Moses Austin, a rancher, requested permission to settle in Mexico because no one was living there. Mexico believed they could make an economic profit of of the Americans because they would do the labor for the land to make it usable. The spanish government gave Moses permission to settle in Texas for two reasons. The first was that it would provide a buffer against illegal US settlers and secondly it would help develop the land. Stephen Austin helped settle Americans into the land too. Mexico started to become nervous so they tightened their control over the situation. Mexico imposed two initial conditions on the Americans. The settlers had to become Mexican citizens and had to convert to Roman Catholicism. Mexico later asserted its authority over texas by reaffirming its constitutional prohibition against slavery, established chains of military posts with convict soldiers, restricted trade with the US, and there was no more US immigration. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana overthrew Mexico’s constitutional government and made himself dictator. Santa Ana defeated Texas in the Alamo in 1836. Later the battle of San Jacinto helped Texas gain its independence with the help of Sam Houston who later became the first president of Texas. Many presidents did not address the lone star state because they did not want another slave state. Eventually President John Tyler pushed for Texas to join the union and thus Texas was part of the United States.
Oregon Territory 1846
Oregon was initially controlled by the United States and Britain. After Texas was admitted into the union there was imbalance with the union being more slave state heavy. Congress made an agreement with Britain to divide Oregon to restore the balance between the free and slave states.
Mexican Cession 1848
President James Polk wanted to acquire California from Mexico. Mexico did not give up California which forced Polk to take extreme measures and sent troops under President Taylor to engage in battle against the Mexicans on the border. Americans supported this war through their taxes and it was the first to be fought by American troops on foreign soil. General Santa Ana was defeated but Winfield Scott captured Mexico city. The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo granted the U.S. previous mexican lands and most importantly, parts of Texas and finally California. The land was purchased for $15 million dollars. This promoted more westward expansion.
Gadsden Purchase 1853
After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, tensions were still present between the US and Mexico. The United States decided to purchase Southern Arizona and New Mexico for $10 million dollars for a tiny 29,670 square miles. This purchase was so much money is made the Mexicans leave the US alone. The US finally could build their transcontinental railroad.
Alaska Purchase 1867
This purchase was between Russia and the United States. The cost and responsibilities of this land was a burden for the Russians. They had a huge debt already from the Crimean War. The land was sold for 2 cents per acre. The Americans called the land initially, “Seward's icebox” because Secretary of State William Seward signed a stupid deal with Russian minister. However little did they know it would later profit off its gold.
Level 4: Explain how territorial expansion in American history has both brought Americans together and torn them apart.
John L. O’Sullivan coined the phrase, “Manifest Destiny” to describe the United States’ god given right to take over all the land in the west without any acknowledgement or consideration of who was living there. America's promoted this belief and joined together to fulfill “God's wish.” By 1860, thousands of people supported and moved due to westward expansion. Many people died also of dysentery and cholera. The US was successful in bringing Texas into the union as a slave state in 1845 and Oregon territory in 1846 to balance texas with more free state territories. President Polk helped gain Southwest territories such as California in the Mexican Cession of 1848. Geographically, this territorial expansion displayed the US as an imperial power and was economically profitable too. After the Treaty of Hidalgo Spanish-speaking Mexicans and Native Americans were under US control. Mexicans were seen as inferior to the American settlers and their strong beliefs in westward expansion. These Mexicans and Native Americans were additionally hated for being missonized as Catholic while Nativism was growing on the other coast. A new political party named the “Know nothings” arose from this. Gold was discovered in 1848 and promoted more American settlers to venture west into California. The American population rose dramatically in the West. There were not solely white immigrants but Chinese people who migrated for profits regarding mining and the railroad companies. California is a key example of divided populations. Their constitution addressed whites only. Asians, African Americans, and Native Americans politically had their rights stripped from them. Indians were kicked off of their land if there was any value for it and thousand of their children were sold as slaves. A new political party, “Free Soil” in 1848 limited slavery expansion in the west so more of the white population could be utilized. California admitted itself as a free state into the union. The United States split on their reactions to this. The southerners were not for it. Henry Clay proposed the compromise of 1850 proposing california as a free state, slave trade banned in Washington D.C., new territories joining the union could choose if they wanted to be a free or slave state, and harsher slave laws. Ironically, made Americans did not care about what was happening in the West. “Remember the Alamo” was not a concern for the East coast and midwest. These United State’s differences and not addressing internal problems promoted and escalated the need for civil war. Native Americans and additional immigrant populations were mistreated and forgotten. Although the US seemed to appear to bring Americans together, the country was crumbling due to internal conflicts.