Student Study Guide – Unit 7: Westward Expansion, 1783 – 1849
MAJOR ERAS AND EVENTS IN THIS UNIT

Manifest Destiny
o From Sea to Shining Sea: The Era of Westward Expansion in the USA
o The Acquisition of Oregon
o The Annexation of Texas
o The War With Mexico
o The California Gold Rush
SIGNIFICANCE OF DATES IN UNITED STATES HISTORY
1803 – President Thomas Jefferson makes the Louisiana Purchase
GEOGRAPHIC EXPANSION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787
o
This legal policy created by the Confederation Congress in 1787 (before the Constitution was written)
introduced an orderly procedure for the expansion of the United States – a sustainable means for
establishing territories and applying for statehood
o
As a territory grew in population, it gained rights to self-government
o
To become a state, the following requirements had to be met:

At least 5,000 men who owned at least 50 acres

A population of at least 60,000 people

An established pattern of self-government
THE CONCEPTS BEHIND MANIFEST DESTINY

The Concepts of Manifest Destiny
o
Expansion – the act of taking political control of additional territory
o
Territory – a geographic area belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a governmental authority or
sovereign nation.
o
Migration – movement by humans from one place to another, sometimes over long distances or in large
groups
o
Conflict – takes place when a disagreement arises over the possession or control of land between two or
more groups of people
o
Annexation – the permanent acquisition and incorporation of some territory into another sovereign
nation or country
POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL ROOTS OF MANIFEST DESTINY

Economic Roots
o


Future Prosperity – The desire for new land for farmers, new trade routes and markets (The Oregon
Trail and Santa Fe Trail) for businessmen (as well as new opportunities to start a business), and the
potential discovery of vast amounts of natural resources and great riches found on the land itself (ex: the
California Gold Rush) motivated Americans to keep moving west
Political Roots
o
Expanding Democracy – Many Americans believed that they had a God-given mission to extend the
system of democracy and republicanism from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, and that it would
serve as an example to the rest of the world
o
National Security – The expansion of our nation’s borders and territory were seen as the primary way to
gain international respect and a powerful reputation, all of which would discourage threats from rival
European empires and powers, including that of Great Britain, whose influence still remained strong in
North America.
o
Free vs. Slave States – The expansion of slavery into the western territories and the creation of new
slave states continued to be a major political issue from the signing of the Constitution to the end of the
Civil War. People from both the North and South believed that as the USA grew, there would need to be
new “free states” created for every new “slave state” to keep the political balance and peace
Social Roots
o
The Pioneering Spirit – The perfect example of American individualism and the will to survive in rugged
and harsh climate and land. The idea was that Americans MAKE nature submit to their will – this was
considered to be very honorable and respectable, and became a standard that people from all over the
world would come to hear of as they decided to immigrate to the USA
o
Romanticizing the West – The Western Frontier was seen as an ideal state of nature and as a land of
adventure were people could make their wildest dreams come true with hard work and perseverance
o
“This Land is Our Land” – The desire to move west created a lot of strain on the delicate political
understanding between the USA and Native Americans. The Native Americans saw settlers from the
USA as invaders and the settlers saw the Natives as “standing in the way of progress.” Unfortunately,
most people in the USA were unable to imagine a future of living side by side with Native Americans, so
a policy of removal was pursued by the Federal Government

o
Sacagawea – Ironically, it was a young woman from the Shoshone tribe named Sacagawea that
helped make Meriwether Lewis’ and William Clark’s journey across the Louisiana Territory to
Oregon a success. If she had not helped Lewis and Clark by acting as an interpreter and guide
through the Rocky Mountains, the “Journey of Lewis and Clark” may have ended in death for the
group!
Freedom of Religion – The need for religious freedom continued to be a factor for some American
groups, as new factions of Christianity (such as the Mormons, who traveled to Utah along what would
later be called the Mormon Trail) arose and were persecuted for their differences in belief. Moving out
west provided possibilities to start their own communities free from persecution
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONCEPT OF MANIFEST DESTINY AND THE WESTWARD EXPANSION OF THE NATION

