The Louisiana Purchase
In the treaty now known as the Louisiana Purchase, the United States of America purchased approximately 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River from France. Napoleon Bonaparte was the French dictator at the time and was in desperate need of money to stifle an ongoing revolution in his country. This treaty quickly doubled the size of the United States and cost the new-born nation just three cents an acre, adding up to 15 million dollars.
This land was mainly composed of unchartered wilderness, containing fertile soil and extremely important natural resources. The new territory expanded from the Mississippi River to the start of the Rocky Mountains. No borders were firmly established. The only thing mentioned in the treaty was that the territory started at the Mississippi and went north to 31 degrees.
This purchase was extremely important for the young nation of American. It bought the territory that would create fourteen new states in the future, including states like
Colorado and Kansas. On top of that, this started the idea of Manifest Destiny that would spread through America like wildfire.
Besides the obvious territorial gain, there were many other benefits for the United
States from the Louisiana Purchase. First, the United States gained new respect
with the addition of so much territory. They were now a force to be reckoned
with compared to other European powers. On top of that, the United States gained
full control of the Mississippi River, which was a major trading route for many
countries.
This land was mainly composed of unchartered wilderness, containing fertile soil and extremely important natural resources. The new territory expanded from the Mississippi River to the start of the Rocky Mountains. No borders were firmly established. The only thing mentioned in the treaty was that the territory started at the Mississippi and went north to 31 degrees.
This purchase was extremely important for the young nation of American. It bought the territory that would create fourteen new states in the future, including states like
Colorado and Kansas. On top of that, this started the idea of Manifest Destiny that would spread through America like wildfire.
Besides the obvious territorial gain, there were many other benefits for the United
States from the Louisiana Purchase. First, the United States gained new respect
with the addition of so much territory. They were now a force to be reckoned
with compared to other European powers. On top of that, the United States gained
full control of the Mississippi River, which was a major trading route for many
countries.
Lewis and Clark
Soon after the Louisiana Purchase, President Jefferson decided to initiate exploration of this new land. Thomas Jefferson hand-picked a group of experienced men to lead the westward expedition. The group included Meriwether Lewis, who was intelligent and possessed many frontiersman skills. William Clark was chosen on the account that he was a much stronger draftsman and frontiersman. These two men were captains of the expedition. Together, along with 59 other only man, they created the Corps of Discovery.
Jefferson created this group in hopes of finding a water route that link the Missouri River to the Columbia River. This would connect the Pacific Ocean to the
Mississippi River system, creating a water route through the constant. The group set off in the summer of 1804 from Camp words, outside of St. Louis. They spent
the winter upstream in Fort Mandan near the Missouri River. When spring came, the group traveled up the Missouri to Montana and followed the westernmost
tributary, later to be named the Jefferson River. They seem at the Shoshone Indians, a tribe skilled navigating through the dangerous mountains on horse. Once over the Bitterroot Mountains, can you like vessels transported the group down to the mouth of Columbia where they would spend the winter at Fort Clatsop. They soon reached the western coast and then travel back to complete the two-year journey.
Many great things came from the expedition. Primarily, the group set up diplomatic relationships with many Indian tribes in the areas. They learned many of
them are friendly and were even helpful along their journey, such as the Shoshone lending them horses for their expedition. On top of that, William Clark created a series of maps along the way that laid out the landscape of the West. Many scientific specimens were brought back from the journey that gave us an insight into the land in the West. Lastly, this excellent fishing created the first felt the West, which would spiral into hundreds of trails in later years.
Jefferson created this group in hopes of finding a water route that link the Missouri River to the Columbia River. This would connect the Pacific Ocean to the
Mississippi River system, creating a water route through the constant. The group set off in the summer of 1804 from Camp words, outside of St. Louis. They spent
the winter upstream in Fort Mandan near the Missouri River. When spring came, the group traveled up the Missouri to Montana and followed the westernmost
tributary, later to be named the Jefferson River. They seem at the Shoshone Indians, a tribe skilled navigating through the dangerous mountains on horse. Once over the Bitterroot Mountains, can you like vessels transported the group down to the mouth of Columbia where they would spend the winter at Fort Clatsop. They soon reached the western coast and then travel back to complete the two-year journey.
Many great things came from the expedition. Primarily, the group set up diplomatic relationships with many Indian tribes in the areas. They learned many of
them are friendly and were even helpful along their journey, such as the Shoshone lending them horses for their expedition. On top of that, William Clark created a series of maps along the way that laid out the landscape of the West. Many scientific specimens were brought back from the journey that gave us an insight into the land in the West. Lastly, this excellent fishing created the first felt the West, which would spiral into hundreds of trails in later years.
War for Territory
Mexican War
Ten years after revolting and gaining its independence from Mexico, Texas was annexed into the United States Union. This action was taken up by the United States for many reasons. Primarily, it was to prevent the Texans from creating friendly relationships with the British and French and to keep those major European powers out of the Gulf of Mexico and far away from Americans. This almost immediately caused a dispute over the Mexican border.
