chapter 9 section 2
James K. Polk (1845-1849)
11th President. Supported Manifest Destiny and expanding American Territory. Annexed Texas. Threatened (but avoided) war with Britain over Oregon (54' 40'' or fight). Provoked Mexican-American War to take California and New Mexico territory.
Santa Fe Trail
780 miles from Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico for silver, gold and furs.
Reasons why people moved west
Economic problems, ubundense of land, and merchants sawt new markets
Impact on the nation
Election of 1844 - Democrat - James Knox Polk - 11th President v. Henry Clay - Whig. "Fifty -Four Forty or Fight" - Polk's campaign slogan - refers to US and Great Britain and a dispute over our northern boundary in the Oregon Territory. Compromise - Boundary at the 49th parallel (further south) and it's still the same today.
Fifty-four forty or fight!
Fight!" The slogan referred to the latitude 54 ̊40', the northern limit of the disputed Oregon Territory.
Oregon Trail
Independence Missouri to Portland Oregon - fertile soil and abundant land - for settlers and missionaries. increased trade with Aisa
Treaty of fort Laramie
Native American nations control of the Central Plains, land east of the Rocky Mountains that stretched roughly from the Arkansas River north to Canada. It will maintain good faith anf friendship in creating a peace
Religious Freedom
Oregon Trail used to get to Utah by the Mormons- (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). Joseph Smith - Founded the Church in NY moved to Illinois. Brigham Young - Led the Mormons to Utah to escape religious persecution - polygamy.
Manifest Destiny
Phrase created by a journalist - John L. O'Sullivan a belief that the US was destined to expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean. to express their belief that the United States' destiny was to expand to the Pacific Ocean and into Mexican territory.
Impact on Native Americans
Some forced to move from ancestral lands. Assimilation into white American culture. Warfare - Black Hawk War (August 1832) - In the Illinois a Wisconsin Territories - US troops slaughtered 200 Native Americans. Treaties - Treaty of Fort Laramie - (1851) If they do not attack settlers and allow the building of roads and forts Indians may live in peace in the Central Plains and Rocky Mountains . Most treaties were broken by the US government. Sometimes all were friends - trading partners and guides in the middle ground.
The black Hawk war
Started in 1830 and spread to Wisconsin Native were forced to leave their land
Mormons
a religious community that would play a major role in the settling of the West.
Joseph Smith
and five associates established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Fayette, New York, in 1830. Smith and a growing band of followers decided to move west.
Brigham Young
decided to move his followers beyond the boundaries of the United States.
