The West

1. Chapter 13 – Section 1 The West

2. Frontier – land that forms the farthest extent of a nation’s settled regions From the Appalachians to Mississippi River – settled by the 1820s Louisiana Territory becomes the frontier “The West”

3. From Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains • Farmers thought – not suitable for farming • Covered by grass deeply anchored by deep root system • Breakup of ‘sod’ – hard, manual labor • Looked further west to Oregon Country in NW or Mexican lands in SW The great Plains

4. Area of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia – claimed by Britain, Russia, US • Settlers attracted by • fertile lands • mild climate The Northwest in 1800s

5. Present-day California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado • Known as Spanish Borderlands • Part of New Spain • Culture and history different from eastern US The southwest in 1800’s

6. Spanish colonies required – mercantilism • Allowed no trade with the US • Raw materials sent back to Spain • Goods manufactured and sent back to colonies • American born children – creoles • Intermarriage created mestizos • Distinct Southwestern culture is created Mexican Settlements

7. Forced to: • Convert to Catholicism • Work on Spanish owned farms/missions • Many died from disease/overwork • Spanish brought: • language, religion, laws • Indians introduced: • beans, squash, potatoes, clothing like ponchos, moccasins • Architecture evolved • Spanish design - adobe Native Americans

8. 1821 – won independence from Spain • Mexico allowed trade with US • Under Spanish rule • Land grants given to peninsulares • Under Mexican rule • Land grants given to rancheros • Removed missions from church control – gave away land • Native Americans lost their land • Raided ranches – crushed • By 1850 – population had reduced Mexico wins independence

9. Jefferson realized the need to allow expansion – extending the nation beyond its existing borders • Louisiana Territory • Movement west • Americans favored expansion • Newspaper editor – John O’Sullivan • ‘Right of our manifest destiny to overspread and possess the whole of the continent’ • Destined to extend from Atlantic to Pacific – sea to shining sea Manifest Destiny

10. Chapter 13 – Section 2 Trails to the West

11. First Americans to move west – traders looking for new markets • Captain William Becknell • Led first wagon train from Independence, Mo. • Traders with merchandise • 800 miles over rivers, deserts • Became the Santa Fe Trail • Became busy trade route Traders lead the way – Santa Fe Trail

12. John Jacob Astor – German immigrant • Established American Fur Company • – 1808 – Fort Astor (Astoria, Oregon) • Became richest man in the US • Sent an expedition west– two groups • 1st – sailed around South America/up Pacific coast • 2nd – traveled across continent • Used information from Lewis/Clark • Found the South Pass through the Rocky Mountains • Opened Northwest Passage for missionaries/settlers Oregon Fur Trade

13. Fur trappers of the Northwest • Led isolated lives, cold, heat, wild animals • Beaver fur/great demand/high prices • Yearly rendezvous • meeting to trade furs for supplies • celebrated time with others in contests & singing • Legendary Mountain Men • Jedediah Smith – scalped by bear • James Bechwourth – found pass/major route to CA Mountain men

14. Area Jedediah Smith explored

15. Set out to convert Native Americans • Marcus and Narcissa Whitman • Cayuse Indians • Mistrusted – didn’t learn language • More settlers moved in • Measles epidemic killed many Indians • Blamed Whitman’s and killed them/12 settlers • Stories of Oregon – led more settlers to come The oregon trail - missionaries

16. Oregon trail

17. Stretched 2000 miles from Missouri to Oregon Set out in spring – needed to be there within 5 months – before winter in the passes Hard trip – covered wagons led by oxen, horses Wagons carried food, supplies, belongings People walked – 15 hours a day Disease, accidents, Native Americans Ditched supplies along the way Fresh water/dust problems 50,000 reached Oregon between 1840-1860 On the oregon trail

19. Pioneer life was hard • Cleared land by hand • Disease, accidents, disasters • Winters without food, enough shelters • Many returned to the East • Some thrived like John and Annie Bidwell Life in the west

20. Worked alongside men • Labor was important for family to survive • West was first to reward women • Women’s struggle continued • Right to vote (Wyoming first to give suffrage) Women in the west

21. In Oregon – uneasy peace between Indians and settlers • Southern Oregon – usually got along • Northern Oregon • Discovery of gold • brought many whites/Chinese miners • Angered Native Americans – fought back • Killed whites and Chinese/retaliated – killed women and children • US government intervened – forced treaty solution Native americans and settlers

22. Chapter 13 – Section 3 Conflict with mexico

23. 1820 - Spanish governor - land grant to Moses Austin to settle a colony in Texas • Stephen Austin (son) led 300 Americans into Texas • 1821 – Mexico got independence • Honored Austin’s claim to land • Austin’s groups agreed to become Mexican citizens and become Catholics Texas Wins independence

24. Americans started flooding into Texas Conflict between Protestants/Catholics Americans wanted to grow cotton - slaves Mexicans opposed slavery 1830– Mexico banned new American settlements Tensions – enforce slavery laws/Catholic Mexico began to levy heavy taxes on imports Growing conflict

25. American settlers wanted more say in Mexican government • Tejanos (Texans/Mexican decent) wanted a democratic government • 1833 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became president • Overturned constitution • Started a dictatorship Declaring independence

26. Texas declared independence/Republic of Texas • Santa Anna responded with force • Troops met at the mission – Alamo • San Antonio • 185 Anglo-Americans and Tejanos • Santa Anna laid siege (attack in which one force surrounds a city or fort) • Held out for 12 days under heavy fire • Finally Mexican forces overran the Alamo – all killed Texans at war

