US History Textbook 8th Grade Chapter 10 Expanding West Part 1

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US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 PDF
1811
John Jacob Astor
founds the fur-trading
post Astoria on the
Columbia River.
1810
CHAPTER
10
1800–1855
Expanding
Expanding
West
West
304 CHAPTER 10
Outline for a Documentary Film Many documentary films
have been made about the history of the United States, but
there is always room for one more. In this chapter you will
read about the westward expansion of the United States,
a period filled with excitement and challenge. Then you
will create an outline for a documentary film to be used in
middle-school history classes.
FOCUS ON WRITING
California Standards
History–Social Science
8.8 Students analyze the divergent paths of the American
people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges
they faced.
8.9 Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish
slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence.
Analysis Skills
CS 3 Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify
physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states,
and countries.
English–Language Arts
Writing 8.2.1.c Employ narrative and descriptive strategies.
Reading 8.2.0 Students read and understand grade-level
appropriate material.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Download
1827
The United States and
Great Britain agree to
continue joint occupation
of Oregon Country.
1842
China gives Great
Britain control of the
island of Hong Kong.
EXPANDING WEST
305
1854
Commodore Matthew
Perry negotiates a trade
treaty with Japan.
18 30 18 4 0 18 5 0
1846
The United States
declares war
against Mexico.
1848
Gold is
discovered in
California on
January 24.
HOLT
History’s Impact
video series
Watch the video to under-
stand the impact of the
California gold rush.
In this chapter you will learn about how the
United States expanded west. The country
acquired vast amounts of territory in a short
time. Lured by land and gold, hundreds of thou-
sands of Americans followed trails west in search
of a better life. However, many Californio fami-
lies, like the one pictured here, had already lived
in California for generations.
What You Will Learn…
1838
Californios revolt
unsuccessfully against the
Mexican government.
1821
Mexico wins its
independence
from Spain.
18 2 0
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 PDF Download
306 CHAPTER 00306 CHAPTER 10
Religion
Reading Social Studies by Kylene Beers
Focus on Themes
In this chapter, you will
read about the American people as they continued
their westward expansion. You will read about the
famous Oregon and Santa Fe trails, Texas’s fi ght for
independence from Mexico, and Mexico’s war with
the United States. Finally, you will read about the
California Gold Rush that brought thousands of
people west. As you read each section, you will
see how economic issues affected the growth of
different geographic areas.
Geography
Politics
Economics
Religion
Focus on Reading In Chapter 3 you learned how writers some-
times give you clues to a word’s meaning in the same or a nearby
sentence. Those clues are usually defi nitions, restatements in different
words, or comparisons or contrasts. But what do you do if you don’t
know the word and the writer doesn’t think to give you a direct clue?
Using Broader Context Clues If the writer doesn’t give you one of
those direct clues, you have to try to fi gure out the meaning of the
word for yourself.
1. Read the whole paragraph and look for information that will help you
gure out the meaning.
2. Look up the word in the dictionary to be sure of its meaning.
Notice how a student used information from the whole paragraph to learn
the meaning of two unknown words.
Society
and Culture
Science and
Technology
Vocabulary in Context
Additional reading
support can be
found in the
In 1844, the Whigs passed up Tyler and
chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky as
their presidential candidate. At fi rst oppos-
ing annexation, Clay changed his mind
due to pressure from southern voters. The
Democratic Party chose former Tennessee
governor James K. Polk to oppose Clay.
Both candidates strongly favored acquiring
Texas and Oregon, but Polk was perceived
as the expansionist candidate.
(p. 317)
The dictionary defi nition is “to add or attach.
That’s close. Now what about expansionist? I know one meaning
of expand is similar to add. An expansionist was probably someone
who wanted to add to or expand the country.
I’m not sure about annexation. The southerners
convinced Clay to be for it. Maybe if I read some more.
Oh, both presidential candidates favored acquiring
Texas and Oregon. Maybe annexation means almost the same
thing as acquiring. I’ll check the dictionary.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-1
SECTION TITLE 307EXPANDING WEST 307
Key Terms
Key Terms
and People
and People
You Try It!
The following passage is from the chapter you are about to read.
Read the passage and then answer the questions.
American Settlement
in the Mexican Cession
The war ended after Scott took Mexico City. In
February 1848, the United States and Mexico
signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which
offi cially ended the war and forced Mexico to
turn over much of its northern territory to the
United States. Known as the Mexican Cession,
this land included the present-day states
of California, Nevada, and Utah. . . .
In exchange for this vast territory,
the United States agreed to pay Mexico
$15 million. In addition, the United States
assumed claims of more than $3 million held
by American citizens against the Mexican
government.
From
Chapter 10,
p. 323
Refer to the passages to answer the following questions.
1. Do you know what the word cession means? What clues in the
rst paragraph can help you fi gure out what the word might
mean? Use those clues to write a defi nition of cession.
2. Look cession up in a dictionary. How does your defi nition compare
to the dictionary defi nition?
3. In your experience, what does the word assume usually mean?
Do you think that meaning is the one used in the second para-
graph? If not, what do you think assume means in this case?
4. Look assume up in a dictionary. Does one of its meanings match
the one you came up with?
Chapter 10
Section 1
John Jacob Astor (p. 308)
mountain men (p. 308)
Oregon Trail (p. 309)
Santa Fe Trail (p. 310)
Mormons (p. 310)
Brigham Young (p. 311)
Section 2
Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
(p. 312)
empresarios (p. 312)
Stephen F. Austin (p. 313)
Antonio López de Santa Anna (p. 313)
Alamo (p. 314)
Battle of San Jacinto (p. 314)
Section 3
manifest destiny (p. 316)
James K. Polk (p. 317)
Californios (p. 319)
Bear Flag Revolt (p. 320)
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (p. 323)
Gadsden Purchase (p. 323)
Section 4
John Sutter (p. 327)
Donner party (p. 327)
forty-niners (p. 327)
prospect (p. 328)
placer miners (p. 328)
Academic Vocabulary
Success in school is related to
knowing academic vocabulary—
the words that are frequently used
in school assignments and discus-
sions. In this chapter, you will learn
the following academic words:
explicit (p. 313)
elements (p. 319)
As you read Chapter 10, use context
clues to figure out the meanings of
unfamiliar words. Check yourself by
looking the words up in a dictionary.
ELA
Reading 8.1.3 Use word meanings within the appropriate
context.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-2
SECTION
1
Key Terms and People
John Jacob Astor, p. 308
mountain men, p. 308
Oregon Trail, p. 309
Santa Fe Trail, p. 311
Mormons, p. 311
Brigham Young, p. 311
What You Will Learn…
The American West attracted
a variety of settlers.
The Big Idea
1. During the early 1800s,
Americans moved west of the
Rocky Mountains to settle
and trade.
2. The Mormons traveled west in
search of religious freedom.
Main Ideas
You live in Ohio in 1840. A few months ago, you and your family
heard stories about a wonderful land in the Northwest, with spar-
kling rivers and fertile valleys. You all decide to pull up stakes and
head West. You travel to Independence, Missouri, planning to join
a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. In Missouri, you’re surprised to
nd hundreds of other people planning to make the trip.
What would you expect your
journey West to be like?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Many Americans in the Jacksonian
Era were restless, curious, and eager to be on the move. The American
West drew a variety of settlers. Some looked for wealth and adventure.
Others, like this family on its way to the Northwest, dreamed of rich
farmland and new homes.
Americans Move West
In the early 1800s, Americans pushed steadily westward, moving
even beyond the territory of the United States. They traveled by
canoe and fl atboat, on horseback, and by wagon train. Some even
walked much of the way.
The rush to the West occurred, in part, because of a hat. The “high
hat,” made of water-repellent beaver fur, was popular in the United
States and Europe. While acquiring fur for the hats, French, British,
and American companies gradually killed off the beaver population
in the East. Companies moved west in search of more beavers. Most
of the fi rst non-Native Americans who traveled to the Rocky Moun-
tains and the Pacifi c Northwest were fur traders and trappers.
American merchant
John Jacob Astor created one of the largest
fur businesses, the American Fur Company. His company bought
skins from western
fur traders and trappers who became known as
fur traders and trappers who became known as
mountain men
mountain men. These adventurers were some of the fi rst easterners
to explore and map the Rocky Mountains and lands west of them.
Mountain men lived lonely and often dangerous lives. They trapped
animals on their own, far from towns and settlements. Mountain
men such as Jedediah Smith, Manuel Lisa, Jim Bridger, and Jim
If YOU were there...
Trails to the West
308 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.2 Describe the purpose,
challenges, and economic incentives
associated with westward expansion,
including the concepts of Manifest
Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark
expedition, accounts of the removal
of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of
Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains)
and the territorial acquisitions that
spanned numerous decades.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-3
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120˚W
70˚W
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California 2,000 miles, 6 m
Santa Fe 1,200 miles, 2 m
Mormon 1,300 miles, 4
Trails, Distances, and Travel Times
Beckwourth survived many hardships during
their search for wealth and adventure. To sur-
vive on the frontier, mountain men adopted
Native American customs and clothing. In
addition, they often married Native American
women. The Indian wives of trappers often
worked hard to contribute to their success.