Origins of the Term “Manifest Destiny” – The term was originally attributed to John O’Sullivan, a journalist and
editor at the New York Morning News in NYC
o

The U.S. government and its citizens believed that the nation’s destiny or fate was to expand westward
from “sea to shining sea” (Expanding from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River was not good
enough – expansion west of the Mississippi River, all the way to the Pacific Ocean was the goal)
The Religions Roots of Manifest Destiny – Manifest Destiny was more than just progress to many Americans. It
was also considered to be a religious idea due to the intervention of “Providence” (a term essentially considered
to be a more eloquent word for God, or perhaps a politically-correct term for the “Will of the Lord” or “God’s
Will”). With the help of Providence, the United States of America would overtake the land from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF THE U.S.-MEXICAN WAR AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE UNITED STATES

The US-Mexican War was viewed as a “war of aggression” by many Americans.

The Causes of the War

o
The Annexation of Texas in 1845 – When Texas successfully rebelled and seceded from Mexico in 1836,
Mexican politicians swore that Texas would be made a colony again in the years to come. Mexico
believed that the Republic of Texas would not be able to survive on its own, and that they would
eventually be conquerable again. However, Texas approached the USA about joining the Union almost
immediately after its revolution, and the US decided to keep its distance due to the Mexican claim on
Texas and the Texans’ desire to be a slave state. By 1844, new president James K. Polk made it known
that he desired to bring Texas into the USA and in 1845, Texas was annexed into the USA. This move
infuriated Mexico, who had never given up their claim to Texas after the Texas Revolution of 1836
o
The Incident at the Rio Grande in 1845 – In early 1845, President James K. Polk sent James Slidell to
Mexico to attempt to purchase the Mexican territories of California and New Mexico for $30 million, but
Mexico was offended that the USA would not offer any additional compensation for the loss of Texas.
Meanwhile, President Polk sent troops under General Zachary Taylor to patrol the disputed region
between the Rio Grande and Nueces Rivers in South Texas. Reports of General Taylor’s occupation of
Mexican territory and Mexican troops entering the USA started a skirmish that Polk was able to use as a
“casus belli” (a reason to declare war)
The Effects & Impact of the War
o
Mexico’s Defeat - The war did not go well for Mexico, who was not prepared for the American invasion.
The war only lasted for about a year, as Mexico lost battle after battle to General Taylor and Mexico City
was captured by General Winfield Scott in 1847. Mexico would continue to fight, but to no avail, as it
became nearly impossible to for them to win the war. The US sent ambassadors to negotiate a ceasefire
and the end of the war, but Mexico refused to surrender
o
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) – By 1848, Mexico was ready to seriously negotiate for peace.
The ends the war with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which granted the United States
even more territory than they had sought to purchase: the Mexican territories of New Mexico, Arizona,
and California (an area encompassing seven present-day states, known today as the Mexican Cession),
the Rio Grande as the agreed upon border of the two nations, and official Mexican recognition of Texas
as part of the USA. Whether through guilt or a desire to ease tension, the US decided to pay Mexico $15
million dollars for the new territories and to compensate Mexico for Texas
o
The Gadsden Purchase (1853) – In the years to come, the United States would come to need additional
Mexican land to build a railroad through a southern section of the Rocky Mountains. The USA paid
Mexico $10 million for a small, arid strip of desert that came to be known as the Gadsden Purchase. The
$10 million was also meant to give additional compensation to Mexico for the annexation of Texas in
1845 (Ideally, the purchase would mean the US gains a warmer, southern route through the Rocky
Mountains AND an improvement of Mexican-American relations at the same time)
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS THAT WERE ACQUIRED TO FORM THE UNITED STATES

