social studies chapter 13

Oregon Country

huge area west of Rocky Mountains (now includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Western Canada); wagon trains went to this area to settle.

mountain men

--adventurous men hiked through the region's vast forests, trapping animals and living off the land;
--first Americans to settle in Oregon. Made nice profits off of selling furs, but led dangerous lives;
--had great survival skills.
--Learned a lot of tra

rugged individualists

people who follow their own independent course in life; this describes the mountain men that first settled in Oregon, which was dense forest. They led a life very distinct from ordinary society, and lived off the land (eating and wearing products from ani

rendezvous

french word meaning "get-together"; it was the meeting place where mountain men would meet with fur traders to sell the furs from the animals they trapped; during the meeting, there would be entertainment and then bargaining.

Oregon Trail

a route from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon City, Oregon, used by pioneers traveling to the Oregon Territory
--people and wagons formed into wagon trains; they formed into traveling groups, and each group elected leaders to make decisions along the way

dictator

a ruler with absolute power and authority

Tejanos

people of Mexican decent who were born in Texas; they supported the American's effort to take Texas for America (they did not want independence from Mexico as much as they wanted to get rid of Dictator Santa Anna.

Alamo

the mission in San Antonio where in 1836 Mexican forces under Santa Anna besieged and massacred American rebels who were fighting to make Texas independent of Mexico
-- Texans outnumbered (6000 Mexican troops, 150 Texans)
-- Texans poorly equipped (low su

siege

enemy forces try to capture a city or fort, often by surrounding and bombarding it (this happened at the Alamo)

Battle of San Jacinto

(1836) Final battle of the Texas Revolution; resulted in the defeat of the Mexican army and independence for Texas
--Battle lasted only 18 minutes
-- they caught Dictator Santa Anna and his army by surprise and killed 630 Mexicans and captured 700 more
--

Lone Star Republic

Nickname of Texas before it became a state; the Texas flag had a single white star;
--Texas was independent of the US, but used the US Constitution ass a model
--Sam Houston was President of the Republic of Texas
-- Texas existed as an independent Republi

annex

add-on (used to refer to adding new States to the US)

New Mexico Territory

--huge region which included present day California as well as the Southwest areas covering present day New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado
-- prior to 1820's this territory was owned by Spain, and Spain would not let Americans live there; they arrived in

Santa Fe Trail

a trail that extends from Missouri to New Mexico; William Becknell, a merchant, was the first American to head for Santa Fe (capital of New Mexico); he then led other traders across the plains; other Americans soon followed his trail. this became known as

self-sufficient

producing enougn for its own needs (missions in California became this way)

vaqueros

the Indian and Mexican cowhands who worked on the ranches that were set up in California by the newly independent Mexico; they were great riders and ropers and their traditions strongly influenced later cow hands.

Manifest Destiny

This expression was popular in the 1840s. Many people believed that the U.S. was destined to secure territory from "sea to sea," from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This rationale drove the acquisition of territory.
-- the belief was called this in a

Bear Flag Republic

nickname for California after it declared independence from Mexico in 1846

Chapultepec

Final battle of Mexican War -- a victory by American over Mexican forces just outside of Mexico City; Mexicans fought heroically, and are still honored today for their bravery in that lost battle.
Mexico City (the capital of Mexico) was now in Mexican han

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of the territories then known as Texas, New Mexico, and California (this included all of the present day states in the West and Southwest, in exchange for $15 million

cede

give up

Mexican Cession

historical name for the region of the present day southwestern United States that was ceded to the U.S. by Mexico in 1848 under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo following the Mexican-American War. this massive land grab was significant because the question

Gadsden Purchase

the purchasing of land for $10 million from Mexico that completed the continental United States It provided the land needed to build the transcontinental railroad. (This strip consists of present day Arizona and New Mexico)

Mormons

church founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 with headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah; many followers
--Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
-- largest group to move into the Mexican Cession
-- teachings of this religion angered many people
-- believed

Nauvoo

a community built by the Mormons in Illinois; they classed with their neighbors, and their leader, Joseph Smith was killed; Brigham Young became new leader

refuge

a place where someone would be safe from persecution
-- mormons needed a refuge from people who disapproved of their beliefes
-- they found a refuge in a valley between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Salt Lake in Utah (became Salt Lake City and today i

Sutter's Mill

location where gold was discovered in California in 1848, setting off the gold rush

forty-niners

more than 80,000 people made the long journey to California in 1849

vigilantes

self-appointed law enforcers

lynched

hanged without legal trial

Causes of Texans to fight for Independence

most did not follow the rules there and this led to big tensions between the US and Mexico

Annexation of Texas

Texas decides to secede from Mexico and attempts to declare its independence which eventually leads to our adoption of the land as a state although it was feared that it would cause conflict with mexico leading to war. Southern states in support of this a

Election of 1844

Main debate over Texas. Whigs nominate Henry Clay and democrats nominate James Polk. Polk says he will annex Texas and Oregon to make both sides happy. Polk was elected

manifest destiny

the belief that the United States was destined to stretch across the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
-- had negative side because many White Americans believed they were superior to Native Americans and Mexicans and they used this b

reasons for going west

farmland (soil along Pacific Coast was fertile, plenty of rainfall, mild temperatures year round, dense forests had fur bearing animals (beavers, etc) attracted fur trappers.