Pioneer William Ashley saw that frequently
bringing furs out of the Rocky Mountains was
expensive. He asked his traders to stay in the
mountains and meet once a year to trade and
socialize. This practice helped make the fur trade
more profi table. The yearly meeting was known
as the rendezvous. At the rendezvous, mountain
men and Native American trappers sold their
fur to fur-company agents. It was thus impor-
tant to bring as many furs as possible. One trap-
per described the people at a typical rendezvous
in 1837. He saw Americans, Canadian French,
some Europeans, and “Indians, of nearly every
tribe in the Rocky Mountains.”
The rendezvous was fi lled with celebrating
and storytelling. At the same time, the meet-
ing was also about conducting business. West-
ern artist Alfred Jacob Miller described how
trade was begun in the rendezvous camp.
The Fur Companys great tent is raised; the
Indians erect their picturesque [beautiful] white
lodges; the accumulated [collected] furs of
the hunting season are brought forth and the
Companys tent is a . . . busy place.
—Alfred Jacob Miller, quoted in The Fur Trade of the
American West, by David J. Wishart
In 1811, John Jacob Astor founded a fur-
trading post called Astoria at the mouth of the
Columbia River. Astoria was one of the fi rst
American settlements in what became known
as Oregon Country. American Indians occu-
pied the region, which was rich in forests,
rivers, and wildlife. However, Britain, Russia,
Spain, and the United States all claimed the
land. The United States based its claim on
EXPANDING WEST 309
Trails Leading West
INTERPRETING MAPS
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
1. Movement Which trails took the longest to
travel?
2. Human-Environment Interaction What
difficulties do you think travelers on the trails
faced?
Jim Beckwourth
was an African
American fur trap-
per and explorer
of the West in the
early 1800s.
onths
onths
months
Old Spanish 700 miles, 7 weeks
Oregon 2,000 miles, 6 months
Fort or trading post
0 200 400 Miles
0 200 400 Kilometers
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-4
This Mormon family left Iowa in 1856
and took the Mormon Trail to Utah. The
children walked 1,200 miles on this long
and difficult journey.
How many family members can you see
in this photo?
Mormon Pioneers
the exploration of merchant captain Robert
Gray, who had reached the mouth of the
Columbia River in 1792.
Recognizing the huge economic value of
the Pacifi c Northwest, the United States made
treaties in which Spain and Russia gave up
their claims to various areas. The United States
also signed treaties with Britain allowing both
countries to occupy Oregon Country, the
Columbia River, and its surrounding lands.
By the 1840s, the era of American fur
trading in the Pacifi c Northwest was drawing
to a close. The demand for beaver furs had
fallen because fashions changed. Too much
trapping had also greatly reduced the num-
ber of beavers. Some mountain men gave
up their work and moved back east. Their
daring stories, however, along with the trea-
ties made by the U.S. government, inspired
other Americans to move West. Lured by
rich resources and a mild climate, easterners
poured into Oregon Country in the 1840s.
These new settlers soon replaced the moun-
tain men on the frontier.
310 CHAPTER 10
The Oregon Trail
Many settlers moving to Oregon Coun-
try and other western areas followed
the
2,000-mile-long
2,000-mile-long
Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
, which
, which
stretched from places such as Indepen-
stretched from places such as Indepen-
dence, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa,
dence, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa,
west into Oregon Country
west into Oregon Country. The trail fol-
lowed the Platte and Sweetwater Rivers
over the Plains. After it crossed the Rocky
Mountains, the trail forked. The northern
branch led to the Willamette Valley in Ore-
gon. The other branch went to California
and became known as the California Trail.
Traveling the trail challenged the strength
and determination of pioneer families. The
journey usually began after the rainy sea-
son ended in late spring and lasted about six
months. The cost, about $600 for a family
of four, was high at a time when a typical
worker usually made about $1.50 per day.
Young families made up most groups of set-
tlers. They gathered in wagon trains for the
trip. There could be as few as 10 wagons or as
many as several dozen in a wagon train.
The wagons were pulled by oxen, mules,
or horses. Pioneers often walked to save their
animals’ strength. They kept up a tiring pace,
traveling from dawn until dusk. Settler Jesse
Applegate recalled the advice he received
from an experienced Oregon pioneer: “Trav-
el, travel, TRAVEL . . . Nothing is good that
causes a moment’s delay.”
Some pioneers brought small herds of
cattle with them on the trail. They faced
severe hardships, including shortages of
food, supplies, and water. Rough weather
and geographic barriers, such as rivers and
mountains, sometimes forced large numbers
of pioneers to abandon their wagons. In the
early days of the Oregon Trail, many Native
Americans helped the pioneers, acting as
guides and messengers. They also traded
goods for food. Although newspapers report-
ed Native American “massacres” of pioneers,
few settlers died during Indian attacks.
The settlers who arrived safely in Ore-
gon and California found generally healthy
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-5
Trails Travelers Motives
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Section 1 Assessment
Online Quiz
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Identify What was the Oregon Trail?
b. Elaborate Would you have chosen to leave your home
to travel West? Why?
2. a. Identify Who are the Mormons?
b. Summarize What diffi culties led Mormons to move
to Utah?
Critical Thinking
3. Categorizing Copy the chart below. Identify different trails
to the West, describe the people who traveled along each
trail, and explain their motives for traveling west.
4. Describing Trails West As you read this section, note
important topics that you might want to cover in your
documentary fi lm. In addition, write down ideas about
how you might present information about each topic. For
example, will you use a narrator to tell the life story of
Joseph Smith, or will you have actors present it dramatically?
EXPANDING WEST
311
and pleasant climates. By 1845 some 5,000
settlers occupied the Willamette Valley.
The Santa Fe Trail
The
The
Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
was another important
was another important
path west. It led from Independence, Mis-
path west. It led from Independence, Mis-
souri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
souri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It followed
an ancient trading route fi rst used by Native
Americans. American traders loaded their
wagon trains with cloth and other manufac-
tured goods to exchange for horses, mules,
and silver from Mexican traders in Santa Fe.
The long trip across blazing deserts and
rough mountains was dangerous. But the lure
of high profi ts encouraged traders to take to
the trail. One trader reported a 2,000 percent
profit on his cargo. The U.S. government
helped protect traders by sending troops to
ensure that Native Americans were not a
threat.
READING CHECK
Contrasting How were the
Oregon and Santa Fe trails different?
Mormons Travel West
One large group of settlers traveled to the
West in search of religious freedom. In 1830
a young man named Joseph Smith founded
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints in western New York.
The members
The members
of Joseph Smith’s church became known as
of Joseph Smith’s church became known as
Mormons
Mormons. Smith told his followers that he
had found and translated a set of golden tab-
lets containing religious teachings. The writ-
ings were called the Book of Mormon.
Church membership grew rapidly. Howev-
er, certain beliefs and practices caused Mormons
to be persecuted. For example, beginning in the
1850s some Mormon men practiced polyga-
my—a practice in which one man is married to
several women at the same time. This practice
was outlawed by the church in 1890.
In the early 1830s Smith and his grow-
ing number of converts left New York. They
formed new communities, first in Ohio,
then in Missouri, and fi nally in Illinois. All
FOCUS ON WRITING
three communities eventually failed, and an
anti-Mormon mob murdered Smith in 1844.
Following Smith’s murder,
Brigham Young
became head of the Mormon Church. Young
chose what is now Utah as the group’s new
home, and thousands of Mormons took the
Mormon Trail to the area near the Great Salt
Lake, where they prospered. By 1860 there
were about 40,000 Mormons in Utah.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
Why did Mormons move West?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Some of the
rst Americans to move West were fur trad-
ers and trappers. Settlers soon followed. In
the next section you will learn about the
Texas Revolution.
HSS
8.8.2
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-6
SECTION
2
Key Terms and People
Father Miguel Hidalgo y
Costilla, p. 312
empresarios, p. 312
Stephen F. Austin, p. 313
Antonio López de Santa Anna, p. 313
Alamo, p. 314
Battle of San Jacinto, p. 314
What You Will Learn…
In 1836, Texas gained its
independence from Mexico.
The Big Idea
1. Many American settlers moved
to Texas after Mexico achieved
independence from Spain.
2. Texans revolted against
Mexican rule and established
an independent nation.
Main Ideas
You are the father of a large farm family in Missouri. There is not
enough land for everyone, so you’re looking for another opportu-
nity. One day, a Mexican government offi cial comes to town. He is
looking for people to settle in Texas. The Mexican government is
offering generous tracts of land to colonists. However, you have to
become a citizen of Mexico and follow Mexican laws.