Americans claimed all the land leading up to Rio Grande, while Mexicans stated that the border was the Nueces River. The Americans were prepared to do anything to get this territory.. They saw two options, pay for the land or fight for it. After repeatedly offering Mexico one million dollars for the territory with no change, the Americans decided to take on the inferior Mexican army. The United States turned out a quick victory and established their border on the Rio Grande. Mexico soon seceded from the California area, leaving it to the United States as well. This war won the land that would soon be blazed by trails such as the Santa Fe, the Oregon and the Mormon.
The most memorable battle of the Mexican War was fought at the Alamo. Mexico was outraged because the Americans in Texas were not abiding by their rules. They sent a note ahead to the Alamo and those who resided in it. The note said that they had to leave, or would be killed. It was a gruesome battle, and in the end, nearly every American who was there was killed by the superior Mexican army. The only ones spared where a woman and some children who were sent to tell the news to the rest of Texas. This started the battle and inspired many Americans to come and help the Texans win their war.
Ten years after revolting and gaining its independence from Mexico, Texas was annexed into the United States Union. This action was taken up by the United States for many reasons. Primarily, it was to prevent the Texans from creating friendly relationships with the British and French and to keep those major European powers out of the Gulf of Mexico and far away from Americans. This almost immediately caused a dispute over the Mexican border.
Americans claimed all the land leading up to Rio Grande, while Mexicans stated that the border was the Nueces River. The Americans were prepared to do anything to get this territory.. They saw two options, pay for the land or fight for it. After repeatedly offering Mexico one million dollars for the territory with no change, the Americans decided to take on the inferior Mexican army. The United States turned out a quick victory and established their border on the Rio Grande. Mexico soon seceded from the California area, leaving it to the United States as well. This war won the land that would soon be blazed by trails such as the Santa Fe, the Oregon and the Mormon.
The most memorable battle of the Mexican War was fought at the Alamo. Mexico was outraged because the Americans in Texas were not abiding by their rules. They sent a note ahead to the Alamo and those who resided in it. The note said that they had to leave, or would be killed. It was a gruesome battle, and in the end, nearly every American who was there was killed by the superior Mexican army. The only ones spared where a woman and some children who were sent to tell the news to the rest of Texas. This started the battle and inspired many Americans to come and help the Texans win their war.
Manifest Destiny
Westward
expansion lead way to a new and popular belief spreading through American
called the Manifest Destiny. This was the idea that the Americans had a “divine
obligation to stretch their boundaries of their noble republic to the Pacific”
(29. Manifest Destiny). Soon after moral and independence were bolstered by the
victory in the War of 1812, many Americans believed that they were meant to be
here and spread their lifestyle. This fantastic belief kick started a major movement
of nationalism that swept the nation and the thirst for more land filled its
citizens. Americans soon began to make the move to the West in hopes of chasing
the American Dream.
The main reasons many moved to the west were for improving their economical situation. Northern fur trades were dominated by major European powers, as they had been since colonial times. Few who had challenged these dominant traders made it out with a profit. Soon enough, gold was discovered and a mass exodus to areas likes California was undertaken. This would be known as the Gold Rush.
The main reasons many moved to the west were for improving their economical situation. Northern fur trades were dominated by major European powers, as they had been since colonial times. Few who had challenged these dominant traders made it out with a profit. Soon enough, gold was discovered and a mass exodus to areas likes California was undertaken. This would be known as the Gold Rush.
The Gold Rush
The Gold Rush started with a small discovery made by James Wilson Marshall of New Jersey in a river by the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Marshall was working at a saw mill owned by John Sutter. Just days later, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, giving America complete control over the area. Sutter and Marshall tried to keep the discovery quiet, however, the news soon got out. As tales of fortune spread through America, many dreamed of striking gold and becoming rich.
The first to arrive were mainly ones that could come by boat, such as those in Oregon and what is now Hawaii. Many in the east were skeptical of this new discovery, but soon believed after President Polk announced that the findings were true. People soon did everything they could to move to California and other areas on the west coast. Thousands made the treacherous trek through dessert and mountains just to arrive in California, with a hope of finding gold. This mass exodus of people westward helped to create many of the trails that would become major parts of our history.
The Pony Express
The Pony Express was a mail service that ran from the East and West between April of 1860 and October of 1861. This came about due to the Gold rush and other exodus’ that took people westward. The need for a mail service became essential to those living in this new land. While small and inefficient mail services were filling in at the time, there was an obvious need for a larger, faster mail service that extended farther than the current arrangement. Soon the pony express was created and mountain men would travel over 1,800 miles in just 10 days for just fifty dollars a month. After ten weeks of business, Congress passed a bill to subsidize a transcontinental telegraph line between Missouri River and the Pacific Coast. The Pony Express operated in the duration of building the telegraph lines; however, they could not compete with the faster ways of the telegraphs. On October 26, 1861, San Francisco was directly connected with New York City, and on that day, the Pony Express was officially terminated.