Factors Contributing to Westward Expansion Flashcards

1
Q

how many states in 1803

A

13 states

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

how many states in 1850

A

40 states

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

how many people needed for a state

A

60,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

how many people in 1800 in America

A

5.3 million

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

how many people born abroad

A

1/8

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

how many people lived in places with more than 5,000 inhabitants

A

> 5%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what was the government land policy 10

A

1875 Land Ordinance established rules for survey and sale of land
New north west territories
Township - 6 square miles
divided into 36 section
1 square mile = 640 miles
1800- 387,000 settlers west of Appalachian mountains
1840- 7 million
1850- 1:2 americans lived west of the Appalachians
1900- census 68% lived west of the Appalachians

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

who did congress initially favour the sale of land to - land policy

A

sale of land to wealthy speculators

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what was the minimum purchase in 1796 - land policy

A

640 acres at $2 per acre

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

congress land policy minimum purchase over time 1800-1832

A
1800 - 320 acres 
1804 - 160 acres 
1820 - 80 acres 
1832 - 40 acres 
price fell to $1 per acre
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Government role in exploration 8

A
  • most new land remained unexplored 1800
  • federal government supported expeditions
  • president Thomas Jefferson
  • lewis and clark 1804-6 to chart the lands acquired in the -Louisiana purchase - 48 strong team
  • clark was an experienced frontiersmen
  • lewis/presidents secretary journeyed 4,000 miles and returned with maps
  • Jefferson persuaded congress to fund expedition
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Oregon 5

A
  • disputed territory jointly occupied by Britain and the US. Agreed in 1818
  • divided between both countries in 1846
  • britain north of the 49th parallel - US south
  • Oregon territory established in 1848
  • large included future states of Idaho Oregon Washington and a part of Montana
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

who was Stephen H Long 5 - government

A
  • Major Long led 5 expeditions 1819-20
  • covered 26,000 miles
  • Nebraska and Colorado to the Rocky Mountains
  • Declared the Great Plains were totally unsuitable for settlement
  • his report actually discouraged settlement in Great Plains
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

who was President Thomas Jefferson - government

A
  • wanted to expand the ‘empire of liberty’ from sea to sea
  • sent James Monroe to make a lucky Louisiana purchase 1803
  • supported Lewis and Clark
  • 1806-7 military expeditions sent out by Jefferson led by Lieutenant Pike explored Great Plains and Rocky Mountains - Colorado and Santa Fe
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

the Louisiana Purchase 1803 -government

A
  • James Monroe sent to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans and West Florida
  • Had previously been owned by Spain who had signed a treaty with the French
  • Napoleon Bonaparte had abandoned all ambitions in the US and sold them all the Louisiana territory -a lucky acquisition
  • 828,000 miles at less than 3 cents per acre
  • doubled the size of the US
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what year was the Louisiana purchase

A

1803

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

how many miles were purchased in the Louisiana purchase

A

828,000 miles at less than 3 cents per acre

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

who was President James Polk 7 - government

A
  • 1844 Presidential election - polk won
  • campaigned on an expansionist ticket
  • ambitious to gain more territory in the west. To push the US border to the Pacific Coast. He wanted to take all of Oregon
  • supported manifest destiny
  • this was the idea that the US had a god given right to colonise the whole of America and spread WASP ideals
  • believed it was a christian and moral duty
  • appeared in the magazine democratic review
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

when was the Timber and Culture act

A

1873

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what was the Timber and Culture act

A

gave settlers a further 160 acres of free land if 40 acres were planted with trees in the first 10 years
problematic due to wind and draught

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

when was the Desert Land act

A

1877

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what was the Desert Land act

A

gave settlers the right to buy 640 acres cheaply in areas of draught if land irrigated in two years
problematic due to expense of irrigation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

when was the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

A

February 1848 ratified by the senate in May

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what was the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 2 - government

A
  • mexican war led to the treaty of Guadalupe hidalgo in February 1848 ratified by the senate in May
  • US paid Mexico $15 million for 500,000 square miles of territory (2/5 of present US land)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

territory gained in Guadalupe Hidalgo 7

A
California 
New Mexico 
Nevada 
Utah 
Colorado 
Wyoming 
Arizona
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

US reasons for US victory in Mexico 5

A
  • bigger population
  • superior artillery
  • pool of junior officers Washington post trained
  • enthusiastic volunteers southern and western
  • naval supremacy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Mexico reasons for US victory in Mexico 2