Would you decide to move your family
to Texas? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Spain controlled a vast amount of terri-
tory in what would later become the American Southwest. The Spanish
built missions and forts in Texas to establish control of that region. But
the settlements were far apart, and conflicts with Native Americans dis-
couraged Spanish settlers from moving to Texas. When Mexico became
an independent republic, it actively looked for more settlers.
American Settlers Move to Texas
Mexico had a long, unprotected border that stretched from Texas
to California. Mexico’s Spanish rulers worried constantly about
attacks from neighbors. They also were concerned about threats
from within Mexico.
Their fears were justifi ed. Mexicans moved to overthrow Span-
ish rule in the early 1800s. In September 1810
Father Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla,
a Mexican priest, led a rebellion of about 80,000
poor Indians and mestizos, or people of Indian and Spanish ances-
try. They hoped that if Mexico became independent from the Span-
ish monarchy, their lives would improve.
Hidalgo’s revolt failed, but the rebellion he started grew. In
1821 Mexico became independent. In 1824 it adopted a republican
constitution that declared rights for all Mexicans. The new Mexi-
can government hired
empresarios
empresarios,
or agents
or agents, to bring settlers to
Texas. They paid the agents in land.
If YOU were there...
The Texas
Revolution
312 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.5
Discuss Mexican settle-
ments and their locations, cultural
traditions, attitudes toward slavery,
land-grant system, and economics.
8.8.6 Describe the Texas War for
Independence and the Mexican-
American War, including territorial
settlements, the aftermath of the
wars, and the effects the wars had
on the lives of Americans, including
Mexican Americans today.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-7
In 1822 one young agent, Stephen F.
Austin
, started a colony on the lower Colora-
do River. The fi rst 300 families became known
as the Old Three Hundred. Austin’s successful
colony attracted other agents, and American
settlers fl ocked to the region.
In exchange for free land, settlers had to
obey Mexican laws. But some settlers often
explicitly ignored these laws. For example,
despite the ban on slavery, many brought
slaves. Concerned that it was losing control
to the growing American population, Mexico
responded. In 1830, it banned further settle-
ment by Americans. Angry about the new
law, many Texans began to think of gaining
independence from Mexico.
Meanwhile, Mexico had come under
the rule of General
Antonio López de Santa
Anna
. He soon suspended Mexico’s republi-
can constitution and turned his attention to
the growing unrest in Texas.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas Why did
settlers move to Texas?
Texans Revolt against Mexico
In October 1835 the Mexican army tried to
remove a cannon from the town of Gonza-
les, Texas. Rebels stood next to the cannon.
Their fl ag read, “Come and take it.” In the
following battle, the rebels won. The Texas
Revolution, also known as the Texas War for
Independence, had begun.
Texas Independence
On March 2, 1836, Texans declared their
independence from Mexico. The new Repub-
lic of Texas was born. Both the declaration
and the constitution that shortly followed
were modeled after the U.S. documents. The
Texas constitution, however, made slavery
legal.
Delegates to the new Texas government
chose politician David Burnet as president and
Lorenzo de Zavala as vice president. Another
revolutionary, Sam Houston, was named
to head the Texas army. Austin went to the
United States to seek money and troops.
EXPANDING WEST 313
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
explicit fully
revealed without
vagueness
Stephen F. Austin, shown at left, and other
settlers were empresarios—they received
land from the Mexican government for
the purpose of bringing settlers to Texas.
Their holdings were guaranteed with a
contract like the one below.
Why do you think the Mexican
government wanted to attract
settlers to Texas?
Settling Texas
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-8
San Antonio
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San Jacinto
April 1836
The Alamo
February–
March 1836
Goliad
March 1836
Claimed by
U.S., Texas,
and Mexico
Gulf of
Mexico
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
REPUBLIC OF
TEXAS
LOUISIANA
(1812)
95˚W
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Mexican army
Mexican victory
Texan army
Texan victory
0 50 100 Miles
0 50 100 Kilometers
Battle at the Alamo
The Texans’ actions angered Santa Anna. He
began assembling a force of thousands to
stop the rebellion.
A hastily created army of Texas volun-
teers had been clashing with Mexican troops
for months. Under Colonel Jim Travis, a
small force took the town of San Antonio.
It then occupied the
Alamo
Alamo,
an abandoned
an abandoned
mission near San Antonio that became an
mission near San Antonio that became an
important battle
important battle
site in the Texas Revolution
site in the Texas Revolution
.
.
Volunteers from the United States, including
frontiersman Davy Crockett and Colonel Jim
Bowie, joined the Alamo’s defense.
The rebels, numbering fewer than 200,
hoped to stall the huge Mexican force while a
larger Texas army assembled. For almost two
weeks, from February 23 to March 6, 1836, the
Texans held out. Travis managed to get a mes-
sage to other Texans through enemy lines:
I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patrio-
tism, and everything dear to the American
character, to come to our aid with all dispatch
[speed] . . . VICTORY OR DEATH.
—William Travis, from a letter written at the Alamo, 1836
Before dawn on March 6, the Mexican
army attacked. Despite heavy losses, the
army overcame the Texans. All the defend-
ers of the Alamo were killed, though some
civilians survived. Following a later battle, at
Goliad, Santa Anna ordered the execution of
350 prisoners who had surrendered. Texans
were enraged by the massacres.
Battle of San Jacinto
Santa Anna now chased the untrained forces
of Sam Houston. Outnumbered, the Texans
ed east. Finally, they reorganized at the San
Jacinto River, near Galveston Bay. There, the
Texans took a stand.
Santa Anna was confi dent of victory, but
he was careless in choosing the site for his
camp. On the afternoon of April 21, 1836,
while Mexican troops were resting, Hous-
ton’s forces swarmed the camp, shouting,
“Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”
The fi ghting ended swiftly. Santa Anna’s
army was destroyed.
In the
In the
Battle of
Battle of
San
San
Jacinto
Jacinto
,
,
the Texans captured Santa Anna and
the Texans captured Santa Anna and
forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its
forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its
independence
independence.
314 CHAPTER 10
The Texas Revolution
FOCUS ON
READING
Use this section
to summarize the
events of the
battle at the
Alamo.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-9
An Independent Nation
Sam Houston was the hero of the new
independent nation of Texas. The republic
created a new town named Houston and
made it the capital. Voters elected Sam Hous-
ton as president. Stephen F. Austin became
secretary of state.
To increase the population, Texas offered
land grants. American settlers came from
nearby southern states, often bringing slaves
with them to help grow and harvest cotton.
Most Texans hoped that the United States
would annex, or take control of, Texas, mak-
ing it a state. The U.S. Congress also wanted
to annex Texas. But President Andrew Jack-
son refused. He was concerned that admit-
ting Texas as a slave state would upset the
fragile balance of free and slave states. The
president also did not want to have a war
with Mexico over Texas.
Finally, Jackson did recognize Texas as an
independent nation. France did so in 1839.
Britain, which wanted to halt U.S. expan-
sion, recognized Texas in 1840.
The Mexican government, however, did
not recognize Santa Anna’s forced hand-
over of Texas. In 1837 the republic organized
the Texas Rangers to guard its long frontier
from Mexican and Native American attacks.
Finally, in 1844 Texas and Mexico signed a
peace treaty.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas What
issues did the new nation of Texas face?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW American set-
tlers in Texas challenged the Mexican gov-
ernment and won their independence. In
the next section you will learn about the
war between Mexico and the United States.
EXPANDING WEST 315
On March 6, 1836, Texans fought and lost
the Battle of the Alamo. A rallying cry for
the Texans at the Battle of San Jacinto was
“Remember the Alamo!” The single star of
the flag represents the Republic of Texas,
also called the Lone Star Republic.
Why do you think “Remember the Alamo!” was
a rallying cry for Texas troops at San Jacinto?
Section 2 Assessment
Online Quiz
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Identify What role did Stephen F. Austin play in the
settlement of Texas
?
b. Make Inferences Why did Mexican offi cials want to
bring more settlers to Texas?
c. Evaluate Do you think Mexico’s requirements for foreign
immigrants were reasonable or unreasonable? Explain.
2. a. Describe What were the important battles in the War for
Texas Independence? Why was each important?
b. Make Inferences Why did Texas offer land grants to settlers?
c. Predict What problems might the Republic of Texas face
?
Critical Thinking
3. Sequencing Copy the time line below. Use it to list impor-
tant events of the Texas Revolution.
April 1836
October 1835
March 1836
FOCUS ON WRITING
4. Explaining the Texas Revolution As you read this sec-
tion, make note of the most important players and events
in the story of how Texas gained independence from
Mexico. Consider also how you will present information
about these people and events to your fi lm’s audience.
What words, images, and sounds will make the story of
the revolution come alive for them?
