Manifest Destiny

Overview

• Definition: Manifest Destiny was the idea that it was America’s destiny to expand across the continent, from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
• Significant in shaping the United States' territorial expansion.

Motivations for Westward Expansion

• Population Growth: Increased demand for new farmland.
• Religious Refuge: Groups such as Mormons fled persecution, settling in areas like Utah.
• Gold Rush: Discovery of gold in California in 1848 attracted many settlers.

Major Land Acquisitions

Louisiana Purchase (1803)

• Background: Post-Revolutionary War, the western border was the Mississippi River.
• Purchase: President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France for $15 million.
• Significance: Doubled the size of the U.S., secured the Mississippi River, and included New Orleans.
• Exploration: Lewis and Clark expedition, guided by Sacagawea, explored the territory.

Acquisition of Florida

• Context: Runaway slaves and Native Americans sought refuge in Spanish Florida.
• Military Action: In 1818, General Andrew Jackson invaded Florida.
• Treaty: Adams-Onís Treaty (1819) led to Spain ceding Florida to the U.S.

Texas

• Settlement: American families settled in Mexican-controlled Texas by the 1820s.
• Conflict: Mexican government banned further American immigration and slavery, sparking the Texas Revolution (1835-1836).
• Independence: Texas became an independent republic after winning at the Battle of San Jacinto.
• Annexation: Entered the U.S. in 1845, following President James Polk's advocacy.

Oregon Territory

• Dispute: Claimed by both the U.S. and Great Britain.
• Resolution: In 1846, the region was divided, with the U.S. obtaining land south of the 49th parallel.

Mexican-American War (1846-1848)

• Cause: Disputed borders and skirmishes used as justification for war.
• Outcome: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, U.S. acquired California, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
• Completion: By 1853, the U.S. had acquired all territory to form the present-day country.

Consequences

• Native American Displacement: Continued expansion led to conflicts with indigenous tribes.
• Debate Over Slavery: Territorial expansion intensified the national debate over slavery, contributing to tensions leading up to the Civil War.