A
  • more soldiers but poorly led

- badly equipped

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

what was the role go the government in expanding the west 10

A
  • exploration
  • land purchase
  • territorial expansion
  • florida
  • texas
  • oregon
  • gadsden purchase
  • war with Mexico
  • communications and mail
  • acts to promote settlement
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

communications and mail 8

A
  • poineer settlers moved west by wagon. moved in ones or twos family groups
  • travel was hard
  • westerners wanted to export and import from east
  • travel development was crucial
  • roads canals and railways
  • transcontinental telegraph completed in 1861
  • federal government promoted the post office which became one of the largest employers in the world 30,000 employs by 1860. allowed fast communications between east and west
  • pony express crossed the central plains in 10 days
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

how many employees did the post office employ

A

30,000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

when was the transcontinental telegraph completed

A

1861

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

how quickly did the pony express cross the central plains

A

10 days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

when was the Homestead act

A

1862

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

what was the Homestead act 1862 - government 6

A
  • settlers could claim 160 acres, free once they had lived on it for 5 years
  • congress through it would encourage poor and landless from east to settle
  • costs to move were too great
  • those who did move were already farmers
  • 160 acres were insufficient for self sufficiency
  • land was in dried conditions eg in Kansas no rain fell between January 1859 and November 1860
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

when was the Missouri compromise

A

1860

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

what was the Missouri compromise 1860 4 - government

A
  • 1819 Missouri sought to enter the union
  • US had 22 states - 11 free and 11 slave states
  • debated in congress
  • it was admitted in 1820 but a new state Maine was created of Massachusetts to balance the union
  • it was agreed that no slavery could be in territory north of latitude 36 30 but slavery could still exist south
37
Q

Cumberland financial support - government 4

A
  • financial support
  • begun 1808
  • linked Potomac and the Ohio rivers - the Atlantic to Ohio
  • first federal highway completed in 1837
38
Q

when was the Morrill Act

A

1862

39
Q

what is the Morrill Act also called

A

Land Grant College act

40
Q

how many universities were founded under the Morril act

A

69 universities

41
Q

when was the Morrill act passed

A

July 2nd 1862

42
Q

what was the purpose of Morrill act

A

higher education available for the general population

43
Q

Morrill Act 1862 2 government

A
  • established colleges primarily to teach farming passed on July 2nd 1862, this act made it possible for new western states to establish colleges for their citizens. the new land grant institutions which emphasised agriculture and mechanical arts opened opportunities to thousands of farmers and those usually excluded for higher education
  • 69 universities founded in the ensuing decades. made higher education available to the general population for the first time
44
Q

when was the Gadsden Purchase

A

1853

45
Q

Gadsden Purchase 1853 10

A
  • President Franklin Pierce
  • hoped to unify pro slavery democrats with expansionist policies
  • southern element wanted to expand the US into central America and Cuba
  • slavery could expand
  • democrats had large majorities in the senate
  • James gadsden diplomat and railroad engineer -slave owning southerner
  • negotiated the purchase of 54,000 square miles Arizona to build a railway to the pacific. northern democrats concerned about the threat to northern railway success and that slavery might expand
  • senate reduced the territory by 9,000 square miles to get it approved
  • expose the difficulties of expansionist policies and the increasing decides
  • plans to purchase Cuba where hastily dropped
46
Q

when was Florida

A

1819

47
Q

Florida 1819 - government 7

A
  • spanish territory
  • feared as base to attack the US
  • 1810 American settlers seized Baton Rouge. proclaimed the republic of west Florida, officials under the instructions the government occupied the region
  • 1812 it became part of the Louisiana purchase - rest of Florida taken in 1813. Spain was at war with France so did little to resist
  • seminole people caused problems for US in 1812 war (us v British) president Monroe authorised an army campaign to pursue the Seminole into Spanish territory - first of three seminole wars soon much of North Florida was taken by the US Spain protested but was preoccupied
  • rest of Florida acquired in 1817-1819. transcontinental treaty (Adam oni’s treaty with Spain)
48
Q

Government Texas 10

A
  • 1821 Texas became part of Mexico- angered US settlers
  • 1829 Mexico freed slaves
  • 1830 Mexico stopped US immigration
  • 1836 Texas declared itself self independent leading to military conflicts
  • 187 Texan defenders were killed by Mexican force
  • Texas was independent- Northerners resisted it joining the union as fear of it turning into slave states
  • politically controversial remained a ‘lone star’ state
  • it joined the union in 1845
  • all the territory east of Rocky Mountains had been acquired by the US governments
49
Q

