Westward Expansion Flashcards
1) What does Manifest Destiny mean?
The belief popular in the United States during the 1800s that the country must expand west from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
2) Why did Americans want to expand to the Pacific Ocean?
-Land and opportunity
-Spread freedom and democracy
-Future for America
-James K. Polk was the president who believed in Manifest Destiny
3) What impact did Westward Expansion have on Native Americans?
-They fought back against expansion
-They were moved to reservations so settlers could have their land instead
4) How did the majority of Americans move West?
Covered wagon trains on the trails like the Oregon Trail
5) How did the Adams-Onis Treaty help further Westward Expansion?
-Spain agreed to set the limits of their territory at what is now California’s northern border and to give up all claims to Oregon
-The rest of Oregon was gained by the Oregon Treaty with Britain. It stated that all land below the 49th parallel would belong to America and all land above would belong to Britain
6) Who are “mountain men” and why were they living on the frontier?
-The men living in the Oregon Territory
-Earned a living by fur trading
7) What was the result of the Oregon Treaty?
-U.S. and Britain split the land at the 49th parallel
-Britain got the land North of the 49th parallel
-U.S. got the land South of the 49th parallel
8) Why did Americans move into Mexico, specifically the area of Texas?
Mexico offered them land to increase the population and develop/farm the land.
9) What happened at the Alamo? What impact did it have?
-Before the Alamo, Mexico offered land grants to Americans to come live in Texas. Mexico was trying to increase their population by offering them land grants..
-Americans were interested in the farmlands there.
-Americans there did not want to follow Mexican laws, they wanted to be part of America. The Texans
fought for their independence
A battle between Mexico and Texas when Texas was fighting for its independence from Mexico
Mexico wins, all Texans killed
-After that Texan fighters used the slogan “Remember the Alamo” while fighting
10) What is the Lone Star Republic?
-Before Texas became a state, it was its own independent country for 9 years. It was called the Lone
Star Republic
-At first, America did not want Texas to become a state because they allowed slavery there. There was a fear in Congress letting Texas because a state would again cause problems over the slavery issue.
11) What does it mean to annex something?
To add a territory to one’s own territory.
12) Why did the United States fight a war with Mexico?
-Border dispute and Texas being annexed (added) to the United States
-Mexico said the border was the Nueces River and US said it was the Rio Grande River
-President Polk builds forts along the Rio Grande River so Mexico fires the first shots
13) What was the result of the Mexican American War?
-Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed and ended the war
-Mexico cedes (gives up) California, Nevada, Arizona and other areas to the United States for $15 million (called the Mexican Cession)
-Mexico agrees Texas border is the Rio Grande River
-Mexicans are supposed to keep their property
14) What does it mean to cede?
To transfer control of something.
15) Why did the population in California grow and diversify?
-Gold was discovered and people rushed there to become rich
-“California Gold Rush” of 1849
-People from all over came to California - China/Asia, Mexico, Europe, East Coast of America
-San Franscico became a major city
-Agriculture and trade grew
