Saddle Up Western Expansion

1
Saddle Up!Western Expansion

• RACC US History

2
Complicated World of the West

• Western Myths and Realities
• Many thought west was a wasteland, inhospitable
• Indians had lived in the West for 1,000s of
  years
• Spanish, French, Russian, Europeans made the
  Indians world more complex

3
Moving Westward

• Main reason to move was economic improvement
• People left the east because of a shortage of
  land caused by family land divisions

4
Moving Westward

• People moved west in groups
• Small groups went to Texas purchased land from
  impresarios like Stephen Austin, or Moses Austin
• Groups left to follow missionaries
• Brigham Young took the Mormons from Illinois to
  Utah
• Most pioneers lacked cash

5
Mormon Community

• The Mormon Church parceled out land according to
  need
• Mormons did all they could to exclude non-Mormons
  from Utah
• They did cultivate good relations with the
  Indians

6
Triumph of Manifest Destiny

• Manifest Destiny It was Gods will that
  Americans control the West
• This contributed to western expansion
• Politicians followed the missionaries who called
  for this expansion
• Territorial expansion led to conflict with
  Britain over borders in the Northeast and in the
  Northwest

7
Conflict with England

• The two parties agreed to joint occupation of
  Oregon after the War of 1812 and extending the
  agreement to 1827

8
Revolution in Texas

• After winning independence, Mexico owned the
  regions in the American Southwest that were
  formerly part of the Spanish Empire
• Tension between American settlers in Texas and
  Mexican government came to a head in early 1830s
• Stephen Austin arrested after negotiating with
  the Mexican government

9
Revolution in Texas

• Austin led a revolt after regaining his freedom
• The American settlers declared independence
• Americans were defeated at the Alamo
• Americans defeated Santa Anna and withdrew to
  south of the Rio Grande River

10
Expansion and Election of 1844

• Whigs candidate (Clay) opposed immediate
  annexation of Texas
• Positions of annexation led the Democrats to
  nominate Polk rather than Van Buren who was
  president
• Democrats wanted immediate annexation of Texas
  and Oregon Territory
• After agreement with Britain we claimed land to
  the 49th parallel

11
Election of 1848

• The two major parties tried to avoid the issue of
  slavery
• Free Soil Party insisted that slavery must be
  excluded from the territories
• Surge in people moving to California led to the
  split over slavery
• Thousands rushed to California for gold in 1848

12
Conclusion

• Overall, why did people decide to move westward?
• How did westward movement lead to a division in
  the nation?