Development of railways -government 5

A
  • funded by federal government and private companies
  • government gave large land grants to companies. funded construction of transcontinental railways
  • land grants meant that with every 1.5km of track that was laid companies received a 120 metre right pf way and 12km square of land either side of the track
  • state governments gave out land grants of some 19 million hectares and provided $200 million in funding
  • most of the funding was provided by private companies and sources
50
Q

When was the Mexico war

A

1846-8

51
Q

Mexico War- government 10

A
  • mexico angry as US still claim sovereignty over Texas
  • disputes over borders
  • polk wanted California and New Orleans
  • 1845 Polk sent troops to a border area hoping to provoke a war
  • May 1846 Mexican troops ambushed US soldiers wounded or killing 16 men
  • gave polk excuse to ask Congress to declare war
  • cost the US $100 million
  • northerners viewed it as a war of aggression by south
  • 2,000 soldiers died in battle and 11,000 of disease
  • 28,000 Mexican soldiers died
52
Q

consequences of the Mexico War 5

A
  • US paid Mexico $15 million and gained 500,000 square miles of territory - 2/5 of present US lands and half of Mexico
  • increased sense of Nationalism and controversy over slavery
  • southerners wanted to take all of Mexico
  • northerners wanted no annexations
  • polk was unhappy. He wanted more despite the US gaining everything it had gone to war for. Didn’t see relection
53
Q

when was the Kansas Nebraska Act

A

1854

54
Q

Kansas Nebraska Act 1854 7

A
  • Nebraska was part of 1803 Louisiana Purchase but has to be organised into a territory before it could be settled sold and surveyed
  • senator Stephen Douglas introduced Kansas Nebraska bill to congress. he had ambitions on the presidency
  • northerners were keen to see Nebraska develop new states could enter the union as free states north of 36 30
  • bill repealed and proposed dividing the territory in half -Kansas and Nebraska. Climate too cold for slave agriculture in Nebraska but suitable in Kansas
  • 90% of southern politicians voted for the bill
  • 64% of northern congressmen voted against it
  • split democrats 43 against 44 for
55
Q

who was Jed Smith

A

1823 found south pass route through the Rocky Mountains

this meant wagons could travel through the Rocky Mountains to California

56
Q

mormon travels - beliefs

A

Kirtland Ohio 1831
Missouri 1837
Nauvoo Illinois 1839
Salt Lake 1847

57
Q

why were mormons so disliked 3 - beliefs

A
  • they didn’t keep slaves
  • their doctrine of plural marriages
  • rapidly growing mormon communities could exercise political action
58
Q

who were the mormons - Beliefs

A

members of a particular set within the christian church
first expounded by Joseph smith in 1839
claimed in 1827 he was visited by the Angel Moroni
by 1830 the mormon church had more than 1,000 followers

59
Q

Manifest destiny 1845 - beliefs

A

the 19th-century doctrine or belief that the expansion of the United States throughout the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

60
Q

The role of mining 9 - economic factor

A
  • California Gold Rush 1848-9 within a few months of the discovery at Sutters Mill 100,000 people travelled to Cali
  • prospectors came from China Mexico and Europe
  • by the end of 1848 newspapers reported extravagant claims. Guidebooks said people made $1000 a day
  • prospectors travelled by boat via Cape Horn and Panama Canal or wagon
  • 300,000 moved due to gold allowing California to become a union faster
  • 1832 most surface gold had gone- started digging under
  • more gold discovered in Colorado 1858 pike peak rush and the black hills of Dakotas 1870s on Sioux territory
  • silver or in Nevada and Cooper needed for wire in electrical industry since and lead mine in Colorado Idaho and Montana
  • mining towns attracted saloon keepers, brothels and lawlessness. In 1873 San Francisco has 537 saloons
61
Q

Fur trade and Mountain men - economic factors 7

A
  • from 1820s until late 1830s fur (beavers) were the far west most valuable produce. During this time hats were especially fashionable
  • trappers gathered geographical knowledge. Invaluable for the first pioneer settlers
  • they sold pelts to Astor American fur company or Rocky Mountain company
  • trappers relayed exaggerated romanticised stories of their travels promoting settlement
  • opened up trails from the Appalachians to the rockies. When fur trade decline in 1840s they used their knowledge to guide wagon tails
  • 1830 Astors American fur company monopolised the fur trade and was one of the wealthiest businesses in the country
62
Q

open ranges 2 - economic factors

A

vigilance was commonplace. leading to ranches banding together to form livestock associations - Johnson County
the Swan Land and Cattle Company owned Huge land