HSS
8.8.5, 8.8.6
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-10
SECTION
3
Key Terms and People
manifest destiny, p. 316
James K. Polk, p. 317
vaqueros, p. 319
Californios, p. 319
Bear Flag Revolt, p. 320
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, p. 323
Gadsden Purchase, p. 323
What You Will Learn…
The ideals of manifest destiny
and the outcome of the Mexican-
American War led to U. S. expan-
sion to the Pacific Ocean.
The Big Idea
1. Many Americans believed
that the nation had a manifest
destiny to claim new lands in
the West.
2. As a result of the Mexican-
American War, the United
States added territory in the
Southwest
.
3. American settlement in the
Mexican Cession produced
conflict and a blending of
cultures.
Main Ideas
Your family are Californios, Spanish settlers who have lived in
California for many years. You raise horses on your ranch. So far,
you have gotten along with American settlers. But it has become
clear that the American government wants to take over California.
You hear that fi ghting has already started between American and
Mexican troops.
How might life change under American rule?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Mexican independence set the stage
for conflict and change in the West and Southwest. At the same time,
American settlers continued to move westward, settling in the Mexican
territories of Texas and California. American ambitions led to clashes
with Mexico and the people who already lived in Mexico’s territories.
Manifest Destiny
We have it in our power to start the world over again.
—Thomas Paine, from his pamphlet Common Sense
Americans had always believed they could build a new, better
society founded on democratic principles. In 1839 writer John
O’Sullivan noted, “We are the nation of human progress, and who
will, what can, set limits to our onward march?”
Actually, there was one limit: land. By the 1840s the United
States had a booming economy and population. Barely 70 years
old, the nation already needed more room for farms, ranches, busi-
nesses, and ever-growing families. Americans looked West to what
they saw as a vast wilderness, ready to be taken.
Some people believed it was America’s
manifest destiny
manifest destiny
, or
, or
obvious fate,
obvious fate,
to settle land all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean in order
to settle land all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean in order
to spread democracy
to spread democracy. O’Sullivan coined the term in 1845. He wrote
that it was America’s “manifest destiny to overspread and to possess
the whole continent which Providence [God] has given us for the
development of the great experiment of liberty . . . ”
If YOU were there...
The Mexican-
American War
316 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.6
Describe the Texas
War for Independence and the
Mexican-American War, including
territorial settlements, the aftermath
of the wars, and the effects the wars
had on the lives of Americans, includ-
ing Mexican Americans today.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-11
In the mid-1800s, manifest destiny
was tied up with the slavery issue. If Amer-
ica gained new territory, would slavery be
allowed there? Presidents had to face the dif-
cult issue. Among them was John Tyler, a
pro-slavery Whig who wanted to increase the
power of the southern slave states by annex-
ing Texas. His fellow Whigs disagreed.
In 1844, the Whig Party passed up Tyler
and chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky
as its presidential candidate. At fi rst oppos-
ing annexation, Clay changed his mind due
to pressure from southern politicians. The
Democratic Party chose former Tennessee
governor
James K. Polk to oppose Clay. Both
candidates strongly favored acquiring Texas
and Oregon, but Polk was perceived as the
expansionist candidate.
Southerners feared the loss of Texas, a
possible new slave state. Others worried that
Texas might become an ally of Britain. These
concerns helped Polk narrowly defeat Clay.
Acquiring New Territory
President Polk quickly set out to fulfi ll his
campaign promise to annex Oregon and
Texas. By the 1820s, Russia and Spain had
given up their claims to Oregon Country.
Britain and the United States had agreed to
occupy the territory together.
As more Americans settled there, they
began to ask that Oregon become part of the
United States. Polk wanted to protect these
settlers’ interests. Some politicians noted that
Oregon Country would provide a Pacifi c port
for the growing U.S. trade with China.
Meanwhile, Britain and the United States
disagreed over how to draw the United States–
Canadian border. American expansionists
cried, “Fifty-four forty or fi ght!” This slogan
referred to 54°40' north latitude, the line to
which Americans wanted their northern
territory to extend.
Neither side really wanted a war, though.
In 1846 Great Britain and the United States
signed a treaty that gave the United States all
Oregon land south of the forty-ninth paral-
lel. This treaty drew the border that still exists
today. Oregon became an organized U.S. terri-
tory in February 1848.
Texas came next. By March 1845,
Congress had approved annexation and
EXPANDING WEST 317
John Gast’s 1872 painting
American Progress shows
the spirit of manifest destiny
leading settlers westward.
What in this painting shows
how settlers traveled west?
Manifest Destiny
Native Americans
and buffalo are
pushed away by the
approaching settlers.
The Mississippi
River is in the
background as
settlers push
farther west.
The woman represents
America, moving west
and bringing sunlight,
settlers, and telegraph
wires to the new lands.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-12
needed only the support of the Republic of
Texas. Americans continued to pour into
Texas. Texas politicians hoped that join-
ing the United States would help solve the
republic’s fi nancial and military problems.
The Texas Congress approved annexation in
June 1845. Texas became part of the United
States in December. This action angered the
Mexican government, which considered
Texas to be a “stolen province.”
California under Mexico
Although the annexation of Texas angered
Mexico, it still had settlements in other areas
of the present-day Southwest to govern. New
Mexico was the oldest settled area, with its
capital at Santa Fe. Mexico also controlled
present-day Arizona, Nevada, and California.
During early Spanish rule, the mission
system had dominated much of the present-
day Southwest. Over time, it had become
less important there, especially in New Mex-
ico, where settlers lived in small villages. In
California, however, missions remained the
focus of everyday life. Missions under later
Spanish rule carried out huge farming and
ranching operations using the labor of Native
Americans. Some of the Indians came will-
ingly to the missions. Others were brought
by force. Usually, they were not allowed to
leave the mission once they had arrived.
They had to adopt the clothing, food, and
religion of the Spanish priests.
Missions often sold their goods to local
pueblos, or towns, that arose near the mis-
sions and presidios. One wealthy California
settler, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, remem-
bered the early days.
We were the pioneers of the Pacifi c coast,
building towns and missions while General
[George] Washington was carrying on the war
of the Revolution.
—Mariano Guadalupe
Vallejo, quoted in Eyewitnesses and Others
After winning independence from Spain
in 1821, Mexico began to change old Spanish
318 CHAPTER 10
Saddles like these
were highly prized
by vaqueros.
Leather chaps
protected riders from
dust and scrapes.
Vaqueros were
known for
their specially
designed hats.
ANALYZING VISUALS
What features of the vaqueros’ life are
shown in this painting?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
Ranch Life
Spanish and Mexican vaqueros, or cowboys,
were expert horseriders. They used their
horses to herd cattle on the ranches of the
Spanish Southwest.
History Close-up
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-13
policies toward California and Texas. In
1833, for example, Mexico ended the mis-
sion system in California. Mission lands were
broken up, and huge grants were given to
some of the wealthiest California settlers,
including Vallejo. They created vast ranchos,
or ranches, with tens of thousands of acres
of land.
Vaqueros
Vaqueros,
or cowboys, managed the
or cowboys, managed the
large herds of cattle and sheep.
large herds of cattle and sheep. Cowhides were
so valuable that they were called “California
banknotes.” Hides were traded for household
items and luxury goods with ship captains
from the eastern United States. Some settlers
also made wine and grew citrus fruits.
Although they had been freed from
the missions, for most California Indians the
elements of life changed very little. They
continued to herd animals and do much
of the hard physical labor on ranches and
farms. Some, however, ran away into the wil-
derness or to the nearby towns of San Diego
and Los Angeles.
The Californios
Because of the great distance between
California and the center of Mexico’s govern-
ment, by the early 1820s California had only
around 3,200 colonists.
These colonists,
These colonists,
called
called
Californios
Californios, felt little connection to
their faraway government.
Californios developed a lasting reputation
for hospitality and skilled horse riding. In Two
Years Before the Mast, American novelist Rich-
ard Henry Dana Jr. wrote about his encoun-
ters with Californio culture. He described, for
example, what happened after a Californio
served a feast to Dana and a friend.
We took out some money and asked him how
much we were to pay. He shook his head and
crossed himself, saying that it was charity—that
the Lord gave it to us.
—Richard Henry Dana Jr. from Two
Years Before the Mast
In addition to traders and travelers, a
small number of settlers also arrived from
the United States. They were called Anglos
by the Californios. Although there were few
Anglo settlers in California, their calls for
independence increased tensions between
Mexico and the United States.
READING CHECK
Drawing Inferences How
did manifest destiny affect Spanish and Mexican
rule in California?
Mexican-American War
Diplomatic relations between Mexico and the
United States became increasingly strained.
U.S. involvement in California and Texas con-
tributed to this tension.
Confl ict Breaks Out
Mexico had long insisted that its north-
ern border lay along the Nueces River.
The United States said the border was
farther south, along the Rio Grande. In
June 1845 President Polk ordered General
Zachary Taylor to lead an army into the
disputed region.
