Manifest Destiny Flashcards
Manifest Destiny
19th century belief it was America’s God given destiny to settle the continent of North America (spread their superior culture)
John O’ Sullivan
American columnist who coined the term “Manifest Destiny”
Trailblazers
Mountain men who created east-to-west passage routes for western settlement.
Overlander – Someone who travels overland to the West
Oregon Trail
trail from Independence, Missouri to the West Coast
Tejano
Native inhabitants of Texas (Spanish speaking)
Empresarios
American plantation owners who are given land grants by the Mexican gov’t to grow cotton (land agent)
Texian
An American living in Mexican owned Texas
Stephen F. Austin
1st and most successful empresario
Sam Houston
- Military leader of the Texians
- 1st President of independent Texas nation
Santa Anna
Dictator and military leader of Mexico during the Mexican-American War
The Alamo
(in modern day San Antonio)
1. Spanish mission/church where a group of Texians make their last stand
2. Becomes a symbol of Texan & American independence
3. Heavy losses for Mexicans; eventually win and kill almost all survivors
Battle of San Jacinto River
- American victory where Santa Anna agrees to give away Texas for his life
- Treaty of Velasco = Texas ; Mexican legislature doesn’t accept
Lone Star Republic (1836-1844)
Texas as an independent country
Annexation
President Tyler adds Texas as a state in 1844 before his term ends
James K. Polk
- Nicknamed “Young Hickory”
- “Dark Horse” candidate (Democrat)
- strong believer of Manifest Destiny (Texas, Oregon, & California)
“Who is James K. Polk”
Henry Clay’s arrogant Presidential slogan for the 1844 Presidential election
Oregon Treaty (1846)
Cut Oregon Territory in ½ between the U.S. and Britain @ the 49th parallel
Nueces River
What Mexico claimed is the southern border Texas
Rio Grande
What U.S. claimed is the southern border of Texas
Stephen Kearny
- “Long March” from New Mexico to coast of southern California
- cuts off American part of Mexican territory
John C. Fremont
Captured northern California and declares it the Bear Flag Republic
Bear Flag Republic (1846)
Independent northern California country after the overthrow of Mexican authority
Winfield Scott
“Old Fuss and Feathers”; American war general who captured Mexico City
Zachary Taylor
“Old Rough and Ready”; American war general who led an attack on northern Mexico
Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
- Treaty that ends of Mexican-American war
- Texas southern border = Rio Grande River
- U.S. gets the Southwest and West for $15 million (California & New Mexico)
Mexican Cession
Land that the U.S. gained from the Mexican-American War treaty (former Mexican territories of California and New Mexico)
Gold Rush
(49ers) Men seeking fortune mining gold in California during 1849
Gadsden Purchase (1853)
the U.S. purchases a tract of land in the Southwest from the Mexican gov’t for $10 million to build the railroad
Wilmot Proviso
popular sovereignty in new territories (New Mexico and Utah)
Compromise of 1850
proposed by Henry Clay
1. California = Free State
2. remainder of Mexican Cession divided into 2 territories = Utah and New Mexico; settlers in these territories decide slavery on majority vote = Popular Sovereignty
3. No slave trade in Washington, D.C. ; slave holding is O.K.
4. Strong Fugitive Slave Law