63
Q

Cowboys - myth and reality 3

A

-cattle drives
-cowboys mostly in teens and early twenties with diverse backgrounds
-life was not glamorous $25-$30 per month 18 hour days, most in the saddle . Clouds of dust - especially drag riders
other hazards include floods animals blizzards stampedes and rustlers

64
Q

ranches 7 - economic factors

A
  • many secured US governments contracts to feed Native Americans on reservations
  • 1880s saw the greatest growth in numbers on plains
  • severe winters 1885 and 1887 killed 90% of cattle
  • ranches became smaller and barbed wire used
  • ranchers bred cattle more scientifically
  • some ranches switched to sheep 2.5 million sheep in the west by 1900
  • days of open range over by 1890
65
Q

farming 10 - economic factors

A
  • depended on crops for livelihood
  • battled isolation backbreaking work natural hazards
  • The Homestead Act 1862- passed by Congress with the intention of encouraging easterners to plans
  • The Morrill Act 1862- helped educate farmers
  • land was cheap/free but livestock cost money
  • farmers subject to boom bust economics
  • 11,000 homesteaders were repossessed in Kansas between 1889 and 1893
  • despite difficulties the eastern plain became the breadbasket for the USA and Europe
  • bankers and loan companies lent money
  • bonaza farms (eg Minnesota) had 400 acres to run for profit
  • railways carried machinery produce and seeds
  • increase wheat production grew from 1.2 billion 1865 to 7 billion 1900
66
Q

cattle 10 - economic factors

A
  • texas longhorn roaming free on grasslands in Texas
  • civil war led to bugger herds estimated 5 million in Texas in 1865
  • worth 10 x more in the eat ($3 - $30) and Northern markets in Chicago and st Louis
  • cattle drives developed to move the cattle to the railheads- work of cowboys
  • cattle lost weight during long drive (24 km a day)
  • Jospeh McCoy developed the railhead town of Albiene. Other cow towns followed Dodge city
  • number of cattle driven north from Texas rose 10,00o 1867 - 700,000 1871
  • between 1886 and 1888 6 million cattle were driven to town towns and shipped east
  • development of the rail network led to cattle farming on the plains as lines spread across the west, refrigeration
  • ranches were established - the open range form Texas to Canada
67
Q

who were the mormon

A

members of a particular set within the christian church
first expounded in 1830 by Joseph smith
claimed in 1827 he was visited by angel Moroni
1831 the mormon church had more than 1000 followers

68
Q

why were mormons so disliked 4

A
  • didnt keep slaves
  • doctrine of plural marriage
  • rapidly growing mormon communities had the power to exercise political power
  • disliked gentiles
69
Q

push factors of the mormons moving west 3

A
  • 1844 Joseph Smith was murdered
  • wanted to escape gentiles
  • in 1846 Brigham Young told James polk they decided to leave for the sake of peace
70
Q

pull factos of the mormons moving west 2

A

-unpopulated places away from gentiles
-brigham young mormon leader decided to go to salt lake
salt lake was the promised land

71
Q

pull factors 19

A
  • manifest destiny
  • exploration of maps and guides
  • improved transport
  • improved communication
  • fertile land
  • free cheap land
  • raw materials timber gold silver and copper
  • isolation
  • freedom
  • new start
  • religous zeal
  • ideology
  • opportunity
  • adventure
  • jobs
  • advertisments and posters
  • letters home
  • new towns and cities
  • reservations
72
Q

push factors 11

A
  • economic crises 1819 1837
  • emigrants from Europe escaping poverty
  • overcrowding in the east
  • insufficient lands
  • unemployment
  • rising commodity prices
  • over farming east
  • falling agriculture prices
  • oersecution and discrimination
  • people evading the law
  • end of civil war
73
Q

travels 6

A
mountain men 1820 and 1830s
mormons 1840s
pioneers 1840s 
gold miners 1848 and 1870
homesteaders 1860s and 1870s 
cattle ranchers 1870s
74
Q

problems at salt lake 6

A

life was hard work and tiring
desolate with little rain
no trees so mormons has to make houses from mud bricks
not enough people to be self sufficient
no manufactures so everything had to be made by hand

in 1848 the us occupied New Mexico where salt lake was situated the us governments refused young attempt to have an independent mormon state
in 1857 us sent 1500 troops
they reached a compromise and salt lake became Utah

