1. Life in the New Nation

2. Population Growth
• 1780 = 13 states with 2.7 million
people
• 1830 = 24 states with 12 million
people
• 90% of population increase
comes from childbirth not
immigration

3. Manifest Destiny
• Americans began to believe that democracy
was a superior (the best) form of
government.
• Many Americans felt that it was the destiny
of our nation to spread from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean.

4. Unfortunately, Manifest Destiny also led to
racist beliefs. Many felt that Mexicans and
Indians were inferior to whites and had no
claim to the area.

5. The nations were the
United States, Great
Britain, Spain, &
Russia
By 1818, the U.S. and
Great Britain reached
an agreement in which
each nations’ settlers
would occupy Oregon
jointly and have equal
rights. Because Spain
and Russia had so few
settlers, they dropped
their claims.

6. The first real Americans
& Europeans to settle
in Oregon were
hunters and trappers
known as Mountain
Men.
Mountain Men were
usually young, rugged
men who lived off the
land. Their lives were
filled with danger

7. By the 1830’s
trapping died out
due to the over
hunting of fur
bearing animals.
Now, the
Mountain Men
began using their
skills to guide
settlers into the
Oregon Country.

8. Thousand’s left to make the 2,000 mile
journey. On foot, most would try to time
the journey so they would arrive by
October.

9. There were many dangers along the trail including river
crossings, blistering heat, and snow storms. The biggest
threat were diseases like cholera which was known to wipe
out entire wagon trains. Germs spread easily due to the
close contact of travelers.

10. • Pioneers would often trade with friendly Indians
and rarely have problems with them.
• About 50,000 people made the journey between
1840-1860.
• Wagon tracks can still be found today
• By the 1840’s, Americans greatly outnumbered
the British and many wanted the territory to
belong to the US alone!

11. Santa Fe Trail

12. The vast majority of the southwest was owned by Mexico
The New Mexico Territory included Arizona, New Mexico. Nevada,
Utah and parts of Colorado.

13. Santé Fe was a huge trading post in New Mexico. The Mexican
government began allowing Americans there after Mexico gained
independence. William Becknell was the first American to make
the journey with other traders of cloth and tools. The Mexicans
were eager customers, so others followed along what became
known as the Santé Fe Trail.

14. James K. Polk Henry Clay
The Election of
1844
• Manifest Destiny
became the key issue
of the 1844 election.
The Whigs nominated
Henry Clay
The Democrats
nominated James K.
Polk

15. • Polk was unknown by most but he became well
known after stating that Texas and Oregon must
become part of the Union. He stated that our
border should extend from the latitude 54º-40º.
Americans agreed and elected Polk narrowly!

16. Joseph Smith
The largest group of
settlers to the
Mexican cession
were a religious
group known as
Mormons (The
Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-
day Saints) . It was
founded by Joseph
Smith in 1830

17. • The Mormons were
persecuted for their
beliefs including
collectivism and
polygamy.
• After moving from
New York, the
Mormons settled in
Illinois where they
prospered

18. Because of the
anti-Mormon
sentiment,
many decided
to leave Illinois
and head
toward the
Great Salt
Lake between
the Rocky
Mountains.

19. Brigham Young
They were led by Brigham Young who
planned the journey of 15,000 Mormons
to the Great Salt Lake. Scores of
settlers moved in and Young helped
establish a thriving territory

20. MORMON TRAIL!!!
Remember- the journey was made to escape
religious persecution and live in harmony.

21. In 1848, a man by the name of James Marshall found gold at
Sutter’s Mill.
Word spread quickly and by 1849, more than 80,000 people made
the trek to California, increasing its population astronomically.

22. Those who settled in
California as a result of the
Gold Rush were known as
“forty-niners”.
Most, however, found only
enough gold to barely pay
their daily expenses. The
California Gold Rush is
generally considered to
have ended in 1858, when
the New Mexican Gold
Rush began.
Most did not find a fortune,
and often went broke and
found other jobs.

23. California realized
that it needed a
government and
drafted a state
constitution in
1849. The US
debated whether
or not they would
allow CA to
become a state.
The primary
issue- slavery!
Ultimately, it
became a free-
state in 1850 .

24. SSUSH8 The student will
explain the relationship
between growing north-south
divisions and westward
expansion.
e. Explain the Compromise of
1850

25. Stephen Douglas
The Compromise of 1850
• Illinois Senator named Stephen
Douglas drafted a compromise that
would allow California to enter the
Union.
• Douglas worked tirelessly
for the passage of the
Compromise of 1850.

