1. Manifest Destiny
Belief that God wanted the US to
have all the land to the shore of the
Pacific

2. Reasons for going west:
1. Great optimism in the US

3. 2. New land was cheap

4. 3. Desire for wealth

5. 4. Search for adventure and a new start

6. 5. Desire to spread the gospel

7. TEXAS

8. • Texas was owned by
Mexico
• Stephen F Austin
tried to work it out
with Mexico

9. • Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was president of
Mexico

10. • Mexico sent forces to Texas
• Sam Houston was commander of the army for
Texas

11. The Alamo
• William Travis was commander of Alamo

13. • Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie were volunteers

15. • 183 men
• 4000 Mexicans
attacked
• Only survivor was
Susannah
Dickinson, her
daughter and one
slave

18. San Jacinto
• Lasted only 20 minutes
• Texans either killed or captured the entire
Mexican army
• Houston kept Santa Anna alive to get Texas to
be independent

20. Lone Star State
• Sam Houston was president
• Tried to get into the US, but Mexico
threatened war if the US allowed us in
• Were their own country for 9 years
• Admitted as slave state to Oregon’s free state

21. CALIFORNIA
• Owned by Mexico
• California Gold Rush
is started by the
discovery by John
Sutter

24. • 80,000 men came to California in 1849
• US tried to buy land from Mexico, but they
refused.

26. MEXICAN WAR
• Originally fighting over southern border of
Texas
• Later fighting over New Mexico and California

27. Zachary Taylor was commander of the
Americans

28. • Zachary Taylor was commander of the
Americans

29. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• Ended the Mexican War
• Rio Grande became southern border of the US
• Mexico gave up California, Nevada, Utah and
parts of other states
• US paid Mexico $20 million

30. Zachary Taylor was commander of the
Americans

31. Gadsden Purchase

32. • $10 million
• James Gadsden arranges it for the US
• Narrow strip of land on the border of New
Mexico and Arizona
• Thought it could be used for the railroad

34. Slavery Issue:
• Compromise of 1850
– California could be free state
– Popular sovereignty was used in Utah and New
Mexico
– Strict fugitive slave law was passed

35. • President Taylor vetoed the bill
• He died and his vice-president, Millard
Fillmore passed it.