Period 5

Westward Expansion

Context

Colonial conflict with Native Americans over Territory

French & Indian War

After the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the Treaty of Paris led to more British territory but also the Proclamation of 1763.

Revolutionary War

After The American Revolution, the Treaty of Paris 1783 gave the US territory from Britain.

Louisiana Purchase

The Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled the size of the U.S., explored by Lewis and Clark.

Adam-Onis Treaty

In the Adam-Onis Treaty (1819), the U.S. acquired Florida from Spain.

Reasons for Westward Expansion

Growing Population

The U.S. population grew due to natural birthrates, Immigration, increased standard of living.

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was the idea that the U.S. had a god-given right and duty to expand coast to coast. This idea was propagated through newspapers and nationalist politicians. The idea of Manifest Destiny reflects Nationalism and the belief that American institutions and ideas (ex: Democracy, Republicanism, Protestantism) should be spread, and the racist idea that Anglo-American ways of being (culture) are superior to Native American or Mexican ways of being.

Other Desires

Desire for access to natural resources

Planters moved to find fertile soil after over-cultivating soil in the Southeast. These planters made cotton plantations in Texas.

Desire for access to mineral resources

Hundreds of thousands of prospectors moved to California in the California Gold Rush 1848; mostly men; few got rich; volatile society

Desire for economic opportunities

Families of pioneers moved west over the Oregon Trail to seek better economic prospects.

Desire for religious refuge

Mormon people (Church of Jesus Chris of Latter Day Saints) moved west to escape religious persecution, landing in Salt Lake City.

Oregon

Both Britain and the US laid claim to "Oregon Country". In the Convention of 1818, they agreed to split Oregon Country along the 49th Parallel, and agreed to "joint occupation". Then, in the 1840's, Americans traveled as families to Oregon on the Oregon Trail along "wagon trains". In 1846, in order to get US exclusive control over Oregon, President James K. Polk negotiated a treaty with Britain that fixed the border at the 49th Parallel. Some people wanted the border to be further north, at the 54th parallel, with the slogan “54 40 or Fight!”, but the border stayed at the 49th Parallel.

The Annexation of Texas

In 1820s, Americans moved westward to Texas and made cotton plantations there, partly because of the over-cultivation of soil in southeast. At first, Mexico encouraged American immigration but later tensions developed after Mexico outlawed slavery.
Texas independence (1836) = Texas rebelled against Mexico; Texans won under leadership of Sam Houston; Texas became the independent Republic of Texas
Texas annexation (1845) = at first, U.S. did not annex Texas because trying to avoid sectional tension by adding another “slave state”; but in 1845, president John Tyler pushed Texas annexation through Congress; Texas joined the U.S. as a slave state

The Mexican American War

The Mexican American War (1846-1848) was caused by the tension between the US and Mexico about the location of the Texas Border. President James K. Polk sent U.S. troops into disputed territory, and war broke out. Polk put the blame on Mexico. The war ended with an American victory, and the US gained territory. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war, meant Mexico had to provide land (Mexican Cession - ceded Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Utah), and the people on that land became Mexican-Americans (US Citizens). In return, the US paid Mexico $15 million dollars. After the war, Mexican-Americans faced mistreatment and racial discrimination. Ex: in the 1880s, Las Gorras Blancas (the "White Caps") fought back against land taken by white Americans in New Mexico.

Gadsden Purchase

In the Gadsden Purchase (1854), the US purchased land in Arizona and New Mexico from Mexico, because the US wanted to build the southern transcontinental railroad there, but they ended up building it first in the North.