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Election of 1844
The candidates of the Election of 1844 included Henry Clay and James K. Polk. Polk won the election and this affected the process of westward expansion because he was for annexation. -
Beginning of Manifest Destiny
Manifest destiny is the ideology of the US having control of land from the Pacific to Atlantic coast. This idea set the goal of westward expansion in a way. -
Annexation of Texas
While the US had wanted to gain more land, not everyone had wanted Texas to become a part of the United States. Southerners supported this, but not all Northerners did. If Texas was to become a part of the US at the time, Texas would more than likely be a slave state and this did not help the north to abolish slavery at all. -
Oregon Country
The land that is considered Oregon country was originally claimed by the US, Spain, Russia and Great Britain all at the same time. Eventually, Russia and Spain gave up the land, however Great Britain and the US both still wanted the land. Then the US and Great Britain came up with the compromise line at the 49 parallel -
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Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War led to the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo. This eventually led to the US gaining Mexico's territory. -
Mexican Cession
Mexican Cession led to a major gain in territory for the US west of the Mississippi. The US gained this land through The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo after the Mexican American War. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 provided as an eventually temporary solution for the debate of slave and free states of the north and south. This directly relates to westward expansion because it attempted to resolve debates on which newly acquired territories should allow slaves. -
Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase, like the Mexican Cession contributed the issue of equal slave and free states. This gave more land to the south, which again brought up the debate about abolishing slavery. -
Ostend Manifesto
Although Cuba is not west of the US, it played a big role in the conflict of expansion leading up to the Civil War. Ostend Manifesto was basically the idea of Pierce taking over Cuba. -
Kansas Nebraska Act
The Kansas Nebraska Act allowed for each Kansas and Nebraska to be states. This, like most other expansion topics, led to the disagreement of slave and free states.