First permanent white American settlers in Oregon Country

missionaries (aiming to convert Native Americans to Christianity)
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman -- a married couple who were missionaries who went to Oregon>
The missionaries helped stir up interest in Oregon Country because they sent back glowing reports a

Oregon Fever

this refers to an urgent influx of settlers who migrated west to Oregon Country after the depression in the 1830s; people were looking for farmland and new opportunities, and by 1866, more than 350,000 men, women, and children had migrated to the far west

Hardships of Journey to Oregon

-- long and difficult journey
-- 15 miles a day; everyone (women and children, too) had jobs along the trail
-- many belongings were discarded along the way to lighten the wagons
-- many dangers:
-- drowning as they floated wagons across rivers
-- blister

Claims over Oregon Country -- dispute

Four countries claimed Oregon Country: US, Great Britain, Spain and Russia (as well as Native Americans who lived there for centuries) Spain and Russia had few settlers there, so they withdrew their claims to the land. The US and Great Britain reached and

Fifty Four or Fight

A slogan of James Polk (Democratic candidate for President in 1844) -- helped him win -- it refers to the latitude 54-40, the northern limit of the disputed Oregon territory between America and the British. Political slogan of the Democrats in the electio

Texas

In 1800s, it was part of the Spanish colony of Mexico.

Why did American settle there?

American farmers wanted to settle there for farmland. In 1821, Spain gave Moses Austin a land grant to settle there. He soon died and it was taken over by his son.

Steven Austin

--Inherited his father's land grant from Spain to some land in Texas; before he could establish a colony, Mexico won independence from Spain;
--the new leaders of Mexico let him bring settlers to Texas. Mexico wanted settlers to develop the land (only 400

Who was General Santa Anna

-- A Mexican who gained power in Mexico and threw out the Mexican constitution and became a dictator
-- he intended to drive Americans out of Texas
-- engaged in a number of battles against Texas

What happened after the Battle of San Jacinto?

General Santa Anna (dictator of Mexico) was captured
-- he was forced to sign a treaty giving Texas its independence
-- the government of Mexico reduced to accept the treaty so Texas had problems

Sam Houston

Led the Texas Army against the Mexican dictator
-- led surprise attack at San Jacinto, winning the war for independence
-- became President of the newly independent Republic of Texas

Why is Alamo remembered today?

It is a symbol of Texas's struggle for Independence from Mexico

Davy Crockett

well known Tennessee politician who was present at the Alamo, during which his fame as a bear-killer/frontiersman had already been established; taken prisoner after the battle and executed by bayonet by Santa Anna, in front of all of his men

Why didn't Congress want to annex Texas as a state?

Mexico refused to accept the treaty that Santa Anna signed giving Texas its independence, and Congress was afraid that if it annexed Texas, it would lead to a war between the US and Texas.
-- also, most Texans had slaves, and northerners opposed adding an

The Mexican War

1846, a 20 year war which resulted in the US expanding its territory to the Pacific Ocean (achieving dream of Manifest Destiny)
-- Americans were divided over the war (north did not want it because it did not want more slave states; south and West wanted

What sparked the Mexican War?

-- desire for Manifest Destiny (expansion)
-- desire of Texas to become a State (many Americans living there)

Who was US President during Mexican War

James Polk

Zachary Taylor

General of US under President Polk who was ordered to set up posts in the disputed areas of New Mexico,
--later became 12th president of the United States. Sent by president Polk to lead the American Army against Mexico at Rio Grande, but defeated.
-- led

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo

Treaty that ended the Mexican War, granting the U.S. control of Texas, New Mexico, and California in exchange for $15 million
, February 2 1848. The agreement between President Polk and the new Mexican government for Mexico to cede California and New Mexi

Mexican Cession

land that Mexico gave to the United States after the Mexican War through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; included in what is now California, Nevada, and Utah; most of Arizona and New Mexico and parts of Colorado, Texdas, and Wyoming

California

-- first ruled by Spain, then Mexico
-- Spanish explorers reached California in 1542; Spanish and Native American culture shaped life in California
-- first settlements were missionaries (21 missionaries set up along the coast
-- next, once Mexico won ind

William Becknell

a merchant and adventurer, he was the first american to head for Sante fe. In 1821 he led a group of traders from Franklin Misourri across the plains (which became known as the Santa Fe Trail)

Missions

-- first settlements by Spanish in California (to convert Natives)
-- 21 Spanish missions along California Coast
-- Missions were self-sufficient
-- Spanish Soldiers built forts near missions, and missions supplied meat, grain and other foods to forts.
--

Cattle Ranches

To speed up the economy in California, the Mexican government took land from missions and gave it to wealthy individuals who set up huge cattle ranches in California

Bear Flag Republic

Americans in Northern California had revolted against Mexican rule (even before the Mexican War) and declared independence from Mecixo in 1846; they nicknamed their state the Bear Flag Republic; they were led by John Fremont, who drove Mexican troops out

Forty Niners

...

Who searched for gold?

Who searched for gold?

Why is the Southwest so diverse?

English speaking settlers mixed with Mexican Americans, Native Americans, all of whom brought rich cultures with influenced life.

Mormons

...

Why did their Religious beliefs lead them to move west?

...

Brigham Young

...

Where did mormons settle?

...

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman

Missionaries, early settlers in Oregon, sent back glowing reports about Oregon Country which attracted settlers

Texas Fight for Independence

Texans fought against dictator Santa Anna; volunteers from the United States and other nations, as well as African Americans joined the fight led by Texan Sam Houson for Texas' Indpependence. Santa Anna continued to fight an marched North.

How did Polk get Oregon from British?

Polk did not want a war with Britain. Instead, he reached a compromise -- Oregon was divided as a latitude of 49 degrees. Britain got lands north of the line, and the US got the lands south of the line.

How did Polk get Texas from Mexico?

Texas had declared its independence from Mexico, and Texas signed a treaty of annexation with the US, but Congress refused to ratify the treaty, fearing war with Mexico. Sam Houston (president of the Republic of Texas) refused to give up. He pretended tha

Stephen Kearny

US General during War with Mexico who captured Santa Fe, then fought battles in San Diego, and won control of southern California