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Louisiana Purchase
America had previous issues with France with the XYZ Affair and French seizure of American ships and property. During that time, France sneakily restores French rule in New Orleans and Haiti with help from Spain with force, invasion and the breaking of Pinckney’s Treaty. With the French Revolution underway, Napoleon can’t focus on France’s involvement in/with America and sells Louisiana Territory to Jefferson for $15 million ($500 million today), doubling the size of the original colonies. -
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Westward Expansion
These are events and causes that led up to westward expansion. I am not sure why my timespans are not chronologically in order with the rest of the events, so I took them away. -
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark were sent to explore the new region included in the Louisiana Purchase. In 1805, they met up with French Canadian fur trader Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife Sacagawea, who were important assets to guide and interpret Native Americans, which they frequently encountered. In April 1805, they sent some samples and maps back to MO and crossed the Continental Divide. A long, cold journey to the Pacific, leaving a legacy of information and knowledge about the west. -
War of 1812
British ships attacked the US, along with continued fighting between US soldiers and Am. Indians supported by the British military. They fought, burned cities and attacked each other, but it was a stalemate. The Treaty of Ghent declared peace between the countries, which led to the Hartford Convention, Indian Removal, and the American Industrial Revolution, which opened the gates for economic and political changes, impacting westward expansion. -
Indian Removal/Relocation
As the “parent” to Native Americans as children, Andrew Jackson took the most action against them, claiming federal powerlessness. The Natives could not live in harmony in a white society, and were forcibly removed from their homes. They were taken suddenly, unexpectedly, cruelly, forced west of the Mississippi. Native Americans were seen as savages, who “lack the motivation to improve life.” This cleared up land east of the Mississippi for new white settlements. -
Texas Independence and Slavery Issue
In 1836, the Mexico government finally cracked down on all the white American illegal immigrants who were trying to live in Mexico with a different culture, resulting in a rebellion. Van Buren was in no position to annex Texas, because of maintaining good relations with Mexico, and the problem of whether it would be a free state or slave state. This was a big political issue during this time, the congress needed the states to be balanced to keep everyone happy. -
Manifest Destiny
Manifest Destiny is the belief that expansion of America is justified and inevitable. John L. O’Sullivan coined this phase because of America’s continental ambitions of expansion of land and culture of American superiority. It is the God given right to spread
Euro-American culture through conquests and assimilation. This reinforces American Exceptionalism. -
Oregon Trail / Oregon Country
The Oregon Trail was established because of the dramatic interest in Oregon Country, a large region along the Pacific. Merchants and farmers flooded the Oregon Trail, drawn to trade harbors and fertile growing conditions. This 2,000 mile route to the west was long and difficult, but played a key role in westward expansion. President Polk avoided war with GB by settling for Oregon Territory at the 49th parallel. -
Mexican American War
Texas Independence was a cause of this war. The US tried to buy CA and NM from Mexico for $30 million. The Californios were neglected by their own Mexican government, and wanted to join the US. Polk sent a naval force blockade to CA. Exploratory Parties (military) were sent to CA and NM to incite rebellion or acts of agression, to provoke retaliation. CA became independent, and war was declared because of American Invasion. -
Mexican American War cont. through 1856
The US captured large cities, including the capitol and president. A peace treaty was forced and the US gained 1/3 of Mexican territory by paying $15 million in the 1856 Guadalupe Hidalgo treaty. The Wilmot Provosio (ban on slavery in territory gained from Mexican American war) was suggested, but did not pass. This goes back to the slavery problem. Nevertheless, the US almost doubled in size, reaching its continental goal, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific. -
California Gold Rush
In 1848, John A. Sutter found gold flakes in California while building a dam. The forty-niners were established, tens of thousands of men migrating to California hoping to strike it rich. Not many did, but the found fertile growing land instead. This also drew people to emigrate to California. Now it is the biggest state in population. -
Gadsden Purchase
The Gadsden Purchase was the last land acquisition of the US. We paid $10 million for the small amount of land at the base of Arizona and partially New Mexico, because it has a lower elevation to build the Transcontinental Railroad. This would connect the east and west smoothly, and was a necessary point for expansion.
