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Westward Expansion: Moving West. Mexican-American WarBegins. After the annexation of Texas in 1844, it was only a matter of time before war between Mexico and the United States would happen. The war began in June of 1845.
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Mexican-American WarBegins • After the annexation of Texas in 1844, it was only a matter of time before war between Mexico and the United States would happen. • The war began in June of 1845. • President Polk sent general Zachary Taylor to Texas to protect the American border with Mexico.
Border Dispute • The U.S. and Mexico had a different opinion on where the border between Texas and Mexico was • U.S. used this as a pretext to go to war with Mexico
War of Aggression • President Polk sent General Taylor to the area that the U.S. considered it’s border. • Predictably, Taylor’s troops were attached by the Mexican army. • Polk had what he wanted, a war with Mexico.
Why did the U.S. want from war withMexico? • Manifest destiny? • Land • The U.S. wanted all the land west of Texas including California.
Political Opposition to War • Many members of Congress opposed the war with Mexico – including young Abraham Lincoln • Some felt that the president had forced the U.S. into the war, which was wrong because only Congress can approve war. • Others just thought it was wrong to take any territory from Mexico. • They were ignored and those opposed (such as Lincoln) were not considered patriotic
U.S. has huge technological advantage • Artillery - superior large guns and better ammunition • better rifles and handguns, including the colt revolver • telegraph = better communications
U.S. has a huge population and economic advantage • U.S. - 17 million people • Mexico - 7 million people • U.S. - growing economy • Mexico - in debt
U.S. Soldiers • Immigrants made up at least half of the enlisted men in the army • 1/4 of the enlisted soldiers were Irish. • The Mexicans made a strong appeal to these Catholics to switch sides arguing that they were more Catholic than American. • 9,207 U.S. soldiers deserted during the war; 8.3%
Deaths during the war • One out of ten American soldiers died in less than two years of service • Disease accounted for 7/8 of the deaths. • Crowded, unsanitary conditions and impure water led to dysentery, lice, and other diseases that spread rapidly. • 12,518 American soldiers died during the war.
U.S. army goes all the way to Mexico City • The U.S army went all the way to Mexico City. • Once this happened, Mexico had no choice but to surrender.
Mexican Cession • Mexico had to give up a great deal of land at the conclusion of the war. • This territory included all of the present-day states of California, Nevada, and Utah and also parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
Impact on the American Indians • During this period of westward expansion, the settlers repeated wanted Indian land – leading to fights and wars • The American Indians were repeatedly defeated in violent conflicts with settlers and soldiers and removed from their lands. • Many atrocities
Trail of Tears • One of most famous is the Trail of Tears • Cherokees and other tribes were removed from their homes in winter and rorced to march far away from their homes to Oklahoma • Many died – old people, women, children • Came through Missouri • Many of us have Cherokee blood from those abandoned here
Indians fought back… • As Indians lost more and more land, they fought back – losing almost all their battles – and they did lose the war • Sandy Creek Massacre (1864) - Colorado • Battle of Little Big Horn (1876) – Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana • Battle of Wounded Knee (1890) – South Dakota
The Black Hills • A treaty was signed between the U.S. government and Lakota leaders. • The treaty gave the Black Hills reservation to the Lakota people forever.
Gold miners illegally rushed onto the reservation when gold was discovered.
The Battle of Little Bighorn • George Custer was to defeat the Lakota and force them onto a new reservation. • To allow gold mining
Crazy Horse helped lead the Lakota to victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn. George Custer and his men were all killed. This battle was known as “Custer’s Last Stand.”
What then… • The United States sent more soldiers to the Black Hills and forced the Lakota to a new reservation. • The Black Hills were open to gold miners and settlers from the United States.
Why was the battle important? • It was the biggest victory Native Americans ever won over United States forces. • It led to the end of freedom for Native Americans of the Great Plains.
The Battle at Wounded Knee • The last major conflict between the United States and Native Americans occurred at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. • Lakota families decided to leave their reservation. • After being surrounded by U.S. soldiers, the Lakota decided to surrender.
Battlefield at Wounded Knee • When the Lakota surrendered, someone fired a shot. • About 300 Lakota were killed.
