John Gast, American Progress (Manifest Destiny) (1872)

Manifest Destiny

• EQ: How Justifiable was US expansion in the 1800s?

• Manifest Destiny means obvious fate• John O’Sullivan wrote that the US’ “manifest destiny to overspread

and possess the whole continent”.– The US he said had the divine right to settle this area

• Although Britain had lands and Mexico’s claims, he believed it was the duty of the US to extend the blessings of democracy to new lands and people’s. – By 1848 the United States great experiment had become reality the US

tripled in size in a little more than a single lifetime• Manifest destiny took many forms: treaties, settlement, and war

The Louisiana Purchase

• 1st opportunity for expansion during the early 19th century involved territory west of the Mississippi River known as Louisiana

• By 1802 the U.S wanted the port city New Orleans

• Famers were settling lands west of the Appalachian Mtns. To get their crops on the market they floated them down Mississippi river to New Orleans then loaded boats with their crops Farmers depended on being able to move their crops freely

Louisiana• The region stretched from Canada

south to Texas• From the Mississippi it stretched

to the Rocky Mtns.• 1st claimed by France, given to

Spain after the French and Indian War

• 1800 Napoleon convinced Spain to give it back to France

• Wanted to settle the land with French Farmers-raise food for slaves in the Caribbean

• These plans alarmed settlers who feared the port would be closed off to American goods!

A Noble Bargain • President Jefferson understood the concerns of the

farmers

• 1803-sent James Monroe to France with an offer to buy New Orleans for $7.5 million

• By the time Monroe reached France, Napoleons plan changed Toussaint L’Ouverture led a slave revolt in the Caribbean. Slaves defeated French (Haiti)

• Napoleon no longer needed Louisiana-needed $ to expand territory in Europe and feared loosing it to Britain.

A Noble Bargain (cont’d)• Napoleon offered to sell ALL of Louisiana!• April 1803-Monroe signed a treaty giving Louisiana

to the US for $15 million• Greatest deal in history?– Doubled the size of the US for 2-3 cents an acre– Not everyone approved!!• Hard to govern, Politicians in the East feared they would loose

power, too expensive to purchase, no provisions in the Constitution for purchasing foreign territory!

– 1803-Senate voted to ratify the Louisiana Purchase!

Lewis and Clark

Expedition

January 18, 1803Jefferson asked Congress

to approve $2500 for the expedition.

#2 May 14, 1804

• 48 men left• St. Louis Missouri

#3 August 20, 1804

• Sergeant Floyd dies• Only member

of Corps to die• caused by the

inflammation or rupture of his appendix

#4 September 1804

• Met with Teton division of the Sioux• Jefferson warned explorers to make friendly

impression– It was tense because Sioux saw the boat full of

weapons/goods heading upstream to arm the armies and competitors.

#5 Winter 1804-1805

• Spent winter with Mandan Tribe• Hired Sacagawea’s husband-French-Canadian fur trader

who was an interpreter between his wife and the Corps

#20 Search for Shoshones Why is it important?

#6 August 17, 1805

• Sacagawea meets her brother at Shoshone Tribe-able to speak Shoshone and trade for horses

#7 November 1805 – March 1806

• Ocean in view• December 3, 1805 expedition reaches the Pacific

#8September 23, 1806• Expedition arrives home in St. Louis

Discoveries

• What they found: some 300 species unknown to science, nearly 50 Indian tribes, and the Rockies.

• On the morning of September 23, the Corps of Discovery entered the Mississippi River and at noon disembarked at St. Louis—two years, four months, and ten days after they had left. Gathered along the shore, the one thousand people of St. Louis greeted the returned Corps with gunfire salutes and an enthusiastic welcome.