the
idea.
• Northerners opposed it.
• Andrew Jackson thought annexation
would cause war with Mexico;
therefore, Congress refused to annex
Texas at first.
• By 1845, Texas was accepted as a
state.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
Section 2 Assessment
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.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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?
• Americans were interested in settling in New Mexico and
trading with people in the 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.
Native-Americans on California’s Missions and Ranches
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.
Election of 1844
• Manifest Destiny played a role in the election of
1844.
• The Whigs nominated Henry Clay for President.
• The Democrats chose a little known candidate,
James K. Polk.
• Voters labeled Polk the candidate who favored
expansion.
• Americans showed their support for expansion
by choosing James Polk as President.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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 of the Mexican War
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 of the Mexican War
• 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 GuadalupeHidalgo, 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 Spanish-speaking people in the
Mexican Cession.
The United States Acquires New Lands
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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?
Manifest Destiny lead to war with Mexico and the Oregon territory
becoming part of the U.S.
Essentially Manifest Destiny was the belief that the U.S. had a God given mission to
spread its civilization by conquest to the entire western hemisphere no matter who it
harmed.
The Mormons Settle Utah
Chapter 13, Section 5
• 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 Settle Utah
• 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 present-day 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.
There’s GOLD in them hills!
• 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 city-dwellers formed vigilance committees.
Vigilantes dealt out punishments. Sometimes,
a person accused of a crime was lynched.
• 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 Indian 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 black 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
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.
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.
Want to connect to the American Nation link for this section? Click here.