Polk sent diplomat John Slidell to Mexico
City to try to settle the border dispute. Slidell
EXPANDING WEST 319
BIOGRAPHY
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
18 0 8 18 9 0
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was born to an
influential Californio family in Monterey. He
joined the Mexican army shortly after
Mexico’s independence from Spain. He was
soon put in charge of Mexico’s efforts to
increase settlement in northern California.
Vallejo eventually became the richest man in
California, owning enormous amounts of
land and livestock. He welcomed American
rule of California, believing it would result in
self-government for Californios. Vallejo served
at the state constitutional convention as well
as in the first state senate.
Analyzing Why did Vallejo encourage American
rule of California?
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
elements the
basic parts of an
individual’s
surroundings
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-14
came with an offer to buy New Mexico and
California for $30 million. Mexican offi cials
refused to speak to him.
In March 1846, General Taylor led his
troops to the Rio Grande. He camped across
from Mexican forces stationed near the town
of Matamoros, Mexico. In April, the Mexican
commander told Taylor to withdraw from
Mexican territory. Taylor refused. The two sides
clashed, and several U.S. soldiers were killed.
President Polk delivered the news
to Congress.
Mexico has passed the boundary of the United
States, has invaded our territory, and shed
American blood upon the American soil . . . The
two nations are now at war.
—James K. Polk, from his address to Congress, May 11, 1846
Polk’s war message was persuasive. Two days
later, Congress declared war on Mexico.
War Begins
At the beginning of the war with Mexico, the
U.S. Army had better weapons and equip-
ment. Yet it was greatly outnumbered and
poorly prepared. The government put out
a call for 50,000 volunteers. About 200,000
responded. Many were young men who
thought the war would be a grand adventure
in a foreign land.
On the home front, many Americans
supported the war. However, many Whigs
thought the war was unjustifi ed and avoid-
able. Northern abolitionists also opposed the
confl ict. They feared the spread of slavery
into southwestern lands.
While Americans debated the war, fi ght-
ing proceeded. General Taylor’s soldiers won
battles south of the Nueces River. Taylor then
crossed the Rio Grande and occupied Mat-
amoros, Mexico. While Taylor waited for
more men, Polk ordered General Stephen
Kearny to attack New Mexico. On August 18,
1846, Kearny took Santa Fe, the capital city,
without a fi ght. He claimed the entire prov-
ince of New Mexico for the United States and
marched west to California, where another
confl ict with Mexico was already under way.
The Bear Flag Revolt
In 1846, only about 500 Americans lived in
the huge province of California, in contrast to
about 12,000 Californios. Yet, in the spirit of
manifest destiny, a small group of American
settlers seized the town of Sonoma, north of
San Francisco, on June 14. Hostilities began
between the two sides when the Americans
took some horses that were intended for
the Mexican militia.
In what became known
In what became known
as the
as the
Bear Flag Revolt
Bear Flag Revolt
, the Americans
, the Americans
declared California to be an independent
declared California to be an independent
nation
nation. Above the town, the rebels hoisted
a hastily made fl ag of a grizzly bear facing a
red star. Californios laughed at the roughly-
made bear, thinking it “looked more like a
pig than a bear.”
John C. Frémont, a U.S. Army captain,
was leading a mapping expedition across the
Sierra Nevada when he heard of the possible
war with Mexico. Frémont went to Sonoma
and quickly joined the American settlers in
their revolt against the Californios. Because
war had already broken out between the
United States and Mexico, Frémont’s actions
were seen as benefi cial to the American cause
in the region. His stated goal, however, was
Californian independence, not to annex
California to the United States. During the
revolt, several important Californios were
taken prisoner, including Mariano Vallejo.
Vallejo and his brother were held at an Ang-
lo settlement for two months without any
formal charges being brought against them.
Long after his release, Vallejo wrote a history
of California that included an account of his
time as a bear fl ag prisoner.
But the bear fl ag was quick to fall. In July,
U.S. naval forces came ashore in California
and raised the stars and stripes. Kearny’s army
arrived from the East. The towns of San Diego,
Los Angeles, and San Francisco fell rapidly. In
August, U.S. Navy Commodore Robert Stock-
ton claimed California for the United States.
Some Californios continued to resist until
early 1847, when they surrendered.
320 CHAPTER 10
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-15
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
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MEXICO
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Jan. 1847
San Pasqual,
Dec. 1846
Buena Vista,
Feb. 1847
Mexico City,
Sept. 1847
Veracruz,
Mar. 1847
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April 1847
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Fort
Modern-day state
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0 100 200 Miles
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EXPANDING WEST 321
The Bear Flag Revolt
American settlers took over
Sonoma, the regional head-
quarters of the Mexican
army. They captured Mexican
general Mariano Vallejo
and declared California a
new country: the California
Republic.
Mexican-American War, 1846–1847
Interactive Map
End of the War
General Winfield Scott
landed at Veracruz
and defeated troops
in the Mexican for-
tress there. He then
marched inland,
toward Mexico City.
Scotts capture of the
Mexican capital led to
the end of the war.
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
INTERPRETING MAPS
1. Location What Mexican city did Scott’s forces attack in
March 1847?
2. Movement Which U.S. commander led forces from Santa
Fe to San Diego?
KEYWORD: SS8 CH10
Interactive Map
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-16
Wars End
In Mexico General Taylor fi nally got the rein-
forcements he needed. He drove his forces
deep into enemy lands. Santa Anna, thrown
from offi ce after losing Texas, returned to
power in Mexico in September 1846. Quick-
ly, he came after Taylor.
The two armies clashed at Buena Vista in
February 1847. After a close battle with heavy
casualties on both sides, the Mexican Army
retreated. The next morning, the cry went
up: “The enemy has fl ed! The fi eld is ours!”
Taylor’s success made him a war hero back
home. The general’s popularity troubled Pres-
ident Polk, and when Taylor’s progress stalled,
Polk gave the command to General Winfi eld
Scott. A beloved leader, he was known by his
troops as “Old Fuss and Feathers” because of
his strict military discipline.
Scott sailed to the port of Veracruz, the
strongest fortress in Mexico. On March 29,
after an 88-hour artillery attack, Veracruz fell.
Scott moved on to the fi nal goal, Mexico City,
the capital. Taking a route similar to one fol-
lowed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cor-
tés in 1519, the Americans pushed 200 or so
miles inland. Santa Anna tried to stop the U.S.
forces at Cerro Gordo in mid-April, but failed.
By August 1847, U.S. troops were at the edge
of Mexico City.
After a truce failed, Scott ordered a mas-
sive attack on Mexico City. Mexican soldiers
and civilians fought fi erce battles in and
around the capital. At a military school atop
the steep, fortifi ed hill of Chapultepec, young
Mexican cadets bravely defended their hope-
less position. At least one soldier jumped
to his death rather than surrender to the
invading forces. Finally, on September 14,
1847, Mexico City fell. Santa Anna soon fl ed
the country.
READING CHECK
Sequencing In chronological
order, list the key battles of the Mexican-American War.
322 CHAPTER 10
American soldier
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-17
American Settlement in the
Mexican Cession
The war ended after Scott took Mexico City.
In
In
February 1848, the United States and Mex-
February 1848, the United States and Mex-
ico
ico
signed the
signed the
Treaty of Guadalupe
Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo
Hidalgo
,
,
which offi cially ended the war and forced
which offi cially ended the war and forced
Mexico to turn over much of its northern ter-
Mexico to turn over much of its northern ter-
ritory to the United States.
ritory to the United States. Known as the Mex-
ican Cession, this land included the present-
day states of California, Nevada, and Utah. In
addition, it included most of Arizona and New
Mexico and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
The United States also won the area claimed
by Texas north of the Rio Grande. The Mexi-
can Cession totaled more than 500,000 square
miles and increased the size of the United
States by almost 25 percent.
Agreements and Payments
In exchange for this vast territory, the United
States agreed to pay Mexico $15 million. In
addition, the United States assumed claims of
more than $3 million held by American citi-
zens against the Mexican government. The
treaty also addressed the status of Mexicans
in the Mexican Cession. The treaty provided
that they would be “protected in the free
enjoyment of their liberty and property, and
secured in the free exercise of their religion.”
The Senate passed the treaty in March 1848.
After the war with Mexico, some Ameri-
cans wanted to guarantee that any south-
ern railroad to California would be built
completely on American soil. James Gads-
den, U.S. minister to Mexico, negotiated
an important agreement with Mexico in
December 1853.
Under the terms of the
Under the terms of the
Gadsden Purchase
Gadsden Purchase,
the U.S. government
the U.S. government
paid Mexico $10 million. In exchange,
paid Mexico $10 million. In exchange,
the
the
United States received the southern parts of
United States received the southern parts of
what are now Arizona and New Mexico.
what are now Arizona and New Mexico. With
this purchase, the existing boundary with
Mexico was fi nally xed.
