Copy of ExpansionStudyGuide

Key Terms

• Market Revolution: Shift from self-sufficiency to purchasing goods.

• Tejanos: Individuals of Mexican descent living in Texas.

• Gold Rush:

• James Marshall: American carpenter credited with discovering gold at John Sutter's Mill.

• Specialization: Focusing on a specific task or production in industries, enhancing efficiency.

• Empresarios: Individuals who promoted settlement in Texas by bringing in settlers.

• Forty-Niners: Nickname for gold seekers who flocked to California in 1849.

• Capitalism: Economic system based on private ownership and the free market.

• Santa Anna: Mexican general known for his role in the Texas Revolution.

• John C. Fremont: Lead expeditions in the West and played a role in California's independence.

• Entrepreneurs: Business innovators and risk-takers who capitalized on new opportunities.

• Texas Revolution: Conflict from 1835-1836 that resulted in Texas' independence from Mexico.

• Spot Resolution: Abraham Lincoln's proposal seeking to determine the exact spot where American blood was shed during conflicts with Mexico.

• Telegraph: Communication technology that revolutionized long-distance messages.

• Alamo: Historic battle site during the Texas Revolution.

• Stephen Kearny: American military officer known for leading forces into New Mexico and California.

• John Deere: Inventor of the steel plow that greatly aided farming.

• Lone Star Republic: Independent nation of Texas prior to its annexation by the U.S.

• Republic of California: Short-lived independence movement in California amidst the Gold Rush.

• Cyrus McCormick: Inventor of the mechanical reaper, transforming harvest efficiency.

• Sam Houston: Key leader during the Texas Revolution and first president of the Lone Star Republic.

• Winfield Scott: General who led the U.S. to victory in the Mexican-American War.

• Manifest Destiny: Belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across North America.

• Annex: To incorporate territory into an existing political unit.

• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: Treaty ending the Mexican-American War; ceded vast territories to the U.S.

• Black Hawk War: Conflict between the U.S. and Native Americans in Illinois/Wisconsin.

• James K. Polk: U.S. president during the Mexican-American War, strong advocate of Manifest Destiny.

• Gadsden Purchase: Agreement where the U.S. bought land from Mexico for southern railroads.

• Treaty of Fort Laramie: 1851 treaty between U.S. and several Native American tribes.

• John Slidell: Diplomat sent to negotiate the purchase of California and New Mexico.

• Fifty-Four Forty or Fight: Slogan referring to the northern border of Oregon territory claimed by the U.S.

• Santa Fe Trail: Important trade route connecting Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico.

• Zachary Taylor: U.S. General and president who played a key role in the Mexican-American War.

• Stephen F. Austin: Leader of the early Texas settlers and promoter of the Texas territory.

• Middle Ground: Area of ambiguous territorial control and cultural exchange.

• Mormon Trail: Route taken by Mormons moving to Utah.

• Joseph Smith: Founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.

• Oregon Trail: Route taken by thousands in the 1840s to migrate to Oregon Territory.

• Brigham Young: Successor to Joseph Smith and leader of the Mormons to Utah.

• Mexican-American War: Conflict between the U.S. and Mexico from 1846 to 1848.

• Wilmot Proviso: Proposal to ban slavery in territory acquired from Mexico.

Essential Questions

1. Effects of Changes: Between 1820 and 1850, advancements in manufacturing, transportation, and communication transformed American lives by:

   • Introducing new inventions that enhanced productivity (e.g., telegraph, McCormick's reaper, and Deere's plow).

   • Changing agriculture and industries, encouraging specialization and leading to economic interdependence among regions.

2. Territorial Expansion: The U.S. expanded its territory in the 1830s and 1840s through:

   • The pursuit of Manifest Destiny, a belief in the nation’s divine right to spread across the land.

   • Settling areas like Texas, Oregon, and California, influenced by events like the Gold Rush and conflicts such as the Mexican-American War.

   • Controversial treatment of Native Americans and territorial disputes with neighboring countries.