Westward Expansion

Treaty of Paris 1783

Ended Revolutionary war; Colonies are independent; Expanded the U.S west to the Mississippi River

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

Bought from France for $15 million; Doubled size of U.S; Provided access to the Mississippi River for trade and the port of New Orleans; James Monroe and Robert Livingston negotiated with Napoleon.

Florida Treaty (1819)

Given to the U.S. by the Adams-Onis Treaty; Gave Florida to the United States; Defined the southern boundary of the United States; occurred during Monroe presidency

Texas Annexation (1845)

President James K. Polk added Texas as a state; Led to border disputes and the Mexican-American war. The U.S. Declared war against Mexico to defend itself from Mexican aggression

Oregon Treaty (1846)

Also known as Washington Treaty; Settled border dispute with England; Est.49th parallel as the border. Acquired by dividing U.S. and British claims to the territory. First territory to achieve manifest destiny's goal of expanding all the way west to the Pacific Ocean.

Mexican Cession (1848)

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended Mexican-American war; Mexico gave land to the U.S; Solidified U.S. control over the Mexican Cession territories.

Gadsden Purchase (1853)

Last territory purchased for transcontinental railroad; Named after the U.S. minister to Mexico. The Gadsden Purchase increased settlement of the newly acquired Mexican territories by building Railroads in the South

Manifest Destiny

The Democratic party's policy supporting westward expansion; Fulfilled by James K. Polk's election promises.

Causes of Manifest Destiny

Discovery of Gold in California, Abundance of inexpensive farmlands, Access to new markets for selling goods.

Forty-Niners

People who migrated to California during the Gold Rush.

Mormons

Agreed to leave Illinois due to discrimination and persecution; Forced migration violated 1st Amendment. Mormons settled in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Homesteaders

People who traveled west to live, settle, and grow crops in exchange for land given by the government.

New economies of the West

mining for minerals, building railroads, and selling cash crops in the agriculture industry.

Texas, California, and Florida were all colonized by…

Spain

Oregon Trail

Dangerous path from the Missouri River to the Oregon Territory, taken by many settlers.

Texas and California where formely part of…

Mexico