Surge of American Settlers
After the Mexican-American War, a fl ood
of Americans moved to the Southwest.
American newcomers struggled against
longtime residents to control the land and
other valuable resources, such as water
and minerals. Most Mexicans, Mexican
Americans, and Native Americans faced
legal, economic, and social discrimina-
tion. As a result, they found it diffi cult to
protect their rights.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo prom-
ised to protect Mexican American residents’
property rights. Yet differences between Mexi-
can and U.S. land laws led to great confusion.
The U.S. government often made Mexican
American landowners go to court to prove
that they had titles to their land. Landowners
had to pay their own travel costs as well as
those of witnesses and interpreters. They also
had to pay attorneys’ and interpreters’ fees.
These legal battles often bankrupted land-
owners. New settlers also tended to ignore
Mexican legal concepts, such as community
property or community water rights.
EXPANDING WEST 323
Mexican soldier
After the two-day
Battle of Buena Vista,
the American army
gained control of
northern Mexico.
At the beginning of the
battle, Mexican forces
outnumbered the
Americans. But the
Mexicans suffered
more than twice as
many casualties.
Why was the Battle
of Buena Vista a
turning point in the
Mexican-American War?
Battle of Buena Vista
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-18
Mexican holidays
like Cinco de
Mayo and Día
de los Muertos
are still popular
holidays in the
Southwest.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
0–4.9%
5–9.9%
10–24.9%
25–49.9%
>50%
U.S. Mexican
American
Population, 2000
0 150 300 Miles
0150300 Kilometers
Names of places—such as San Antonio, San
Diego, and Santa Barbara—show Hispanic
heritage. Other place-names, such as Taos
and Tesuque, are derived from Native Ameri-
can words. Communities throughout the
Southwest regularly celebrated both Mexican
and American holidays.
Mexican and Native American know-
ledge and traditions also shaped many local
economies. Mexican Americans taught
Anglo settlers about mining in the moun-
tains. Many ranching communities were fi rst
started by Mexican settlers. In addition,
Mexican Americans introduced new types
of saddles and other equipment to Ameri-
can ranchers. Adobe, developed by the Ana-
sazi Indians, was adopted from the Pueblo
people by the Spanish. It is still commonly
324 CHAPTER 10
White settlers also battled with American
Indians over property rights. In some areas,
for example, new white settlers soon out-
numbered southwestern Native Americans.
The Anglo settlers often tried to take con-
trol of valuable water resources and grazing
lands. In addition, settlers rarely respected
Indian holy places. Native American peoples
such as the Navajo and the Apache tried to
protect their land and livestock from the set-
tlers. Indians and settlers alike attacked one
another to protect their interests.
Cultural Encounters
Despite confl icts, different cultures shaped
one another in the Southwest. In settlements
with large Mexican populations, laws were
often printed in both English and Spanish.
T
O
DAY
TO
LINKING
Mexican Americans Today
Today Mexican Americans are about 8 percent of the U.S. population.
More than 20 million Mexican Americans live in all 50 states. Many
who live in the West are descended from people who lived there
long before the region became part of the United States.
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
INTERPRETING MAPS
Region In what region does the largest
percentage of Mexican Americans live?
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-19
Section 3 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Defi ne What was manifest destiny?
b. Make Inferences Why was westward expansion
such an important issue in the election of 1844?
c. Evaluate Do you think California benefi ted from
Mexican independence? Why or why not?
2. a. Recall Why did the United States declare war
on Mexico?
b. Summarize What was General Winfi eld Scott’s
strategy for winning the war with Mexico?
c. Elaborate Would you have sided with those
who opposed the war with Mexico or with those
who supported it? Why?
3. a. Describe What confl icts did American settlers,
Native Americans, and Mexican Americans in the
Mexican Cession experience?
b. Draw Conclusions Why were water rights so
important in the American Southwest
?
c. Evaluate In your opinion, what was the most
important effect of the annexation of the Mexican
Cession?
Critical Thinking
4 Identifying Cause and Effect Copy the graphic
organizer below onto your own sheet of paper.
Use it to identify the causes and effects of the
Mexican-American War.
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Explaining the Mexican-American War How will
you convey ideas, such as manifest destiny, in a
lm? How will you explain to your audience the
Mexican-American War’s role in expansion of the
United States? Consider these questions as you
read this section.
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Online Quiz
used by American residents in New Mexico,
Arizona, and California.
Trade also changed the Southwest. For
example, the Navajo created handwoven
woolen blankets to sell to Americans. Ameri-
cans in turn brought manufactured goods and
money to the Southwest. Due to exchanges
like these, the economies of many Mexican
American and Native American communi-
ties in the Southwest began to change.
Water Rights
In the East water-use laws commonly required
owners whose land bordered streams or riv-
ers to maintain a free fl ow of water. These
restrictions generally prevented landown-
ers from constructing dams because doing
so would infringe upon the water rights of
neighbors downstream.
In the typically dry climate of the West,
large-scale agriculture was not possible with-
out irrigation. Dams and canals were required
to direct scarce water to fi elds. This need con-
icted with the accepted eastern tradition of
equal access to water.
Brigham Young established a strict code
regulating water rights for the Mormon com-
munity. In any dispute over water use, the
good of the community would outweigh the
interests of individuals. Young’s approach
stood as an example for modern water laws
throughout the West.
READING CHECK
Summarizing What were
some of the early important agreements between
the United States and Mexico, and why were they
significant?
EXPANDING WEST 325
Causes
Effects
Mexican-American War
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW America’s west-
ward expansion continued rapidly after
the Mexican-American War. In the next
section you will learn about the California
gold rush.
HSS
8.8.6
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 PDF
1811
John Jacob Astor
founds the fur-trading
post Astoria on the
Columbia River.
1810
CHAPTER
10
1800–1855
Expanding
Expanding
West
West
304 CHAPTER 10
Outline for a Documentary Film Many documentary films
have been made about the history of the United States, but
there is always room for one more. In this chapter you will
read about the westward expansion of the United States,
a period filled with excitement and challenge. Then you
will create an outline for a documentary film to be used in
middle-school history classes.
FOCUS ON WRITING
California Standards
History–Social Science
8.8 Students analyze the divergent paths of the American
people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges
they faced.
8.9 Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish
slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence.
Analysis Skills
CS 3 Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify
physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states,
and countries.
English–Language Arts
Writing 8.2.1.c Employ narrative and descriptive strategies.
Reading 8.2.0 Students read and understand grade-level
appropriate material.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Download
1827
The United States and
Great Britain agree to
continue joint occupation
of Oregon Country.
1842
China gives Great
Britain control of the
island of Hong Kong.
EXPANDING WEST
305
1854
Commodore Matthew
Perry negotiates a trade
treaty with Japan.
18 30 18 4 0 18 5 0
1846
The United States
declares war
against Mexico.
1848
Gold is
discovered in
California on
January 24.
HOLT
History’s Impact
video series
Watch the video to under-
stand the impact of the
California gold rush.
In this chapter you will learn about how the
United States expanded west. The country
acquired vast amounts of territory in a short
time. Lured by land and gold, hundreds of thou-
sands of Americans followed trails west in search
of a better life. However, many Californio fami-
lies, like the one pictured here, had already lived
in California for generations.
What You Will Learn…
1838
Californios revolt
unsuccessfully against the
Mexican government.
1821
Mexico wins its
independence
from Spain.
18 2 0
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 PDF Download
306 CHAPTER 00306 CHAPTER 10
Religion
Reading Social Studies by Kylene Beers
Focus on Themes
In this chapter, you will
read about the American people as they continued
their westward expansion. You will read about the
famous Oregon and Santa Fe trails, Texas’s fi ght for
independence from Mexico, and Mexico’s war with
the United States. Finally, you will read about the
California Gold Rush that brought thousands of
people west. As you read each section, you will
see how economic issues affected the growth of
different geographic areas.
Geography
Politics
Economics
Religion
Focus on Reading In Chapter 3 you learned how writers some-
times give you clues to a word’s meaning in the same or a nearby
sentence. Those clues are usually defi nitions, restatements in different
words, or comparisons or contrasts. But what do you do if you don’t
know the word and the writer doesn’t think to give you a direct clue?
Using Broader Context Clues If the writer doesn’t give you one of
those direct clues, you have to try to fi gure out the meaning of the
word for yourself.
1. Read the whole paragraph and look for information that will help you
gure out the meaning.
2. Look up the word in the dictionary to be sure of its meaning.
Notice how a student used information from the whole paragraph to learn
the meaning of two unknown words.
Society
and Culture
Science and
Technology
Vocabulary in Context
Additional reading
support can be
found in the
In 1844, the Whigs passed up Tyler and
chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky as
their presidential candidate. At fi rst oppos-
ing annexation, Clay changed his mind
due to pressure from southern voters. The
Democratic Party chose former Tennessee
governor James K. Polk to oppose Clay.