26. The Compromise of 1850 had 4
parts:
1. California enters the Union as a FREE state.
2. The Mexican Cession was divided into two
territories (Utah and New Mexico). Each
would determine on their own whether to be
free or slave states.
3. The slave trade in Washington, DC ends.
4. A strict fugitive slave law is passed.
* A compromise was established, but both sides were
unhappy. The Fugitive Slave Law Upset many
Northerners.

27. The new Fugitive Slave Law
of 1850 required citizens
to catch runaway slaves.
Those who let slaves get
away could be fined
$1,000 and spend 6
months in jail.
A new court was set up to
hear cases regarding
runaway slaves. If a
slave was returned, the
presiding judge would
get $10. If the judge did
not send a slave to the
south, he only earned $5.

28. Thousands of free
blacks fled to Canada
in fear of being
kidnapped.
The fugitive slave law
pleased southerners,
but northerners hated
it! They now felt part
of the slave system!
But the law did
convince many more
northerners to
become more active
in the abolitionist
movement!

29. California Culture
• Native Americans- Many
were driven off their land
and died as a result of
disease and murder. In
1850, there were 100,000
Indians. By 1870, there were
17,000,
• Mexican Americans- Many
lost their land claims to
white settlers, but fought
hard to get it back. They
often worked as day laborers
and were banned from
mining.

30. African Americans-Thousands
rushed to CA for gold like
much of America. Some did
well, but they faced awful
discrimination. Some arrived as
slaves but found enough gold to
buy the freedom for themselves
and family members.
Chinese Americans- Began
arriving in 1848 and were
welcomed until they staked
claims in gold fields, and then
were banned from mining.
There were 25,000 of them in
California by 1852. Many
Chinese took jobs building the
Transcontinental Railroad.

31. SSUSH8 The student will
explain the relationship
between growing north-south
divisions and westward
expansion.
b. Explain the Missouri Compromise and
the issue of slavery in western states and
territories.

32. Missouri Compromise
• In 1818, Missouri asked to join the Union as a slave
state.
• Many Americans objected because the number of
slave and free states were evenly split. If Missouri
entered the Union, the South would have the
advantage in the Senate.
• Maine had also asked to join the Union around the
same time. Henry Clay came up with a compromise.
Clay’s Missouri Compromise
would admit Missouri as a
slave state and Maine as
a free state.

33. The Missouri Compromise also drew a line along the
southern border of Missouri. Slavery was permitted in the
part of the Louisiana Purchase south of that line, and all
areas (except Missouri) north of that line could not have
slavery!

34. Slaves in the Mexican Cession?
After the Mexican War, the North wanted to
insure that none of the new territory would
allow slaves.

35. SSUSH8 The student will
explain the relationship
between growing north-south
divisions and westward
expansion.
d. Describe war with Mexico and
the Wilmot Proviso.

36. In 1821, Spain,
gave Moses
Austin a land
grant in Texas.
He died shortly
after so his son
Stephen took
over the job of
settling the
land.
Moses Austin

37. The same year, Mexico won its
independence from Spain. The
Mexican decided to allow Austin
and other American settlers into
Texas under three conditions:

38. 1. They become
loyal Mexican
citizens
2. They would obey
the laws and speak
Spanish
3. They would
become members of
the Roman Catholic
Church

39. Stephen Austin carefully
picked 300 families to
settle in Texas with him in
1821. By 1830, there were
20,000 settlers.
Many of the new American
in Texas refused to convert
to Catholicism and this
angered the Mexican
government. In 1830, they
forbade the immigration of
any more Americans.
Stephen F. Austin

40. The Mexican government began enforcing its laws
more strictly and banned slavery and outlawed the
practice of any religion but Catholicism.

41. In 1832, Mexico had
a new leader,
General Antonio
Lopez de Santa
Anna.
The Tejanos
(Mexicans living in
TX) hated Santa
Anna and worked
with the American
settlers toward
independence.
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

42. In 1832, Texans clashed with Mexican troops in Gonzales
and defeated them. Two months later, Texans took San
Antonio. Santa Anna was angered and sent in his troops to
retake the city. Most of the Texans had scattered, but the
remaining 200 retreated to the Alamo.

43. On March 2, 1836, Texans met at
Washington-on-the-Brazos and declared their
independence and established the Republic of Texas.

