APUSH Manifest Destiny Matching Quiz

John L. O'Sullivan

Journalist who coined Manifest Destiny, advocating U.S. expansion as a divine mission.

Moses Austin

Secured a Mexican land grant to settle Texas, paving the way for U.S. migration.

Stephen Austin

Led U.S. settlers to Texas, sparking tensions with Mexico and the Texas Revolution.

Antonio López de Santa Anna

Mexican dictator; defeated at San Jacinto, forced to recognize Texas independence.

James K. Polk

President who expanded U.S. territory, securing Texas, Oregon, and California.

Henry Clay

Whig leader who helped draft the Compromise of 1850 to ease sectional tensions.

Zachary Taylor

General in the Mexican-American War; later elected U.S. President.

Winfield Scott

Led the U.S. army to victory in Mexico City during the Mexican-American War.

John C. Frémont

Led the Bear Flag Revolt, declaring California independent from Mexico.

Matthew C. Perry

Opened trade with Japan through the 1854 Kanagawa Treaty.

Nicholas Trist

Negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending the Mexican-American War.

David Wilmot

Introduced the Wilmot Proviso to ban slavery in territories gained from Mexico.

William Walker

Adventurer who attempted to establish a pro-slavery regime in Nicaragua.

Millard Fillmore

President who supported and signed the Compromise of 1850 into law. Zachary Taylor's VP

Stephen A. Douglas

Illinois senator who pushed the Compromise of 1850 through Congress.

Manifest Destiny

The belief that the U.S. was divinely destined to expand across North America, driving policies and conflicts over land and slavery.

Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842)

Settled the Maine-Canada border and resolved the Minnesota boundary, securing U.S. claims to iron-rich land.

Adams-Onís Treaty (1819)

Agreement where Spain ceded Florida and gave up claims to Oregon.

Kanagawa Treaty (1854)

Opened two Japanese ports to U.S. ships, starting trade after over two centuries of Japanese isolation.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

Ended the Mexican-American War, confirmed Texas's border at the Rio Grande, and ceded California and New Mexico to the U.S. for $15 million.

Wilmot Proviso (1846)

Proposed banning slavery in any land gained from Mexico; passed the House but failed in the Senate.

Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850)

U.S. and Britain agreed not to claim exclusive control over a potential Central American canal. an agreement that stated that both the United States and the United Kingdom were not to colonize or control any Central American republic. The purpose of this agreement was to prevent one country from building a canal across Central America.

Compromise of 1850

Admitted California as a free state, allowed popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico, banned the slave trade in D.C., and enforced stricter fugitive slave laws.

Gadsden Purchase (1853)

Bought land from Mexico for $10 million to build a southern transcontinental railroad, creating the southern border of New Mexico and Arizona.

Ostend Manifesto (1854)

Secret U.S. plan to purchase or seize Cuba from Spain; abandoned after public backlash.

Texas Revolution (1836)

Texans rebelled against Mexican rule, achieving independence after the Battle of San Jacinto.

Battle of the Alamo (1836)

Mexican forces killed all Texan defenders in a symbolic stand for independence.

Battle of San Jacinto (1836)

Sam Houston's forces defeated Santa Anna, securing Texas independence.

Annexation of Texas (1845)

Texas joined the U.S., leading to tensions with Mexico.

Aroostook War (1839-1842)

Border dispute between Maine and Canada resolved by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty.

Oregon Trail Migration (1840s)

Thousands traveled west seeking fertile land, particularly in Oregon.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

Sparked by Texas annexation and border disputes, ending with major U.S. territorial gains.

Bear Flag Revolt (1846)

U.S. settlers declared California an independent republic during the Mexican-American War.

California Gold Rush (1848)

Gold discovery brought massive migration and rapid population growth to California.

Walker Expedition (1855-1860)

William Walker's failed attempt to establish a pro-slavery empire in Central America.

Nashville Convention (1850)

Southern leaders met to discuss secession amid debates over slavery and new territories.

Election of 1844

James K. Polk won on a pro-expansion platform, emphasizing Manifest Destiny.

Election of 1848

Focused on slavery in new territories; Zachary Taylor narrowly won against divided opposition.

Stephen Kearney

Leading a force that never exceeded 1,500, he succeeded in taking the New Mexico territory and southern California.

William H. Seward

Antislavery senator from New York who opposed compromises that allowed the expansion of slavery, citing a higher law than the Constitution. Purchased Alaska

John Jacob Astor

Established a fur trading post in Astoria, Oregon, in 1811, aiding U.S. territorial claims.

Captain Robert Gray

Explored the Columbia River in 1792, forming part of the U.S. claim to the Oregon Territory.

Lewis and Clark

Led the 1805 expedition to the Pacific Coast

Oregon Treaty

agreement with the British to divide the Oregon territory at the 49th parallel

The Great American Desert

The arid region between the Mississippi Valley and the Pacific Coast

Fur Traders

The earliest nonnative individuals to open the Far West.

James Beckwourth, Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, and Jedediah Smith

explorers and trappers who provided much of the early information about trails and frontier conditions to later settlers.

Preemption Acts

gave squatters the right to settle public lands and purchase them for low prices once the government put them up for sale.

John Slidell

A diplomat sent by Polk to buy California, New Mexico, and Texas from the Mexicans, and settle the Mexico-Texas border. Mexico rejected his offer and Polk sent Taylor's army into Mexico

Polk used this incident to justify sending his prepared war message to Congress

a Mexican army crossed the Rio Grande and captured an American army patrol, killing 11.

Bear Flag Republic

After John C. Fremont declared California to be independent from Mexico, the new republic's flag included a California grizzly bear, it became known as the __________________________

Franklin Pierce

Elected president in 1852, adopted pro-southern policies. Sent American diplomats to secretly negotiate purchasing Cuba from Spain. He also did the Gadsden Purchase

Free-Soil Party

A political party dedicated to stopping the expansion of slavery, and wanted land grants to small farmers

Lewis Cass

Proposed the idea of popular sovereignty

Sam Houston

Led Texas forces to victory at San Jacinto; first president of the Republic of Texas.

William Henry Harrison

Briefly U.S. President in 1841; his death left annexation efforts to John Tyler.

John Tyler

Annexed Texas as president, fearing British influence in the region.

Daniel Webster

Negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, settling U.S.-Canada border disputes.

Lord Alexander Ashburton

British ambassador who worked with Webster on the Maine boundary dispute.

Barnburners

Nickname for the Free-Soil party because they could destroy the democratic party