Westward Expansion: 1800s
PART 1: Manifest Destiny & Settling the West (1800 – 1850s)
I. Introduction
A. During the 1800s, the U.S. spread across North America by taking control of territories, or large regions of land (Land Acquisitions)
B. In the 1800s, the lands west of the Mississippi River were claimed by several other nations, including Spain, France, Russia and Great Britain.
C. Many Americans wanted to move into the lands that were controlled by the other countries. Some believed that it was natural and right for the United States to take over these territories. They said it was fate, or our Manifest Destiny, to expand westward.
D. American leaders used different methods for adding, annexing, the different territories. Some of the methods include buying, making agreements (treaties) or adding the land after fighting a war.
II. U.S. in 1783
A. U.S. controlled all the land from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River due to their victory in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain.
B. Settlers began moving westward into lands where only Native Americans had been living. Some wanted to go further past the Mississippi River.
C. A variety of reasons pushed Americans into wanting the land beyond their boundaries: increased population, more land for farming, more opportunities for jobs & work, more natural resources (wood, minerals, water), and safety from attacks by other countries.
III. Louisiana Purchase (1803)
A. In an agreement made by President Thomas Jefferson the U.S. bought most of the land from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains.
B. Gave control of the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans to Americans.
C. Doubled the size of the United States.
D. Created a place (Indian Territory) to forcibly move Native Americans too as more American settlers moved westward.
IV. Florida Acquisition (1819)
A. Controlled by Spain; a haven for runaway slaves from Georgia; Seminoles raided settlements in Georgia
B. General Andrew Jackson invaded Florida; he blew up runaway slave hideouts, attacked Seminoles, and took over Spanish territory. Spain gave the U.S. Florida.
C. Seminoles were forced into a war to defend their land; eventually they were forced to accept their loss and move westward.
V. Texas Annexation (1845)
A. Spain controlled Mexico and most of the Southwestern parts of North America
B. Most of the people in TX were Native Americans
C. To increase the population of settlers who would be farmers, ranchers, pay taxes and spread the Catholic religion they offered free land to Americans who would come and settle in TX
D. By 1830 – more than 20,000 Americans had settled in TX – many of who wanted TX to be part of the U.S.
E. 1835 – fighting broke out b/w American settlers in TX and the Mexican Gov’t.
F. the Texans won by capturing Santa Anna (the leader of the Mexican Army)
G. Texas worked for Nine years to be annexed by the U.S. (1845)– during that time most Mexicans lost their lands and gov’t positions
VI. Oregon Country (1846)
A. James Polk became President in 1844 and he promised to take control of all of Oregon Country (split b/w the U.S., Great Britain & Russia)
B. The area contained many more Americans than British or Canadians so Britain gave up claim to all land below the 49 Degree Latitude.
C. Due to the American gov’t giving land to settlers, many Native Americans were displaced, or told that land they had lived and hunted on for hundreds of years was no longer there’s – this led to many years of fighting b/w the natives, settlers and the army.
VII. Mexican Cession (1848)
A. Mexico wanted TX back and wanted to protect CA from America
B. 1846 – a war began in south TX; after two years and many deaths on both sides Mexico surrendered.
C. Mexico ceded the land (for $15million from the U.S.) that includes present-day: UT, CA, NM, NV (as well as parts of 4 other states)
D. Many American farmers, ranchers, and miners moved into the new American territories
E. Many of the newcomers treated the Native Americans and former Mexican citizens poorly – they ignored prior land claims, gave them poor jobs – wars were fought against different Native American groups which led to many being forced onto reservations.
PART II: Diverse Peoples of the West
I. Introduction
A. Thousands of people moved west during the 1800s, including pioneers, Mormons, gold miners, and new immigrants
B. Many new settlers did not care how their actions affected the people who already lived in the West, such as Native Americans and former Mexican Citizens
II. The West in the Mid 1800s
A. Stories in books, magazines and newspapers encouraged thousands to move westward
B. Land was cheap or free; Many families who could not afford to own or build their own farm in the East could move West
C. How did they get there:
1. On ships that took them around the tip of South America and back to the CA coast
2. Many crossed by land – on wagon trains, coaches, horse and by foot – this was the most dangerous and difficult – although it was the cheapest way to go west
D. Land was often already controlled/or owned by former Mexican citizens or Native Americans – whose claims were often ignored by the new settlers and the American gov’t.
III. Mexicanos
A. Spanish speakers who lost their citizenship to Mexico when America won the War with Mexico in 1848.
B. Many owned land grants called ranchos, which were devoted to cattle raising and worked by highly skilled vaqueros (cowboys); many grew all their own food –fruit and veggies
C. U.S. gov’t did not protect Mexicanos’ property, and many newcomers claimed rancho land for themselves, or burned crops and shot cattle.
IV. Forty-Niners
A. Men and a few women who left their families and jobs to race West to find GOLD!
Many returned home no richer than when they left – or some stayed to start farms or businesses.
