Westward Expansion Project
Amelia King ~ 7 period
Manifest Destiny
President Polk believe in Manifest Destiny and He's whole presidential year was based on Manifest Destiny
Americans used wagons and trains to travel west during Manifest Destiny
Territorial Aquisitions
Florida ~ Spain was fighting in Latin America and didn't want the risk of war with U.S. Spain traded Florida to the U.S. for $5 million dollars. The written treaty was Adams-Onis Treaty.
Texas Annexation & Mexican Cession ~ Texas was added to the union and Mexico didn't respect Texas' independence and soon they went to war. Shortly after the was mexico was defeated and was forced to give the US, California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, also parts of Colorado and New Mexico. The written treaty was Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Purchase was paid after a war.
Oregon Territory ~ US acquired Oregon from Great Britain in 1846. the written treaty was the Oregon Treaty.
Gadsden Purchase ~ Mexico paid 10 million for Gadsden from US in 1853 under the Gadsden Treaty.
Settlers in the West
49ers ~ When gold was discovered in San Francisco by 1849 everyone from all over the world came to look for gold in the Sierra Nevada. Since everyone came in the year 1849 they were called the 49ers . Also they came there to look for new jobs and opportunities for their families.
Mormons ~ This religions group (hundreds of families) escaped discrimination of their religion from their town to the salt lake city of Utah.They went to look for religion freedom.
Farmers ~ Traveled west for better opportunities and a better jobs. The farmers were given 160 acres of land. Also the farmers took their inventions with them (Steel Plow which today is called the Modern Reaper).
U.S. Mexican War
When Texas became independent Mexico didn't respect or honor Texas' independence because Mexico thought of Texas as their property still. President Polk got upset because he wanted to buy New Mexico and California but Mexico refused to sell the land to him, so Polk decided to declare war and take the land but, also using this as an reason for war. The written treaty that was signed after the US Mexican war was called Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico. This treaty stated that Mexico had to give the US most of their land from the Mexican Cession but in return the US will pay Mexico $15 million and keep 100,000 living in Texas and Mexican Cession. California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico were the states in the Mexican Cession.