Reservations • Many forced to reservations – land supposed to be set aside for Indians • Generally poor land, no hunting, not good for crops • Indians often starved and died of disease
Gold and Silver Strikes The CA Gold Rush began in 1849, attracting thousands of gold hunters known as forty-niners.
Major "Strikes" in the California Gold Rush In 1852 the take for the year was $80 million ($1.9 billion in 2005 dollars). Sutter's Mill/Coloma - Jan. 24, 1848James Marshall kicked off the California gold rush when he spotted some pea-sized bits of gold in a mill raceway. The news brought thousands of prospectors to the area, but neither Marshall nor his employer John Sutter prospered from the find.
Gold and silver mines were discovered throughout the West. Thousands of miners from the U.S., Europe, Mexico, and China flocked to the West. White and Chinese miners hoping to strike it rich during the California Gold Rush at Auburn Ravine in 1852.
The Homestead Act of 1862 • The Homestead Act gave public lands (lands owned by the national government) to American citizens
Homestead Act • Law signed by Lincoln in 1862 • For a small fee a person could obtain 160 acres for free • But not really free – were some rules • At least 21 years old or head of a family • American citizen or immigrant filing for citizenship • Build house a minimum size (12 feet by 14 feet) • Live in house 6 months out of year • Farm land 5 yrs in a row before ownership set 372,000 new farms - 600,000land claims – 80 million acres
Effects: • The Homestead Act helped poor families who could not afford land in the eastern states. • It gave unemployed workers a chance to find work on land of their own. Daniel Freeman Standing, Holding Gun, with Hatchet Tucked in Belt,The "first homesteader" to settle in Beatrice, Nebraska, 1863.
Thousands of African-Americans moved west in 1879 in an effort to find a better life. • This was known as the “Exodus of 1879”, and the participants were called “Exodusters”.
End of the Buffalo • Buffalo were in the way of railroads and settlers so had to be removed • Indians depended on buffalo – had to exterminate buffalo to help rid land of Indians • Hides worth lots of money back east • 25 million buffalo killed (1840-1889) • Replaced with cattle – and rise of the cowboy
Cowboys • Cattle replaced the buffalo • Cowboys collected cattle in Texas and moved them north where they could be shipped to the East
Cattle Drives and Rise of the Cattle Industry • After the Civil War, growing cities in the East increased their demand for beef. • Some cattle had gotten lose in Texas and during the war had been forgotten – so large herds developed and were available for the taking • Railroads had reached Kansas, where cattle could be shipped east • Texas ranchers began to drive herds of longhorns hundreds of miles north to the railroads, where they were shipped east.
· Cow towns developed near the railroads, offering cowhands hotels, saloons, and restaurants. Abilene, Kansas (late 1800’s)
End of the Cattle Drives • The spread of farming, as well as harsh weather, destroyed the cattle boom by 1887. • Cowboys moved to ranches, made possible by the invention of barbed wire
Barbed Wire Hundreds of miles of barbed wire were strung across the state in the 1880s, forever changing the character of the frontier and bringing a measure of management to the cattle industry.
Transcontinental Railroad • Transcontinental Railroad – To connect eastern states with the west • Opened up the west • Allowed cattle to be shipped west • One of most important technological advances • Lincoln signed law before Civil War • Only after war was it built • Government had no money, so paid in land
Promontory Point, Utah Omaha, Nebraska . . Union Pacific Railroad x Central Pacific Railroad J j Sacramento, California · In 1863, two companies, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific, began building the first transcontinental railroad.
Immigrant Workers · Labor was scarce due to the hard, dangerous work and low pay. Union Pacific - hired many Irish immigrants Central Pacific - approximately 90% of their workforce were Chinese immigrants · Therefore, immigrant labor was used.
· The workers endured scorching deserts, blinding snowstorms, and blasted through mountains. Chinese railroad workers perform their duties in the snow.
Transcontinental Railroad Completed • The Transcontinental Railroad • Completed in May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point Utah. The railroads cut travel time west from six months to six days!
On May 10, 1869, a golden spike was hammered into a track joining the two tracks in Promontory Point, UT.