B. Some were escaped slaves who like the others hoped to get rich quick
C. Miners had a hard and lonely life; lived in tents and shacks, ate cheaply
D. Storekeepers in the mining towns made more money than most miners by selling food, tools and supplies at high prices
E. No gov’t in the gold fields; their were many arguments, violence & death
V. Chinese Immigrants
A. More than 25,000 immigrants sailed to CA during the 1850s
B. Many left China to earn money for their families and then return home
C. Many white Americans saw the Chinese as foreigners b/c they had different customs and languages; Some of them accused the Chinese of taking their jobs for less pay; some were forced to leave town or were attacked & murdered
D. As Miners
1. Once in CA they invented new ways to mine using tools & machines
2. Many American miners were jealous – they convinced the gov’t to tax foreign miners – they also used threats and violence to convince the new immigrants to leave the mines
E. As Railroad Workers
1. Many found work helping to build the first transcontinental railroad
2. They were paid less than other workers
3. Worked longer hours and did more dangerous jobs
F. Other jobs
1. opened stores, became farmers and fishermen
VI. Mormons
A. Thousands moved west to find religious freedom; led by Brigham Young in 1846; settled near the Great Salt Lake in UT
B. They wanted to create their own community based on their religious principles
C. They were forced to move several times b/c non-Mormons were afraid they were becoming too powerful and b/c of their practice of polygamy
D. Traveling by wagon train or on foot; As they went they build cabins, dug wells and planted crops for later followers
E. They irrigated, built dams, planted crops and built a planned city, organized their own political party and made their own laws
VII. Oregon Pioneers & the Nez Perce
A. Oregon Pioneers
1. Fur traders traveled east from Oregon territory in the 1840s telling about the fertile land for farming and the gold for mining
2. About 10,000 pioneers had traveled to Oregon by wagon train by 1845
3. Many travelers caught diseases and many died on the trail
4. Trails passed through friendly and hostile Native American lands – many natives were worried about the grass the pioneers’ cattle ate and the buffalo that they slaughtered for sport
B. Nez Perce
1. One tribe that lived in Oregon Territory; Led by a famous Chief Joseph
2. Peaceful, nomadic
3. Their land was taken by the U.S. gov’t due to the increase in settlers who wanted to permanently farm or mine on the land
4. Eventually forced onto a reservation after fighting to remain free; many died from starvation and disease
PART III: Settling the Great Plains (1860s – 1890s)
I. Introduction
A. Even as late as the 1870s, many Americans had no idea of what life was like West of the Mississippi River – they thought of its as a large desert where savage tribes lived – this was an extremely inaccurate picture but one that led to stereotypes and prejudice led decisions to be made by many in gov’t
B. The Plains were occupied by many different tribes that were distinctive and highly developed
II. Culture of the Plains Indians
A. Some tribes were nomadic while others built some towns and were farmers
B. They had their own gov’t/laws, languages and produced tools and clothing; practiced their religion; leaders of a tribe ruled by council and land was held in common for the use of the whole tribe.
C. Many nomadic tribes lived in tepees, raised horses and hunted buffalos (which provided the basic needs and was extremely important to life on the plains
III. More Settlers Move West
A. Settlers had different customs/beliefs than the Native Americans
1. owning land, mining or starting a business gave them a stake in America
2. believed that the Native tribes had given up right to the Plains b/c they did not settle on it to improve it (farm/build towns, etc.)
3. Many were recent immigrants from Ireland, Germany, and Poland
B. Many settlers moved West along the newly built railroad lines and old wagon trails
C. Gold was discovered in Colorado in 1858 drawing even more people west; In 1874, its discovered in the Black Hills (part of Oregon Territory)
IV. Government Restrictions on Native Americans
A. As more settlers move westward gov’t policy changed towards Natives
B. Treaties were created limited tribes to specific areas called reservations
C. Native Americans begin to attack settlers who try to claim their land
D. Massacres occur between the army, settlers and native tribes
E. Treaty of Fort Laramie forces Sioux onto a reservation on the Missouri River in 1868
F. Other wars broke out b/w troops/settlers and other tribes (Comanche, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Arapho) after their leaders appealed to the federal gov’t to stop settlers from moving onto their land
1. These led to one famous massacre – Custer’s Last Stand/Little Bighorn (1876)– Sitting Bull a famous Sioux tribal leader leads tribesmen into a battle against Custer and the 7th Calvary w/in an hour the cavalry and Custer are all dead
2. Battle of Wounded Knee (1890)– brought on by the refusal to allow Sioux on the reservations to perform their Ghost Dance – 7th cavalry officers rounded up 350 starving & freezing Sioux – unarmed and including many children they were slaughtered when a gunshot was heard. It was the end of the Indian Wars
V. Assimilation
A. Many Americans believed that Native Americans should be forced to give up their tribal ways and become a part of white culture
B. Dawes Act of 1887 – “Americanize” the Native Americans
1. broke up reservations into individual units; sold the remainder to give money to the natives to buy equipment (they never received any money from the sale of these lands)
2. led to 2/3rds of Native land being taken away by 1932
C. Buffalo Hunters destroyed the Plains Indians’ main source of food, clothing, shelter and fuel, which led to the breakdown of Plains Indians way of life
VI. Ranching, the Cowboy and Open Range
A. Ranching
1. Cattle and horses were very suited to the Great Plains
2. After the Civil War, demand for beef increased due to increased population
3. Settlers came west to Ranch on the open range
3. Cattlemen created routes to drive their cattle to the railroad junctions to be shipped back East
4. In 1867, Chisholm Trail became the major cattle route from San Antonio thru Okla. To KS - More than 75,000 head of cattle were being driven up the Chisholm Trail
B. Cowboys
1. Worked non-stop, usually didn’t own their own horse, just the saddle
2. Participate in long cattle drives (in- charge of up to 300 cattle)
3. Hard work – little rest – slept outside on the ground, bathed in rivers, etc.
C. Open Range
1. Ranchers drove their cattle on the open range they did not fence their land
2. Invention of barbed wire, overgrazing, extended bad weather brought an end to the open range
VII. Settlers Move Westward to Farm
A. Railroads Impact
1. The invention of the Railroad led to the opening of land in the West as companies were given large land tracts by the Federal gov’t if they would build railroads