Manifest Destiny

Map of United States Circa 1830

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American Progress – Manifest Destiny

If the painting is about Manifest Destiny – What is Manifest Destiny?

American ProgressThis painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress, is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. Here Columbia, intended as a personification of the United States, leads civilization westward with American settlers, stringing telegraph wire as she travels; she holds a school book. The different economic activities of the pioneers are highlighted and, especially, the changing forms of transportation. The Native Americans and wild animals flee.

MANIFEST DESTINY• First used by John

O’Sullivan, a newspaper editor, in 1845

• It was the idea that Americans were destined to extend across the continent – from sea to shining sea

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Understanding Manifest Destiny

"(It is) ..our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty"

-John O'Sullivan

Democrat

Editor of 'The Morning Post‘ – 1840’s

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Manifest Destiny in 1840s America

Once the concept had been given the name 'Manifest Destiny' it became widely used, appearing in newspapers, debates, paintings and advertisements. It became the leading light for westward expansion

So…how has So…how has our nation our nation

grown?grown?8

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U.S. Territorial Expansion

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Step 1 – Original 13

States

Location• Along Atlantic Coast

Acquired In• 1776

Acquired From• Great Britain

Acquired Because• Independence was

declared from Great Britain (D of I)

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Step 2 – Treaty of Paris 1783

Location• East of the Mississippi

River (Ohio River Valley)

Acquired In• 1783Acquired From• Great BritainAcquired Because• Treaty of Paris 1783

ended the Revolution and gave U.S. control of land west of the Appalachian Mountains

U.S. Territorial Expansion

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Step 3 – Louisiana

Purchase 1803

Location

• East of the Rocky Mountains and West of the Mississippi River

Acquired In• 1803

Acquired From

• France

Acquired Because• President Jefferson paid

Napoleon $15 million for the land

U.S. Territorial Expansion

• Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million

• Control of New Orleans = Control of Mississippi River

• It DOUBLED the size of the U.S.

• Explored by Lewis & Clark with Sacajawea

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Step 4 – British Cession 1818

Location

• Northern U.S.; bordered by Great Lakes and Canada

Acquired In• 1818

Acquired From• Great Britain

Acquired Because• Establish a firm border

between British Canada & U.S. at 49th parallel

U.S. Territorial Expansion

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Step 5 – Spanish Cession 1819

Location

• SE U.S.; bordered by Atlantic Ocean & Gulf of Mexico

Acquired In• 1819

Acquired From• Spain

Acquired Because• The Adams-Onis Treaty

avoided a war with Spain/crisis with Seminole Indians

U.S. Territorial Expansion

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Thinking Question??

Why weren’t Americans happy with the size of their country at this point in their history?

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Step 6 – Texas 1845

Location

• Southern U.S.; bordered by Gulf of Mexico

Acquired In• 1845

Acquired From• Texas

Acquired Because• Texas wanted to enter

as a slave state; Maine wanted to enter as a free state

U.S. Territorial Expansion

Step 2 – Treaty of Paris 1783Step 2 – Treaty of Paris 1783

Texas Declaration of Texas Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

March 6, 1836 March 6, 1836

The Lone Star RepublicThe Lone Star Republic•Texas wins independence onTexas wins independence on

April 21, 1836April 21, 1836•Not allowed to immediately join Not allowed to immediately join

the U.S. (the U.S. (was a slave statewas a slave state))•Was the Lone Star Republic for Was the Lone Star Republic for 9 9

yearsyears• Joined the U.S. as the 28Joined the U.S. as the 28thth state state

in in 18451845

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Step 7 – Oregon Country 1846

Location

• NW U.S.; bordered by Pacific Ocean

Acquired In• 1846

Acquired From• Great Britain

Acquired Because• Americans wanted to

move there for fur trapping, fishing, logging, etc.

U.S. Territorial Expansion

Oregon CountryOregon Country• EnglandEngland and the and the U.S.U.S.

shared the entire territoryshared the entire territory• ““Mountain Men” lived Mountain Men” lived

therethere• They hunted and sold They hunted and sold

beaver pelts and animal beaver pelts and animal skins for lots of $$$skins for lots of $$$

• Eventually there were no Eventually there were no beavers left and the beavers left and the mountain men became mountain men became farmers or guidesfarmers or guides

Why did the U.S. want Why did the U.S. want Oregon?Oregon?

•Settlers began to head there in Settlers began to head there in the the 1830s1830s

•Fertile landFertile land•New opportunitiesNew opportunities

The Oregon TrailThe Oregon Trail• Oregon Oregon feverfever began in began in

the 1840sthe 1840s• Mississippi valley Mississippi valley

people began to form people began to form societies to societies to discussdiscuss trips to Oregontrips to Oregon

• Great Migration Great Migration – – emigrants left U.S. to emigrants left U.S. to go to Oregon, usually in go to Oregon, usually in covered wagon trainscovered wagon trains

Trails WestwardTrails Westward

The Oregon TrailThe Oregon Trail – Albert – Albert Bierstadt, 1869Bierstadt, 1869

Pioneers Heading West to Pioneers Heading West to OregonOregon

Oregon Population GrowthOregon Population Growth• 1840 – only 1840 – only 500500 AmericansAmericans• 1845 – 1845 – 5,0005,000 Americans (but only 700 Americans (but only 700

British)British)• Americans thought the U.S. should own all Americans thought the U.S. should own all

of Oregon because it had more people of Oregon because it had more people living thereliving there

• ““Fifty-four, Fifty-four, fortyforty, or fight!” became the , or fight!” became the war crywar cry

• Compromise – placed boundary between Compromise – placed boundary between U.S. and British territory at the U.S. and British territory at the 4949thth parallel parallel

Oregon CountryOregon Country• What We WantedWhat We Wanted • What We GotWhat We Got

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Step 8 – Mexican Cession 1848

Location

• Southwest U.S.