Both candidates strongly favored acquiring
Texas and Oregon, but Polk was perceived
as the expansionist candidate.
(p. 317)
The dictionary defi nition is “to add or attach.
That’s close. Now what about expansionist? I know one meaning
of expand is similar to add. An expansionist was probably someone
who wanted to add to or expand the country.
I’m not sure about annexation. The southerners
convinced Clay to be for it. Maybe if I read some more.
Oh, both presidential candidates favored acquiring
Texas and Oregon. Maybe annexation means almost the same
thing as acquiring. I’ll check the dictionary.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-1
SECTION TITLE 307EXPANDING WEST 307
Key Terms
Key Terms
and People
and People
You Try It!
The following passage is from the chapter you are about to read.
Read the passage and then answer the questions.
American Settlement
in the Mexican Cession
The war ended after Scott took Mexico City. In
February 1848, the United States and Mexico
signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which
offi cially ended the war and forced Mexico to
turn over much of its northern territory to the
United States. Known as the Mexican Cession,
this land included the present-day states
of California, Nevada, and Utah. . . .
In exchange for this vast territory,
the United States agreed to pay Mexico
$15 million. In addition, the United States
assumed claims of more than $3 million held
by American citizens against the Mexican
government.
From
Chapter 10,
p. 323
Refer to the passages to answer the following questions.
1. Do you know what the word cession means? What clues in the
rst paragraph can help you fi gure out what the word might
mean? Use those clues to write a defi nition of cession.
2. Look cession up in a dictionary. How does your defi nition compare
to the dictionary defi nition?
3. In your experience, what does the word assume usually mean?
Do you think that meaning is the one used in the second para-
graph? If not, what do you think assume means in this case?
4. Look assume up in a dictionary. Does one of its meanings match
the one you came up with?
Chapter 10
Section 1
John Jacob Astor (p. 308)
mountain men (p. 308)
Oregon Trail (p. 309)
Santa Fe Trail (p. 310)
Mormons (p. 310)
Brigham Young (p. 311)
Section 2
Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
(p. 312)
empresarios (p. 312)
Stephen F. Austin (p. 313)
Antonio López de Santa Anna (p. 313)
Alamo (p. 314)
Battle of San Jacinto (p. 314)
Section 3
manifest destiny (p. 316)
James K. Polk (p. 317)
Californios (p. 319)
Bear Flag Revolt (p. 320)
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (p. 323)
Gadsden Purchase (p. 323)
Section 4
John Sutter (p. 327)
Donner party (p. 327)
forty-niners (p. 327)
prospect (p. 328)
placer miners (p. 328)
Academic Vocabulary
Success in school is related to
knowing academic vocabulary—
the words that are frequently used
in school assignments and discus-
sions. In this chapter, you will learn
the following academic words:
explicit (p. 313)
elements (p. 319)
As you read Chapter 10, use context
clues to figure out the meanings of
unfamiliar words. Check yourself by
looking the words up in a dictionary.
ELA
Reading 8.1.3 Use word meanings within the appropriate
context.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-2
SECTION
1
Key Terms and People
John Jacob Astor, p. 308
mountain men, p. 308
Oregon Trail, p. 309
Santa Fe Trail, p. 311
Mormons, p. 311
Brigham Young, p. 311
What You Will Learn…
The American West attracted
a variety of settlers.
The Big Idea
1. During the early 1800s,
Americans moved west of the
Rocky Mountains to settle
and trade.
2. The Mormons traveled west in
search of religious freedom.
Main Ideas
You live in Ohio in 1840. A few months ago, you and your family
heard stories about a wonderful land in the Northwest, with spar-
kling rivers and fertile valleys. You all decide to pull up stakes and
head West. You travel to Independence, Missouri, planning to join
a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. In Missouri, you’re surprised to
nd hundreds of other people planning to make the trip.
What would you expect your
journey West to be like?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Many Americans in the Jacksonian
Era were restless, curious, and eager to be on the move. The American
West drew a variety of settlers. Some looked for wealth and adventure.
Others, like this family on its way to the Northwest, dreamed of rich
farmland and new homes.
Americans Move West
In the early 1800s, Americans pushed steadily westward, moving
even beyond the territory of the United States. They traveled by
canoe and fl atboat, on horseback, and by wagon train. Some even
walked much of the way.
The rush to the West occurred, in part, because of a hat. The “high
hat,” made of water-repellent beaver fur, was popular in the United
States and Europe. While acquiring fur for the hats, French, British,
and American companies gradually killed off the beaver population
in the East. Companies moved west in search of more beavers. Most
of the fi rst non-Native Americans who traveled to the Rocky Moun-
tains and the Pacifi c Northwest were fur traders and trappers.
American merchant
John Jacob Astor created one of the largest
fur businesses, the American Fur Company. His company bought
skins from western
fur traders and trappers who became known as
fur traders and trappers who became known as
mountain men
mountain men. These adventurers were some of the fi rst easterners
to explore and map the Rocky Mountains and lands west of them.
Mountain men lived lonely and often dangerous lives. They trapped
animals on their own, far from towns and settlements. Mountain
men such as Jedediah Smith, Manuel Lisa, Jim Bridger, and Jim
If YOU were there...
Trails to the West
308 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.2 Describe the purpose,
challenges, and economic incentives
associated with westward expansion,
including the concepts of Manifest
Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark
expedition, accounts of the removal
of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of
Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains)
and the territorial acquisitions that
spanned numerous decades.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-3
Beckwourth
Pass
MEXICO
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V
A
D
A
C
A
S
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A
D
E
R
A
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Las
Vegas
Los Angeles
San
Francisco
Salt
Lake City
Santa Fe
Council
Grove
Independence
Nauvoo
Council
Bluffs
Astoria
Portland
Ft. Laramie
Ft. Leavenworth
Ft. Kearney
Ft.
Bridger
Ft. Vancouver
Sutter’s
Fort
Ft. Hall
Ft. Boise
Great
Salt Lake
M
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s
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.
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
PACIFIC
OCEAN
TX
NEW MEXICO
TERRITORY
UTAH
TERRITORY
OREGON
TERRITORY
NEBRASKA
TERRITORY
MINNESOTA
TERRITORY
INDIAN
TERRITORY
CA
LA
WI
IL
IA
MO
AR
120˚W
70˚W
40˚N
N
S
W
E
California 2,000 miles, 6 m
Santa Fe 1,200 miles, 2 m
Mormon 1,300 miles, 4
Trails, Distances, and Travel Times
Beckwourth survived many hardships during
their search for wealth and adventure. To sur-
vive on the frontier, mountain men adopted
Native American customs and clothing. In
addition, they often married Native American
women. The Indian wives of trappers often
worked hard to contribute to their success.
Pioneer William Ashley saw that frequently
bringing furs out of the Rocky Mountains was
expensive. He asked his traders to stay in the
mountains and meet once a year to trade and
socialize. This practice helped make the fur trade
more profi table. The yearly meeting was known
as the rendezvous. At the rendezvous, mountain
men and Native American trappers sold their
fur to fur-company agents. It was thus impor-
tant to bring as many furs as possible. One trap-
per described the people at a typical rendezvous
in 1837. He saw Americans, Canadian French,
some Europeans, and “Indians, of nearly every
tribe in the Rocky Mountains.”
The rendezvous was fi lled with celebrating
and storytelling. At the same time, the meet-
ing was also about conducting business. West-
ern artist Alfred Jacob Miller described how
trade was begun in the rendezvous camp.
The Fur Companys great tent is raised; the
Indians erect their picturesque [beautiful] white
lodges; the accumulated [collected] furs of
the hunting season are brought forth and the
Companys tent is a . . . busy place.
—Alfred Jacob Miller, quoted in The Fur Trade of the
American West, by David J. Wishart
In 1811, John Jacob Astor founded a fur-
trading post called Astoria at the mouth of the
Columbia River. Astoria was one of the fi rst
American settlements in what became known
as Oregon Country. American Indians occu-
pied the region, which was rich in forests,
rivers, and wildlife. However, Britain, Russia,
Spain, and the United States all claimed the
land. The United States based its claim on
EXPANDING WEST 309
Trails Leading West
INTERPRETING MAPS
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
1. Movement Which trails took the longest to
travel?
2. Human-Environment Interaction What
difficulties do you think travelers on the trails
faced?
Jim Beckwourth
was an African
American fur trap-
per and explorer
of the West in the
early 1800s.
onths
onths
months
Old Spanish 700 miles, 7 weeks
Oregon 2,000 miles, 6 months
Fort or trading post
0 200 400 Miles
0 200 400 Kilometers
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-4
This Mormon family left Iowa in 1856
and took the Mormon Trail to Utah. The
children walked 1,200 miles on this long
and difficult journey.
How many family members can you see
in this photo?