44. On April 21, 1836, Sam Houston organized his troops
to attack Santa Anna who was with his troops in
San Jacinto.
The Battle lasted 18 minutes with 630 Mexicans killed
and 700 captured.

45. Santa Anna was forced to sign a treaty
granting Texas its independence.
Republic of Texas Flag 1836-1845

46. The Republic of
Texas still had
problems:
1. Mexico did
not accept
Santa Anna’s
treaty
2. Texas was
nearly
bankrupt
Most Texans wanted
the US to annex (add
on) Texas to the
Union
Reenactment of a
“Texas Annexation Rally”

47. Most US southerners
wanted Texas to be
annexed, but most
northerners did NOT
want to add another
pro-slavery state to
the Union.
President Andrew
Jackson wanted to
avoid war with
Mexico so he decided
not to annex Texas.

48. Polk easily gained Oregon for the nation by
peacefully negotiating with the British
(Treaty of Oregon in 1846 ). Border was set at 49º.
Unfortunately, gaining Texas was more difficult.
It would require war!

49. Sam Houston, President
of Texas, signed a treaty
of annexation with the
US.
The Congress feared
war with Mexico and
refused to ratify it.
Houston tricked the
Congress into believing
that Texas was allied
with Britain. It worked
and in 1845, Texas was
admitted into the Union
over the objection of
Mexico. Sam Houston

50. Mexico never accepted
the independence of Texas
and were furious about
the US annexation. Santa
Anna suggested that
annexation was,
“equivalent to a
declaration of war against
the Mexican Republic.”
President Polk offered
Mexico $30 million for
California and NM, but
Mexico refused to lose
anymore land.

51. President Polk ordered
General Zachary Taylor
to cross the Nueces River
(into disputed territory)
and set up posts along the
Rio Grande
Polk hoped the Mexicans
would attack, sparking a
war
The Mexican army did
attack in April of 1846
Resulting in both US and
Mexican fatalitiesGeneral Zachary Taylor

52. Since the US
claimed the land (as
did Mexico),
President Polk
claimed that
Mexico had “shed
American blood on
American soil.”
He urged Congress
to declare war, but
the North opposed
it because it saw it
as a plot to increase
the number of slave
states in the nation.

53. Ultimately, a declaration of war was approved
and many Americans heeded the call to join
the military. The Mexican War had begun!

54. General Zachary Taylor continued his assault
into northern Mexico and won several victories.
In 1847, he defeated Santa Anna’s 14,000
soldiers with only 5,000 American troops in the
Battle of Buena Vista, but was unable to capture
the leader as he retreated.

55. General Winfield
Scott landed 12,000
troops
3 miles southeast of
the Mexican port of
Vera Cruz
Scott’s men
surrounded the town
and after 12 days of
fighting, the
Mexicans
surrendered

56. A third army
led by Gen.
Stephen
Kearny
captured Santa
Fe, New Mexico
and then
darted west
and secured
Southern
California. General Stephen Kearny

57. On September 13, 1847,
the United States Marines
and soldiers attacked the
Castle at Chapultepec
(Halls of Montezuma)
During the siege of the
castle, which served as a
Mexican military academy,
young Mexican soldiers
and cadets fought to the
death, while the marines
and soldiers lost 90% of its
officers and Non-
Commissioned Officers

58. Ultimately the fortress was taken, but it
has gone down in history as the
“Mexican’s Alamo”.

59. Americans in California,
led by John C. Fremont,
had begun fighting the
Mexicans before the US
troops arrived.
On June 6, 1846, they
defeated the Mexicans and
declared California a
Republic, but Fremont soon
joined forces with the
US Army.
John C. Fremont

60. In 1848, the Mexicans
surrendered and
signed the Treaty of
Guadalupe-Hidalgo
under which they
ceded all of
California and New
Mexico to the US for
$15 million.
The lands became
known as the
Mexican Cession.

61. A Congressman from
Pennsylvania named David Wilmot
called on Congress to outlaw
slavery in any of the land taken
from Mexico. This became known
as the
Wilmot Proviso.
Southerners were outraged and argued that the
government had no right to ban slavery in any
territory. Although the Wilmot Proviso passed in
the House, it failed in the Senate.
David Wilmot
Wilmot Proviso.

62. In 1853, 5 years after the Mexican War, the US purchased parts
of present day southern Arizona and New Mexico for $10
million. This was known as the Gadsden Purchase.
Manifest Destiny was complete!