Acquired In• 1848

Acquired From• Mexico

Acquired Because• Treaty of Guadalupe-

Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War, which Mexico lost

U.S. Territorial Expansion

Causes of the Mexican War

Manifest Destiny Texas Annexation by the United

States Boundary dispute between Mexico

and the U.S. over the boundary of Texas

Nueces River boundaryRio Grande boundary

The Mexican War (1846-The Mexican War (1846-1848)1848)

Support of the War For many Americans the war led to

greater national pride Many people who supported the war

believed it would spread republican values

Many southerners supported the war, thinking any territory won would be organized into slave states

Opposition to the War Many members of the Whig Party

thought the conflict was unjustified Northern abolitionists feared any

territory gained in the war might be organized into slave states

Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln wrote the “Spot Resolutions” in 1848– asking Polk to show the spot where American blood had been shed on American soil

Treaty of Treaty of Guadalupe-HidalgoGuadalupe-Hidalgo 18481848•Mexico Mexico losesloses – gives up HUGE territory– gives up HUGE territory

Nicholas Trist,American Negotiator

Treaty ProvisionsTreaty Provisions•Mexico gave up claims to Texas and

accepted Rio Grande as US/Mexico border

•Mexico gave the U.S. California and New Mexico Territory – this meant we gained all the area we know today as Utah, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico andand Arizona!Arizona!

•U.S. agreed to pay $15 million to Mexico and pay debts of Mexico to U.S. citizens

Effects of Mexican-American Effects of Mexican-American WarWar

•U.S. gains control of greater southwest

•Opens southwest up to settlement

•Allows for greater debate over the expansion of slavery (would it be allowed in the new territory?)

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Step 9 – Gadsden Purchase 1853

Location

• Along SW border between U.S. and Mexico

Acquired In• 1853

Acquired From• Mexico

Acquired Because• U.S. needed it to build a

transcontinental railroad to California

U.S. Territorial Expansion

Westward Expansion Complete!!!

British Cession

Spanish Cession

17762 1

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Treaty of Paris

How did it start?How did it start?•James Marshall was building a James Marshall was building a

sawmillsawmill for for John SutterJohn Sutter•Saw something shinySaw something shiny•Small shiny thingsSmall shiny things•GOLDGOLD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!•Tried to keep the secret Tried to keep the secret (like (like

that’s gonna happen!)that’s gonna happen!)

Gold at Sutter’s Mill, 1848Gold at Sutter’s Mill, 1848

John A. SutterJohn A. Sutter

’’49ers49ers•Gold seekers began arriving Gold seekers began arriving

in California in in California in 18491849•Wanted to get Wanted to get richrich quick quick •They were farmers, lawyers, They were farmers, lawyers,

priests, doctors, etc.priests, doctors, etc.•Americans were Americans were 80%80% of of

49ers49ers•People came from all over People came from all over

the world!the world!

California Gold Rush, California Gold Rush, 18491849

California Gold Rush, California Gold Rush, 18491849

•BoomtownsBoomtowns – gold communities – gold communities•California Gold Rush California Gold Rush doubleddoubled

world’s supply of goldworld’s supply of gold•But – few miners ever got rich!!!But – few miners ever got rich!!!•Merchants made Merchants made hugehuge profits – profits –

eggs $10/dozeneggs $10/dozen•Levi Strauss started his business Levi Strauss started his business

of making of making blue jeansblue jeans!!

California becomes a California becomes a statestate

• Applied for statehood in Applied for statehood in 18501850• Easily had Easily had 60,00060,000 to qualify to qualify

(remember the Northwest (remember the Northwest Ordinance!)Ordinance!)

Mormon MigrationMormon Migration• Brigham Young – founder of Church Brigham Young – founder of Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormons)(aka Mormons)

• 18441844 – left Illinois – left Illinois• Move near Great Salt Lake – Move near Great Salt Lake – 18461846• Migration Migration westwest began began• 12,000 Mormons start journey12,000 Mormons start journey• Largest single migration in American Largest single migration in American

historyhistory

Brigham YoungBrigham Young

Mormon RouteMormon Route

Moving West…Moving West…

Mormon SettlementMormon Settlement•Planned towns carefully in desertPlanned towns carefully in desert•Built irrigation canalsBuilt irrigation canals•Farming & industryFarming & industry•Learned salt extraction (Great Learned salt extraction (Great

Salt Lake)Salt Lake)•Sold supplies to 49ersSold supplies to 49ers

Overland Migration to the Overland Migration to the WestWest

•Between Between 1840 and 1840 and 1860, 1860, more than more than 250,000250,000 people people made the made the trek trek westwardwestward