Westward Expansion

Packet Notes

Manifest Destiny

• Obvious fate of the U.S. to settle land all the way to the Pacific to spread democracy– John O’ Sullivan – 1845

• Tied to slavery

• Annex of Oregon– 1820s Russia and Spain gave up claims – There was an increase in American settlers to

Oregon on the Oregon Trail– Britain and the U.S. settled on the border at

49 degrees parallel– Oregon became U.S. territory in 1848

• Annex of Texas– June 1845 Congress approved Texas joining

as a new state– Wanted to keep the balance between free and

slave territories– Many Americans continued to occupy Texas– The annexation angered Mexico who thought

Texas had been stolen from them

Mexican-American War

• Causes– U.S. involvement with Texas and California– Border dispute between Mexico and the U.S.

over Texas’ southern border• U.S used the Rio Grande River• Mexico used the Nueces River

• War– General Taylor was sent to the disputed land

to keep U.S. territory, but when asked to withdraw by Mexico he refused. Both sides fought• President Polk declared war

– American Advantages • U.S. had better weapons and equipment

then Mexico• Many U.S. volunteers• Many Americans supported the war

– U.S. won the Battle of Nueces River– Gen. Stephen Kearny captured Santa Fe for

the U.S.– Bear Flag Revolt

• Approximately 500 Americans wanted U.S. to control California so started a rebellion which claimed California as an independent nation

• The U.S was able to take most of the Major cities in California

• Some Californios resisted until 1847 when they surrendered to the U.S.

• War’s End– General Taylor received his re-enforcements

and marched further into Mexico– Buena Vista

• February 1847• Heavy casualties• Mexican Army Retreated• Taylor = war hero

– Veracruz• March 29, 1847• General Winfield Scott• Fort fell after 88 hours of artillery attack by

U.S.– August 1847 American troops were on the

edge of Mexico City• Fierce fighting in Mexico City• Mexico City fell to Americans on September

14, 1847 and Santa Anna fled.

American Settlement in the Mexican Cession

• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – officially ended the war and forced Mexico to turn over much of its northern territory to the U.S.– California, Nevada, and Utah, Most of Arizona

and New Mexico, parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas

– U.S. paid Mexico $15 million for the territory, and paid $3 million in claims owed to Americans by the Mexican government.

• Gadsden Purchase – U.S. government paid Mexico $10 million in exchange the U.S. received the southern parts of what are now Arizona and New Mexico– In order to build a railroad connecting

California to Texas

• After the War many Americans moved to settle the southwest– Many Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and

Native Americans faced discrimination from the new comers• Disputes over property

• Many disputes over water rights because of the dry climate and the need for farming– Good of community over individual