75
Q

problems for the mormons moving west 3

A
  • poorly prepared 1846 mobs looted mormon work shops forcing them to leave prematurely. brigham young sent pioneers ahead to build houses and plant crops
  • the journey had to face a journey of 2,250 km
  • organisaiton - 1500 mormons faced accidents, fever, accidents, lack of medical facilities and Native American attacks
76
Q

1819 panic 12

A
  • between 1815 and 1819 wheat and cotton prices soared
  • encouraged westward settlement
  • us governments also encouraged westward settlement by offering public land at $2 per acre 160 acres
  • land prices rose
  • no regulation credit
  • land debt ballooned from $3 million in 1815 to $17 million in 1818
  • over reliance on distant markets to pay loans
  • a fall in demand for US products in Europe end of napoleonic wards
  • falls in agriculture prices and land prices
  • speculators lost vast sums of money
  • rising unemployment
  • farmers couldn’t repay debts
  • banks throughout the country it filed mortgages were foreclosed
77
Q

Positive geographical impacts of westward expansion 3

A
  • country expanded from the Atlantic to pacific coast as stated in manifest destiny
  • led to population growth from 38 million in 1869 to 92 million in1899
  • 13 colonies expanded into many states and territories
78
Q

positive social impacts of westward expansion 3

A
  • people wanted to escape overcrowding in east
  • persecuted groups such as mormons could escape
  • place for those in Irish famine
79
Q

negative social impacts of westward expansion 3

A
  • lawlessness and alcoholism in 1873 there were 537 saloons in San Francisco alone
  • played a role in sectional tension and the civil war of 1861-65 as there was conflict over slavery and expansion into new territories such as Kansas Nebraska act 1854 and Missouri Compromise 1840
  • destroyed native Americans lifestyle and livelihood
80
Q

positive political impacts of westward expansion 3

A
  • political parties used it to gain popularity
  • financed large scale infrastructure projects - transcontinental railway
  • federal government could challenge others
81
Q

negative political impacts of westward expansion 1

A

-not everyone agreed on how the west should expand
north v south
kansas Nebraska act 1854

82
Q

positive cultural impact of westward expansion 3

A
  • new regions were discovered and mapped
  • scientific and geographical understanding
  • yellowstone national park 1872 an attempt to protect forests
83
Q

negative cultural impact of westward expansion 3

A
  • large scale deforestation
  • mining areas that were significant to native Americans -black hills of Dakota
  • Native American land seized and livelihoods destroyed
84
Q

further railway expansion 5

A
  • northern pacific 1883 from Duluth Minnesota to Portland Oregon
  • southern pacific 1883 from New Orleans to Florida
  • great northern in 1893 from st Paul Minnesota to Seattle
  • Kansas City to Los Angeles and San Diego in 1884

-by 1900 there were 139,200 km of track laid

85
Q

building the transcontinental railway 6

A
  • Native American attacks
  • lawlessness
  • Union Pacific company had built 1738 km and the central pacific 1102 km
  • in may 1869 the two lines met at promontory point in Utah
  • faced Sierra Nevada mountains
  • workers from Ireland , 12000 Chinese
86
Q

pacific railroad act 4

A
  • southerners wanted a southern route northerners wanted a northern route
  • they agreed on a central route
  • July 1862 chartered the Union Pacific company to build westward from Omaha. the central pacific company to build eastward from Sacramento
  • given land grants a 120 metre right of way and 12 square km of land each side for each mile
87
Q

positive economic impacts of the westward expansion 11

A
  • it brought usa vast natural resources with gold silver and timber - gold mining rush
  • large scale infrastructure both cattle and arable
  • business opportunities
  • both transport and communication pacific railroad act July 1862
  • mechanical development
  • mining boosted economy
  • crops and farming fed growing population
  • farming production doubled between 1869 and 1899
  • manufacturing grew six fold
  • by 1900 usa one of the worlds leading economic powers
88
Q

negative economic impacts of westward expansion 5

A
  • east struggled to match the productivity of fertile soil in west
  • farmers struggled to develop sustainable farms- 40% of homesteaders ‘proved up’ their land claim from fed gov
  • bankrupcy and drought resulted in 11,000 homesteads in Kansas repossessed between 1889 and 1893
  • large profits led to corruption and banditry
  • railways resulted in fraud and cronyism