27. The Alamo The Alamo Jim Bowie

28. The Alamo

29. American settlers wanted more say in Mexican government • Tejanos (Texans/Mexican descent) wanted a democratic government • 1833 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became president • Overturned constitution • Started a dictatorship Declaring independence

30. Many volunteers joined the Texan army Sam Houston led small army against Santa Anna at San Jacinto Went after Santa Anna “Remember the Alamo!” Captured Santa Anna within 15 minutes Forced him to recognize Texan independence Inspiration of the alamo

31. Sam Houston –president of Texas Wanted US to annex Texas Southerners wanted a slave state Northerners wanted a free state Presidents Andrew Jackson/Martin Van Buren opposed annexation Remained unsettled for 10 years Republic of Texas

32. President John Tyler – • favored annexation but wasn’t nominated • Whig candidate – Henry Clay • Avoided issue of annexation • Democratic candidate – James Polk • Called for annexation of Texas and Oregon • Oregon claimed by US/Britain • Polk demanded Britain withdraw from territory south of 54* 40 N • Candidate of expansion won Election of 1844

33. President Tyler • Asked Congress to annex Texas – 3 days left in office • Congress voted for admission – Texas voted yes • President Polk negotiated treaty with Britain to divide Oregon • US got land south of 49*N • Territory became states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho Annexation

34. Annexation increased tensions with Mexico Treaty with Santa Anna put boundary at Rio Grande Mexican gov’t claimed it was the Nueces River Texas never controlled area between two rivers Polk put pressure on Mexico to accept Tensions with Mexico

35. Polk offered money to settle boundary • Offered to purchase California and N. Mexico • Mexico - outraged – didn’t want to cede more • Polk changed tactic: • Sent General Zachary Taylor - disputed lands • Hoped to provoke Mexico • Mexico thought this an act of war • Ambushed a patrol • Polk asked Congress to declare war Mexican american war

36. Southerners supported the war Northerners argued that Polk provoked war and wanted to extend slavery Called it “Mr. Polk’s War” Opposition to War

37. Polk ordered troops • Stephen Kearney • invade and capture Santa Fe • then went onto California • California began their own revolt against Mexico • John C. Fremont joined forces with Kearny. • Took Monterey and San Francisco • Kearny took Santa Fe and San Diego • All of California – under US control Rebellion in california

38. General Zachary Taylor • captured Monterrey • Santa Anna attacked Taylor • Battle of Buena Vista • Santa Anna had to retreat • General Winfield Scott captured Veracruz (port) • Scott marched to Mexico City • Defeated Mexicans at Chapultepec • Santa Anna fled the capital – • US held the capital of Mexico Invasion of mexico

39. President Polk • sent Nicholas Trist to help Scott negotiate a treaty • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – 1848 • Formerly ended war • Mexico recognized annexation of Texas • Paid Mexico - $18 million • Ceded vast territory (Mexican Cession) to US • California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona Manifest Destiny….AGain

40. 1853 US paid Mexico $10 million Narrow strip of present day Arizona and New Mexico Set current boundary with Mexico Gadsden Purchase

41. Chapter 13 – Section 4 A Rush to the West

42. Founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith – New York Heavenly visions reveled the Book of Mormon Some of teachings conflicted with other faiths Favored polygamy – practice of having more than wife at a time Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

43. Hostile communities forced movements • From New York to Ohio, to Missouri • Nauvoo, Illinois – Joseph Smith murdered by mob • New Leader – Brigham Young • Led a party in 1847 to the West • Great Salt Lake • Hazardous journey • Next few years 15,000 Mormons settled in Utah LDS/Mormons move west

44. Utah owned by Mexico – left alone Utah was safe but difficult Dry desert Crickets almost destroyed first harvest but flock of seagulls flew in and devoured the crickets Set up a efficient system of irrigation Great Salt Lake

45. Mexican Cession – Utah Territory part of US • LDS Leaders conflicted with government officials • Mormons controlled elections • Church supported only Mormon businesses • Polygamy illegal in rest of country • Outsiders had difficulty • Congress passed law to take control of elections • Church leaders agreed to ban polygamy • 1896 - Utah became a state Government conflict with mormons

46. Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo gave California to US in 1848 • 10,000 population • Few wealthy families controlled everything • Big ranches provided jobs for poor • Easterners began to migrate • Wealthy Californians resented newcomers California gold rush

47. John Sutter found gold • Word spread like wildfire • California Gold Rush began • 80,000 prospectors came – 49ers • In two years – population grew 14,000 - 100,000 • Sutter’s Mill was beginning of placer mining • Surface gold quickly found • Gold loads (under ground) were more difficult to find • Large companies took over the mining Gold is discovered – January 1848

48. Not permanent towns – gold ran out – abandoned and move to another town • Towns attracted miners and those making money off mines • Businesses catered to miners • Entertainment/saloons , dry goods, hardware, livery • Federal laws did not apply – miners created own rules • Hired vigilantes – self appointed law enforcers Life in mining towns – not a state yet

49. Issue of importance in California • Water rights - legal rights to use the water in a river, stream and other bodies of water • Landowners had water rights under older Mexican laws • Illegal to cut off water to one’s neighbors • Often the first to reach a stream used all water • Disputes erupted into violence Water Rights In california desert

50. Most of the 49ers were men Ratio of 12-1 (men to women) Women came in search of fortune, work or adventure After Gold Rush, many people gave it up and stayed in the West for good women