Westward expansion Flashcards
Land Purchases Important for westward expansion
Louisiana Purchase: April 1803 (Jefferson)
- $15 million for 828,000 miles^2
- Added 15 states in December 1803
Gadsden Purchase: 1853 (Pierce)
- 30,000 miles for $10 million
Land Purchases Limited in Importance:
Louisiana Purchase: December 1803
- $15 million is nearly 2x the federal governments annual expenditure.
- Increase debt and slow down yearly progress and expansion
Gadsden Purchase: 1853 (Pierce)
- Aimed to build railroads through Arizona, Cuba, New Mexico
- Cuba never acquired
- Expansionist and pro-slavery
Importance of Territorial / Aggressive expansion
Florida:
believed it would be used as a base for attack + refuge for runaway slaves + US politicians argued that Florida had been apart of the Louisiana Purchase.
- September 1810: Settlers seized Baton Rouge and proclaimed republic of west Florida. October - Madison occupied in response.
- 1812 west Florida became a state.
- 1813 US forces took the rest of west Florida.
- 1819 Adams-Onis treaty.
- Gained Oregon Territory (above 42nd parallel)
- 66,000 miles for $5 million
Texas:
- Mexican War of Independence 1821 left border disputes at the Sabine River (set in 1819). Texas became apart of Mexico.
- Joined Union July 1845 under Tyler
California + New Mexico + Colorado… (7 states):
- $500,000 (2/5ths of present) in February 1848 at Treaty of Fort Guadalupe
Limitations of aggressive expansion
Florida:
- Took 9 years as opposed to 1 year
Negotiations with Spanish minister Onís started in 1817 with Secretary of State John Quincy Adams
Texas:
- Took 10 years to become a state.
Due to the problem of slavery and territorial wars that occurred during the expansion
- 1812: Seminole Wars
Only in South
Communications importance for westward expansion:
Communications limitations for westward expansion:
Fur trade/mountain men importance for westward expansion:
Astor’s American Fur Company (1808)
- Opened by Astor (a German immigrant)
- By 1830 one of the wealthiest industries in country.
Mountain men:
Jim Bridger - first to see what is now Utahs great Salt Lake
John Colter joined Lewis and Clark expedition + first to see what is now Yellowstone National Park
John Turner curvived 3 Native American massacres and led 2nd rescue effort for Donner Party.
- Trappers opened trails from Appalachians to Rockies
- Jed Smith found South
Pass through the Rockies (used in Oregon and California trails) + first to cross Sierra Nevada
- Government spent £30,000 to create a map and open route to the public.
Fur trade/mountain men limitations for westward expansion:
Before Astor’s American Fur Company, British dominated industry.
- 1830s
Only lasted until the 1840s when beaver pelts went out of fashion.
Government Acts importance
Government acts limitations
Farming importance
Farming limitations
Ranching/cowboys importance:
Ranching/cowboys limitations
Mining importance
Comstock Lode Nevada:
- After 20 decades gold and silver yield was $350 million
- 1877 Lucky Cuss silver mine in Arizona ($1,500)
Coal mines (Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado)
- Coal for factories and trains
Lead and Zinc mines (Colorado, Idaho and Montana)
Multiple states explored: across century
- 1848-9 California
- 1858-9 Colorado (Pikes Peak)
- 1870 (Leadville in Colorado) and (Creede and Cripple Creek)
- Early 1870s Black Hills of Dakota
Between 1848-49: 762 ships left Eastern ports for San Francisco
Mining limitations
Young/transient men
- Saloon keepers
- Prostitutes
- California (Sidney Ducks a gang)
1873, Virginia City:
- 20,000 people
- Men outnumbered women 3 to 1
- 131 saloons
Mining towns:
- Cripple Creek
- Ashcroft
Reverse Mining limitations:
But Crime led to Lawyers, ministers settling.
- Informal Codes of Law
- Vigilante committees
Permanent towns created:
- Deadwood (controlled by Homestake Mining)
- Tombstone
- Dakota
California grew 15,000 - 300,000 in 1848 - 1855
