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1542
Spanish explorers reach California
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Juan de Onate explores New Mexico
Onate explores New Mexico and claims it for Spain -
Santa Fe founded
Sante Fe is set up. It would soon grow into a bustling trade town -
Missions built in California
Captain Gaspar de Portola and Father Junipero Serra build string of 21 missions, including San Francisco and San Diego, along Californian coast -
Anglo-American Convention of 1818
Great Britain and the United States decided to jointly administer Oregon Country -
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Oregon jointly controlled
Oregon is jointly controlled by US and UK -
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Mountain Men
Mountain men explore Oregon's mountains -
Creation of Texas Land Grants
The Spanish government grants a tract of land in Texas to Moses Austin. He dies before he can ever get there, but the tract is settled by his son Stephan. -
Mexico gains independence
Mexico gains independence from Spain. This changes the face of who America deals with in the southwest -
Joseph Smith founds Mormonism
Joseph Smith creates the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. He attracted many followers to his faith -
Santa Anna gains power
Santa Anna takes over Mexico and suspends the constitution. He also sends in troops to force Texians to convert to Catholicism and ban slavery -
Battle of Gonzales
Texians expel troops in Gonzales. This battle marks the start of the Texas war of Independence -
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Texas Revolution
Texas rebels against Mexico. The unrest started when Mexico started imposing unpopular laws in Texas. Laws like being in the Roman Catholic Church, and laws banning slavery. When Mexico sent troops, Texas revolted and won their independence from Mexico -
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman set up shop in Oregon. Their help open Oregon for settlemnt -
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Whitmans in Oregon
The whitmans, operating out of their mission, assist settlers and convert natives -
Texas declares Indepenedence
Texas declares that Mexico can no longer make rules for them. This puts them one step closer to joining the US -
Battle of San Jacinto
Santa Anna is captured by the Texan forces in this decisive battle. He is forced to sign a treaty recognizing Texas -
Nauvoo founded
Mormons form Nauvoo on the banks of the Mississippi River in Illinois after they were expelled from New York for their controversial beliefs -
Oregon Trail starts
Oregon trail opens, with wagon trains departing from Independence, MO and going towards Oregon City and the Willamette River Valley -
Joseph Smith killed
Angry townsfolk around Nauvoo kill Joseph Smith, the leader of the Mormons -
Texas joins US
Texas is annexed by the US as a slave state. This leads to the Mexican American war -
US declares war on Mexico
The US declares war on Mexico, starting the Mexican American War -
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Mexican-American War
Mexico and US clash over disputed territories and the American wish to expand Westward -
Oregon Treaty
Oregon Country is split between the US and the UK at the 49th Parallel. -
Brigham Young leads Mormons to Utah
Brigham Young, the new leader of the Mormons, leads 15000 people over several years starting in 1847, to would would become Utah -
Battle of Buena Vista
American forces beat a mexican army twice their size -
Battle of Veracruz
Americans capture vital caribbean port -
Battle of Chapultepec
Americans capture Mexico City, making American victory inevitable -
Gold is discoverd in California
James Marshall discovers gold on Sutter's Mill. This starts the California Gold Rush -
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Gold Rush
Thousands of people from all over the world flock to California to mine the gold. However, many do not find gold and are forced to stay. This kickstarts population growth in California -
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexico surrenders. US pays $15 million for California and New Mexico -
Utah Organized
US Government recognizes Utah's Mormon government as the ruling government in the territory -
California admitted as state
California is admitted as a free state. The population surge was due to the gold rush -
Gadsden Purchase
The US buys some land off Mexico to build a railroad. After this, many believe that Manifest Destiny is complete