Ch. 13: Manifest Destiny

Bell Work…In partners, discuss the following questions:

What factors were pulling or pushing Americans to go West during the mid-1800s?

What challenges would settlers have faced while traveling West and then while building new settlements?

What groups already lived in the West where Americans were going?

Your Task…

Read the article, Manifest Destiny.

“Go west, young man, and grow up with the country.”

Horace Greeley is attributed in an editorial in the newspaper the New York Tribune in 1851 with the above quote. Discuss with a partner:

What might be out west? Are only young men moving west? What does he mean by ‘grow up with the country?’ If you were alive during the mid-1800s, would you take Greeley’s advice? Explain.

American Progress by John Gast

Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way by Emanuel Leutze

1. How do the two pictures illustrate Manifest Destiny? Are they similar or different?

2. How does the “Westward the Course…” picture illustrate the artist’s idea of Manifest Destiny?

3. How does the artist of “American Progress” make westward expansion seem strongly appealing to viewers of the painting?

4. How does the “American Progress” picture illustrate the artist’s idea of Manifest Destiny?

5. How does the artist of “Westward the Course…” make westward expansion seem strongly appealing to viewers of the painting?

Manifest Destiny- idea that the United States was meant to extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean

Bell Work…

Copy and answer the following question into your notebook:

What is Manifest Destiny?

Mountain Men

1. Mountain Men- men hired by eastern companies to trap animals for fur in the Rocky Mountains and other western regions of the United States

2. First to explore the west

3. Adopted Native culture

4. Trapped animals during spring and summer *Beaver pelts

5. Rendezvous- a meeting where trappers would trade furs for supplies

Trails to the West

1. People traveled west for resources, land, and a mild climate

2. Oregon Trail- 2,000 mile route from Independence, Missouri to Oregon

3. 50,000 people reached Oregon between 1840-60

4. Santa Fe Trail- from Independence, MO to Santa Fe, NM; used mainly as a trade route

5. Settlers faced shortages of food, supplies, and water, rough weather and geographic barriers

Your Task…

Follow along as we go through the Oregon Trail Doodle Notes. Glue them into your notebooks.

Mormons Move West

1. Mormons- Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

2. Led by Joseph Smith

3. Forced to move from: NY, OH, MO, IL

4. Persecuted- harassed constantly

5. Built Nauvoo, Illinois which was raided by a mob; Smith was killed

6. Brigham Young- led 15,000 people to the Great Salt Lake Valley (Utah)

Your Assignment… You will be creating a poster of one object that pioneers used

along the Oregon Trail.

Today, you will pick ONE object and research its relevance on the pioneer trail. You will write two paragraphs (5-7 sentences each) about your object. *You will be typing this. Your sentences must include: what your item is, what it was used

for, who used it, where you could buy it, and whether or not this item had to be replaced often.

You will draw the item on a piece of cardstock/cardboard to make it ‘stand out’ from your background. The background of your poster must be appropriate for where your item would be found. You will write the name of your item at the top of your poster, and your two paragraphs will be glued to the poster, as well.

Bell Work…

Copy and answer the following question into your notebook:

What were the reasons people went West? What challenges did settlers of the West face?

Conflict with Mexico1. Mexico became independent from Spain in 1821

2. Empresarios- agents who were contracted by the Mexican republic to bring settlers to Texas in the early 1800s

3. Stephen Austin- led American settlers to Texas

4. 20,000 Americans had moved to Texas by 1830

5. Mexico passed unpopular laws: stopped further settlement, banned slavery, and required citizens to worship in the Catholic Church

6. Santa Anna- became military dictator and threw out the Mexican Constitution

Texas Independence1. On March 2, 1836, Texans declared their independence from

Mexico

2. Sam Houston- led the Texas Army

3. The Alamo- Spanish mission in San Antonio, TX, that was the site of a famous battle of the Texas Revolution in 1836

4. Battle of San Jacinto- final battle of the Texas Revolution; resulted in the defeat of the Mexican army and independence for Texas

4. New nation elected Houston as president

5. Texans hoped to become part of the US

6. Presidents Jackson and Van Buren would not sign annex TX

Your Task…

Read the article, Texas and the Mexican War. Complete the questions on the back.

Your Assignment…

Complete the Domino Effect centered around the topic of Texas Independence.

Bell Work…

Copy and answer the following question into your notebook:

What were the important battles in the War for Texas Independence? Why was each important?

Election of 1844

1. US expansion was at the heart of the election

2. Candidates included: Polk (D) who supported expansion and Clay (W) who opposed expansion

3. Polk won the election and became the 11th President

4. Signed treaty with Britain dividing the Oregon Territory

5. US annexed Texas

Vaqueros- Mexican cowboys in the West who tended cattle and horses

Californios- Spanish colonists in California in the 1800s

Mexican-American War1. General Taylor sent to the Rio Grande to set up military

posts

2. Mexican soldiers crossed the Rio Grande, resulting in a brief battle; Polk then declares war

3. Bear Flag Revolt- revolt against Mexico by American settlers in CA who declared the territory an independent republic

4. Battle of Buena Vista- Americans gained control of northern Mexico

5. Battle of Chapultepec- Mexican cadets defended their position until death

6. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo- ended the Mexican-American War and gave the US much of Mexico’s northern territory

Mexican Cession- area that Mexico ceded to the US in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; included California and New Mexico Territory

Gadsden Purchase- US purchase of land from Mexico that included the southern parts of present day Arizona and New Mexico

Your Assignment…

Recall the article, Manifest Destiny.

Complete the Manifest Destiny Activity Sheets.

Bell Work…

Copy and answer the following question into your notebook:

What treaty resolved the Mexican-American War? What did each side gain under the treaty?

Gold in California

1. Gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill

2. Forty-Niners- people from all over the world that traveled to California in search of gold

3. Prospect- to search for gold

4. Few “struck it rich” but stayed in CA

5. Those who provided services became wealthy

6. Vigilantes- people who dealt out punishment with no legal power

Western Movement in the United States

Causes

Americans believe in the idea of manifest destiny

The United States acquires vast new lands in the West

Pathfinders open trails to new territories

Gold is discovered in California

Effects

Native Americans are forced off lands

Americans travel west to settle new areas

The United States stretches to the Pacific Ocean

California experiences a population boom

Your Assignment…

Finish working on your Oregon Trail Poster.