Social Studies stuff

What was the significance of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803?

It doubled the nation's land area and gave the United States control of the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans.

Who was sent by President Jefferson to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans?

James Monroe.

What was the outcome of the negotiations for New Orleans in 1803?

The United States ended up purchasing all of Louisiana for $15 million.

What was one major concern for American farmers regarding Louisiana being returned to France?

Farmers worried Napoleon would close the port of New Orleans to American goods.

What was a main reason Mexico and the United States went to war in 1846?

Mexico considered the annexation of Texas an act of war and there were disputes over the border.

What treaty ended the Mexican-American War and what did it accomplish?

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ceded Texas and the Mexican Cession to the United States.

What was the Gadsden Purchase?

A purchase of land from Mexico in 1853 for $10 million, aimed at providing a southern route for the railroad.

Why did many Americans support the annexation of Texas?

They believed Texas was fertile land suitable for cotton production and many were enslavers looking to expand slavery.

What led to the rise of tensions between American settlers and the Mexican government in Texas?

Complaints over governance, language barriers, and the outlawing of slavery by the Mexican government.

What was the outcome of the Battle of the Alamo?

All Texan defenders were killed and the battle stirred further resentment among Texans against Mexican rule.

Who were the two leaders of the Texan forces during the Battle of the Alamo?

William Travis and James Bowie.

What was one slogan associated with the presidential campaign of 1844 regarding Oregon?

'All of Oregon or none!' or 'Fifty-four forty or fight!'

What major geographic feature did Jedediah Smith discover that facilitated travel to Oregon?

South Pass through the Rocky Mountains.

How did the United States acquire Florida?

Through the Adams-Onís Treaty in 1819 after Andrew Jackson invaded and removed the Spanish governor.

What was the historical significance of the phrase 'manifest destiny'?

It was the belief that the expansion of the United States across the American continents was both justified and inevitable.

What was the impact of the Mexican Cession?

The U.S. acquired territories that would become California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.

In what year was Texas admitted as the 28th state of the United States?

1845.

What event initiated the Mexican-American War?

The Mexican troops firing on U.S. troops at the Rio Grande.

How did President Polk justify the war with Mexico?

He claimed that Mexico had invaded American territory and shed American blood.

What was one major consequence of the Mexican-American War for Mexico?

Mexico lost half of its territory as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

What were the conditions of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo for the United States?

The U.S. paid $15 million and promised to protect the rights of Mexicans in the ceded territories.