Westward Expansion

1. Manifest Destiny

2. List the reasons
FOR & AGAINST
Westward Expansion
“It is America’s right to
stretch from sea to Manifest Destiny
shining sea. Not only do More blood on the hands of Christ
They call themselves Christians
we have a responsibility And gave themselves the rights
to our citizens to gain Disguised as missionaries
valuable natural They were really after gold
resources we also have a Many Indians died for that
responsibility to civilize How many never told – DRI lyrics
this beautiful land.”

3. Definition
• idea known as "Manifest Destiny" swept
America during the 19th century
• promoted the belief that the US had a
divine mission (God given destiny) to
spread from the Atlantic coast to the
Pacific coast, opening the continent to
American Settlement
www.nps.org

5. Background
• Mexico owned Texas
• Location: SW from Louisiana to the Rio
Grande & W to the foothills of the Rocky
Mts.
• When Mexico broke from Spain 1821 –
sought migrants to develop Texas
provided they become Catholic & follow
Mexican law
– Result: failed to become Catholic and American
settlers outnumbered Mexicans 10:1

6. Lone Star Republic
Timeline
• 1835
– Gonzales = the “Lexington of Texas”
• 1836
– Battle of the Alamo (Spanish
missionary to convert “Indians”):
3000 Mexicans kill 200 Texans; 13 day
siege
– San Jacinto = “the Yorktown of
Texas”

7. 1836: Texas Independence

8. d at f irst…
Stat ehoo
Denied
Northern opposition to adding more
slave territory
Feared admission of Texas as state would
lead to WAR with Mexico
But…principle of Manifest Destiny won out…
Texas becomes a state in 1845 & …
MEXICO THREATENS WAR!

9. Mexican/US Dispute
• Southern boundary: Mexico claimed it was the
Nueces River; US claimed it was the Rio Grande
• 1846:
– Mexican soldiers crossed the Rio Grande &
attacked a small US cavalry
– Congress declares WAR
– Lincoln challenged President Polk’s
statement that American blood had been
spilled on American soil – Lincoln invited
him to point out the spot!

10. Nueces River

11. Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo
• Terms
– US gains full right to Texas with Rio Grande
boundary line
– Gained CA (US paid $5 million) & NM
territory (present day AZ, UT, NV, CO)
– Gadsden Purchase (1853) US acquired
southern portion of NM for $10 – completed
US expansion across the continent

13. 1846: “54,40 or
fight” = willing
to fight Britain
for Oregon; we
compromised
(49 degrees
latitude)

14. Show They Might Be Giants Video