Lands Added to the USA Through Manifest Destiny
o Territory West of the Appalachian Mountains Through the Treaty of Paris of 1783
o The Louisiana Territory - 1803
o Texas - 1845
o The Oregon Territory - 1846
o The Mexican Cession (New Mexico, Arizona, California) - 1848
o The Gadsden Purchase - 1853
o The Alaska Purchase – 1867 (This purchase of Russian territory by Secretary of State William H. Seward
for $7.2 million was also known as Seward’s Folly, because Alaska was seen as worthless territory in the
years before vast amounts of both gold and oil were discovered in the region)
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POPULATION DISTRIBUTION, SETTLEMENT
PATTERNS, AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

How Manifest Destiny Changed the Landscape of America
o
The Discovery of Gold in California (The California Gold Rush) – The rush of settlers to California after
gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California drove many Americans and world travelers to seek their
own fortunes. As a result, many Native Americans were pushed off their lands, and the population of
California would quickly rise to the amount required for statehood.
o
Western Gateway to America – California’s proximity to Pacific Ocean led to an increase of immigration
from Asian nations, particularly the Chinese, who came by the thousands during the Gold Rush to extract
the natural resources and make their fortunes.
o
The Search for the “Northwest Passage” – When President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and
William Clark out to explore the newly gained territory of the Louisiana Purchase in 1804, one of their
goals was to use the vast system of navigable rivers to reach the Pacific Ocean. Although they never
found a river that led all the way from the Mississippi River directly to the Pacific Ocean, the system of
rivers that they did find allowed them to reach the Pacific Ocean and claim the area around the coast,
which became known as Oregon.
o
The Great Famine – This was a famine in Ireland that permanently changed the demographics of the
country. It was caused by potato blight, an agricultural disease that spread rapidly across Irish farms
from 1845 through 1852. So many Irish people died from starvation during those years, that nearly one
million of them left Ireland and immigrated to the USA. After the famine had ended, the number of
Irishmen who immigrated to the USA dropped significantly.
o
Railroads Planned Through the Gadsden Purchase – The Rocky Mountains essentially cut off the
eastern parts of the nation from the western portion of the United States. Building railroads through
the mountains was not technologically possible at the time of the California Gold Rush (it would be a
few years before nitro-glycerin and dynamite would be ready for widespread use in demolition and
construction). This resulted in the Gadsden Purchase, an area of desert where the mountains are not as
dense and built up. Railroad lines could be built through that area for train transportation of goods and
people from the East and West.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE OF VARIOUS RACIAL, ETHNIC, AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS TO OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY



Immigrants from all over Europe and Asia would add new ethnicities to the racial makeup of the USA
There would be lots of growth in newer and older American cities. These cities would become our modern
population centers – Examples include San Francisco (new city) and New York City (old city)
New customs and traditions brought over from “the Old World” would be begin again in “the New World” –
Examples include German traditions and customs such as the Christmas tree, gymnasiums, and kindergartens for
young children
EXAMPLES OF AMERICAN ART, MUSIC, AND LITERATURE THAT REFLECT SOCIETY IN DIFFERENT ERAS

Manifest Destiny (The Era of Westward Expansion)
o Art – "American Progress," by John Gast, 1872
 Seen widely as an allegory for Manifest Destiny, this painting became famous around the world
 Various Themes Present in the Painting – The Pioneering spirit of adventure and discovery, the
spread of new technologies, advancements in communications across vast distances, the spread
of religious influences (such as the Christian Gospel of Jesus Christ), the movement of Native
Americans, the taming of wild animals and wilderness; etc.
KEY VOCABULARY TERMS

Allegory – a literary device in which characters or events in a literary, visual, or musical art form represent or
symbolize ideas, concepts, or generalizations about human traits, events, or principles

Annex (Annexation) – the act of one country adding the territory of a different country to its own territory

Cede (Cession) – the act of one country giving up a portion of its territory to another country

Manifest Destiny – the idea that the United States should (or is supposed to) expand to include territory from
the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean

Migration – the movement of people from one area of a country to another area of the (same) country

Pioneer – someone who first travels to a newly found region or first enters into the effort of settling a region
that is considered to be wild and uncivilized

Region – an area of a country that has definable characteristics, but doesn’t necessarily have fixed boundaries

Statehood – the status or condition of being a sovereign (meaning it has its own state government) state in the
USA