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Texas Wins Independence
Texas gains freedom from Mexico and becomes an independent nation. This was largely due to the fact that Mexico had abolished slavery and people in Texas wanted to keep their slaves. -
Trail of Tears
The Cherokee were forced from their territory in Georgia to lands across the Mississippi, enabling more Americans to settle in those areas. Eventually, the lands guaranteed for the Cherokee west of the Mississippi were again claimed by Americans. -
Start of the Oregon Trail
Although settlers had been traveling towards Oregon for decades, in 1843 one thousand settlers set out from Independence, Missouri. This was known as the Great Emigration -
Election of 1844
James K. Polk won the presidency in 1844 on a platform of Manifest Destiny and territorial expansion. He favored the annexation of Texas and the addition of Oregon to the union, pleasing both slave-owners and abolitionists. -
Plan Created for Transcontinental Railroad
Returning from a trip to China, Asa Whitney came up with the idea to create a railroad that would make traveling to China and Europe much easier, as well as travel across the expanding United States. -
"Manifest Destiny" Coined
Journalist John O'Sullivan coined the term "Manifest Destiny", which referred to the idea that it was the destiny of American settlers to move west and spread their ideals. This belief was strongly rooted in the fact that they considered themselves superior to other cultures, such as Native Americans and Hispanics. -
U.S. Annexes Texas
President James K. Polk signed the bill accepting Texas into the union as a state. This would eventually lead to the Mexican American war. -
Mexican American War Starts
After Texas declared its independence, Mexico still did not recognize it as a free republic, and opposed all attempts of annexation by the United States. On April 25th, 1846, Mexico attacked U.S. soldiers and on May 13th, The U.S. declared war. -
Gold Discovered in California
James W. Marshall discovered gold in Sutter Creek in California, prompting the start of the gold rush, even though California was not yet part of the United States. The first news report of gold in California was published in March. -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
At the end of the Mexican War, Mexico agreed to a new border between them and the United States, ceded land which includes today's states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. They also recognized Texas as a state. -
California Gold Rush
After gold was discovered in California, a huge migration of more than 300,000 people from the United States and other countries went in search of gold. Along with Americans, the gold attracted people from Latin America, Europe, China, Australia, and Pacific Islands. -
California Becomes a State
Following the gold rush, California became a state very quickly. In fact, Congress granted California statehood without it ever having become a territory first. -
Gadsden Purchase
A region of almost 30,000 square miles above the Rio Grande which the Americans bought from Mexico. The United States wanted this land for future construction of a transcontinental railroad. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Repealed the law that prohibited slavery above the 36°30' line (the Missouri Compromise) and new territories would have popular sovereignty. The abolitionist northerners were upset and this led to the "Bleeding Kansas" caused by violence between pro-slavery and anti-slavery citizens. -
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott was a black slave living in a free state who petitioned the state because he believed that since he lived in a free state, he was a free man. The Supreme Court dismissed his case because they said since he was not a citizen, he didn't have the right to sue. The Supreme Court also ruled that Congress had no right to prohibit slavery in new territories. -
Oregon Becomes a State
Oregon's quest for statehood took a while because of the long debate about new states being free or slave states. Eventually it was added as a "free" state, despite not allowing black people to enter the state.
