Westward Expansion - Chapter 12

These flashcards cover important terms and definitions related to westward expansion in American history, specifically from Chapter 12 of the American Republic.

What is Manifest Destiny?

The belief that God intended for Americans to have all of the western lands to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Who were the mountain men?

Trappers and traders who lived in the Rockies and trapped animals themselves or bought pelts from the Indians.

What did Jedediah Smith contribute to westward expansion?

He located the most useful pass, the South Pass through the mountains.

Who were Marcus and Narcissa Whitman?

Missionaries who took the gospel to the West.

What was the Santa Fe Trail?

A major westward route that was based on some of the trails blazed by earlier mountain men; primarily a trade route.

Who was Stephen Austin?

A Missourian who got permission from Mexico in 1821 to take three hundred American families to Texas.

Who was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna?

A Mexican president who decided to enforce the law in Texas by sending troops there.

What was The Alamo?

An abandoned mission in San Antonio, Texas, scene of a vicious attack by Santa Anna, leaving only 3 survivors.

What happened at the Battle of San Jacinto?

A significant battle that lasted only 20 minutes, where Texans killed or captured almost the entire Mexican army of 1,400.

What is meant by Lone Star Republic?

Texas declared its independence and stood alone for 9 years, applying for admission to the Union but denied.

What is Annexation?

The formal process of joining the Union.

Who was James K. Polk?

A Democrat from Tennessee who promised 'All of Oregon, All of Texas' and won the presidency in 1844.

What was the Oregon Trail?

The most important trail for settlers going west, going from Astoria, Oregon to Missouri.

Who were the Mormons?

A religious group that moved west to settle in Utah territory due to offensive teachings.

Who was Brigham Young?

The new leader of the Mormons after Joseph Smith’s death, who led 12,000 Mormons to the Great Salt Lake.

What was the California Gold Rush?

A rush of settlers who headed west to California to find gold.

Who were the Forty-niners?

More than 80,000 gold-seeking settlers who rushed to California in 1849.

Who was Zachary Taylor?

A general sent by President Polk to defend the southern border of Texas from Mexico.

What was the Mexican War?

The U.S. declared war against Mexico in 1846 to fulfill Manifest Destiny by seizing California and New Mexico.

Who was Charles Fremont?

Called the Pathfinder, he led efforts to take California from Mexico during the Bear Flag Revolution.

What was the Bear Flag Revolution?

Led by Captain Charles Fremont, a group raised a flag with a grizzly bear over Sonoma as a declaration during the war.

What was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?

The treaty that ended the war with Mexico, making the Rio Grande the southern border of the U.S.

What is the Mexican Cession?

The land added by the treaty which included future states and was acquired for about $20 million.

What was the Gadsen Purchase?

A purchase negotiated by James Gadsen of land on the New Mexico and Arizona border for $10 million.

What was the Wilmot Proviso?

A proposal to ban slavery in all territory gained during the war; it failed.

What was the Compromise of 1850?

A compromise admitting California as a free state but allowing other territories to decide slavery issues for themselves.

What is Popular Sovereignty?

The concept allowing territories to decide the issue of slavery for themselves.

Who was Millard Fillmore?

Vice president who became president in 1850 after Zachary Taylor's death.

Who was Senator Stephen Douglas?

A senator who pushed the Compromise of 1850 through to passage.

What does the term Doughfaces refer to?

Northern Democrats willing to compromise on slavery in the 1850s.

Who was Franklin Pierce?

A doughface Democrat who won the presidential election in 1852.