What do you see?

MANIFEST DESTINY, THE OREGON

TRAIL, AND THE MEXICAN

AMERICAN WAR

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was the belief

that it was the destiny of the U.S.

to expand its territory over the

whole of North America – all land

between the Atlantic and Pacific

Oceans

Westward Ho!

Many Americans traveled through the Great

Plains to the land between the Rocky

Mountains and Pacific Ocean

Why?

Good farmland

Opportunity to start new

“Make something of yourself”

Oregon Country

Present Northwest corner of the US and

part of Canada

Fertile soil, plentiful rainfall, mild

temperatures

Attracted farmers and trappers

US, Britain, Spain and Russia all claimed

Oregon

Oregon Trail

2,000 miles long

50,000 people traveled from 1840-1860

Inspired by reports about fertile land

Travelers met in Independence, Missouri

every May, and hoped to arrive in the

Oregon territory by October

Dangerous journey – weather, disease,

geographic challenges

The Oregon Trail Clip

https://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=CHps2SecuDk

Conflict with Mexico

Mexico became independent in 1821. The

Spanish governor of Texas gave some land to

American settlers if they promised to:

Become Mexican citizens

Obey Mexican laws

Become Catholics

Thousands of Americans flooded into Texas

Many did not feel any loyalty to Mexico, and

refused to follow their laws.

Mexican troops were sent to enforce laws.

US Territory Before Mexican

American War

Mexico’s New Leader

Texans did not like Santa Anna,

Mexico’s new leader

Military dictator

The Republic of Texas

Texans revolted against the Mexican

government, and in 1836, Texans

declared their independence from

Mexico and created the Republic of

Texas.

Santa Anna, the president of Mexico

responded with force. His troops laid

siege to the Alamo, a mission in San

Antonio.

The Alamo

Defenders of the Alamo held out for

12 days under heavy cannon fire.

All of the defenders were killed in

battle or executed afterward.

Texas Wins its Independence

Sam Houston led a small army in a

surprise attack against Santa Anna’s

army the following April. Texans

shouted “Remember the Alamo!”

Within 18 minutes, the Texans had

captured Santa Anna.

They forced him to sign a treaty

recognizing Texan independence.

Texas Becomes a State

Sam Houston became president of the

new Republic of Texas, and he hoped

the U.S. would annex Texas.

Southerners supported annexation of

Texas as a slave state.

Northerners opposed this, but still

hoped for western expansion.

Texas Becomes a State

For years after Texas won its

independence, the annexation of

Texas remained an unsettled question.

It became a major issue in the

presidential election of 1844.

James Polk beat Henry Clay in the

election, and shortly before he took

office, Texas was admitted as a state.

Tensions Rise

The annexation of Texas increased

tensions with Mexico – Mexico had

never formally recognized Texan

independence.

The Mexican American War

President Polk knew that the

Mexican government needed cash,

so he offered money to settle the

border dispute between Mexico

and Texas. Polk also offered to

buy California and New Mexico.

Mexico refused the offers.

The Mexican American War

Polk hoped to provoke a Mexican attack on U.S.

troops, and sent General Zachary Taylor and his

troops to disputed land.

Mexico saw this as an act of war and ambushed

an American patrol.

Polk asked Congress for a declaration of war. He

claimed that Mexico had forced this war by

shedding “American blood upon American soil.”

The war began in 1846.

The Mexican American War

Polk sent General Taylor with 3,500

troops who defeated Mexico at Palo

Alto.

Gen. Scott then led troops to take

Mexico City.

With Mexico’s capital in U.S. hands,

the United States had won the war.

The Mexican American War Ends

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the

Mexican American War in 1848.

US got more than 500,000 sq. miles of

territory (CA, NV, UT, AZ, NM, WY, and

CO)

Mexico dropped claims on Texas land at

Rio Grande River.

President Polk paid Mexico $18 million for

the land

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/ushistory/me

xicanamericanwar/

Manifest Destiny is Achieved

In the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, the

U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for a

narrow strip of present-day Arizona

and New Mexico.

Manifest Destiny had been achieved.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

gn2FzuPyFlY