Mormon Pioneers
the exploration of merchant captain Robert
Gray, who had reached the mouth of the
Columbia River in 1792.
Recognizing the huge economic value of
the Pacifi c Northwest, the United States made
treaties in which Spain and Russia gave up
their claims to various areas. The United States
also signed treaties with Britain allowing both
countries to occupy Oregon Country, the
Columbia River, and its surrounding lands.
By the 1840s, the era of American fur
trading in the Pacifi c Northwest was drawing
to a close. The demand for beaver furs had
fallen because fashions changed. Too much
trapping had also greatly reduced the num-
ber of beavers. Some mountain men gave
up their work and moved back east. Their
daring stories, however, along with the trea-
ties made by the U.S. government, inspired
other Americans to move West. Lured by
rich resources and a mild climate, easterners
poured into Oregon Country in the 1840s.
These new settlers soon replaced the moun-
tain men on the frontier.
310 CHAPTER 10
The Oregon Trail
Many settlers moving to Oregon Coun-
try and other western areas followed
the
2,000-mile-long
2,000-mile-long
Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
, which
, which
stretched from places such as Indepen-
stretched from places such as Indepen-
dence, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa,
dence, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa,
west into Oregon Country
west into Oregon Country. The trail fol-
lowed the Platte and Sweetwater Rivers
over the Plains. After it crossed the Rocky
Mountains, the trail forked. The northern
branch led to the Willamette Valley in Ore-
gon. The other branch went to California
and became known as the California Trail.
Traveling the trail challenged the strength
and determination of pioneer families. The
journey usually began after the rainy sea-
son ended in late spring and lasted about six
months. The cost, about $600 for a family
of four, was high at a time when a typical
worker usually made about $1.50 per day.
Young families made up most groups of set-
tlers. They gathered in wagon trains for the
trip. There could be as few as 10 wagons or as
many as several dozen in a wagon train.
The wagons were pulled by oxen, mules,
or horses. Pioneers often walked to save their
animals’ strength. They kept up a tiring pace,
traveling from dawn until dusk. Settler Jesse
Applegate recalled the advice he received
from an experienced Oregon pioneer: “Trav-
el, travel, TRAVEL . . . Nothing is good that
causes a moment’s delay.”
Some pioneers brought small herds of
cattle with them on the trail. They faced
severe hardships, including shortages of
food, supplies, and water. Rough weather
and geographic barriers, such as rivers and
mountains, sometimes forced large numbers
of pioneers to abandon their wagons. In the
early days of the Oregon Trail, many Native
Americans helped the pioneers, acting as
guides and messengers. They also traded
goods for food. Although newspapers report-
ed Native American “massacres” of pioneers,
few settlers died during Indian attacks.
The settlers who arrived safely in Ore-
gon and California found generally healthy
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-5
Trails Travelers Motives
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Section 1 Assessment
Online Quiz
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Identify What was the Oregon Trail?
b. Elaborate Would you have chosen to leave your home
to travel West? Why?
2. a. Identify Who are the Mormons?
b. Summarize What diffi culties led Mormons to move
to Utah?
Critical Thinking
3. Categorizing Copy the chart below. Identify different trails
to the West, describe the people who traveled along each
trail, and explain their motives for traveling west.
4. Describing Trails West As you read this section, note
important topics that you might want to cover in your
documentary fi lm. In addition, write down ideas about
how you might present information about each topic. For
example, will you use a narrator to tell the life story of
Joseph Smith, or will you have actors present it dramatically?
EXPANDING WEST
311
and pleasant climates. By 1845 some 5,000
settlers occupied the Willamette Valley.
The Santa Fe Trail
The
The
Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
was another important
was another important
path west. It led from Independence, Mis-
path west. It led from Independence, Mis-
souri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
souri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It followed
an ancient trading route fi rst used by Native
Americans. American traders loaded their
wagon trains with cloth and other manufac-
tured goods to exchange for horses, mules,
and silver from Mexican traders in Santa Fe.
The long trip across blazing deserts and
rough mountains was dangerous. But the lure
of high profi ts encouraged traders to take to
the trail. One trader reported a 2,000 percent
profit on his cargo. The U.S. government
helped protect traders by sending troops to
ensure that Native Americans were not a
threat.
READING CHECK
Contrasting How were the
Oregon and Santa Fe trails different?
Mormons Travel West
One large group of settlers traveled to the
West in search of religious freedom. In 1830
a young man named Joseph Smith founded
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints in western New York.
The members
The members
of Joseph Smith’s church became known as
of Joseph Smith’s church became known as
Mormons
Mormons. Smith told his followers that he
had found and translated a set of golden tab-
lets containing religious teachings. The writ-
ings were called the Book of Mormon.
Church membership grew rapidly. Howev-
er, certain beliefs and practices caused Mormons
to be persecuted. For example, beginning in the
1850s some Mormon men practiced polyga-
my—a practice in which one man is married to
several women at the same time. This practice
was outlawed by the church in 1890.
In the early 1830s Smith and his grow-
ing number of converts left New York. They
formed new communities, first in Ohio,
then in Missouri, and fi nally in Illinois. All
FOCUS ON WRITING
three communities eventually failed, and an
anti-Mormon mob murdered Smith in 1844.
Following Smith’s murder,
Brigham Young
became head of the Mormon Church. Young
chose what is now Utah as the group’s new
home, and thousands of Mormons took the
Mormon Trail to the area near the Great Salt
Lake, where they prospered. By 1860 there
were about 40,000 Mormons in Utah.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
Why did Mormons move West?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Some of the
rst Americans to move West were fur trad-
ers and trappers. Settlers soon followed. In
the next section you will learn about the
Texas Revolution.
HSS
8.8.2
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-6
SECTION
2
Key Terms and People
Father Miguel Hidalgo y
Costilla, p. 312
empresarios, p. 312
Stephen F. Austin, p. 313
Antonio López de Santa Anna, p. 313
Alamo, p. 314
Battle of San Jacinto, p. 314
What You Will Learn…
In 1836, Texas gained its
independence from Mexico.
The Big Idea
1. Many American settlers moved
to Texas after Mexico achieved
independence from Spain.
2. Texans revolted against
Mexican rule and established
an independent nation.
Main Ideas
You are the father of a large farm family in Missouri. There is not
enough land for everyone, so you’re looking for another opportu-
nity. One day, a Mexican government offi cial comes to town. He is
looking for people to settle in Texas. The Mexican government is
offering generous tracts of land to colonists. However, you have to
become a citizen of Mexico and follow Mexican laws.
Would you decide to move your family
to Texas? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Spain controlled a vast amount of terri-
tory in what would later become the American Southwest. The Spanish
built missions and forts in Texas to establish control of that region. But
the settlements were far apart, and conflicts with Native Americans dis-
couraged Spanish settlers from moving to Texas. When Mexico became
an independent republic, it actively looked for more settlers.
American Settlers Move to Texas
Mexico had a long, unprotected border that stretched from Texas
to California. Mexico’s Spanish rulers worried constantly about
attacks from neighbors. They also were concerned about threats
from within Mexico.
Their fears were justifi ed. Mexicans moved to overthrow Span-
ish rule in the early 1800s. In September 1810
Father Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla,
a Mexican priest, led a rebellion of about 80,000
poor Indians and mestizos, or people of Indian and Spanish ances-
try. They hoped that if Mexico became independent from the Span-
ish monarchy, their lives would improve.
Hidalgo’s revolt failed, but the rebellion he started grew. In
1821 Mexico became independent. In 1824 it adopted a republican
constitution that declared rights for all Mexicans. The new Mexi-
can government hired
empresarios
empresarios,
or agents
or agents, to bring settlers to
Texas. They paid the agents in land.
If YOU were there...
The Texas
Revolution
312 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.5
Discuss Mexican settle-
ments and their locations, cultural
traditions, attitudes toward slavery,
land-grant system, and economics.
8.8.6 Describe the Texas War for
Independence and the Mexican-
American War, including territorial
settlements, the aftermath of the
wars, and the effects the wars had
on the lives of Americans, including
Mexican Americans today.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-7
In 1822 one young agent, Stephen F.
Austin
, started a colony on the lower Colora-
do River. The fi rst 300 families became known
as the Old Three Hundred. Austin’s successful
colony attracted other agents, and American
settlers fl ocked to the region.
In exchange for free land, settlers had to
obey Mexican laws. But some settlers often
explicitly ignored these laws. For example,
despite the ban on slavery, many brought
slaves. Concerned that it was losing control
to the growing American population, Mexico
responded. In 1830, it banned further settle-
ment by Americans. Angry about the new
law, many Texans began to think of gaining
independence from Mexico.
Meanwhile, Mexico had come under
the rule of General
Antonio López de Santa
Anna
. He soon suspended Mexico’s republi-
can constitution and turned his attention to
the growing unrest in Texas.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas Why did
settlers move to Texas?
Texans Revolt against Mexico
In October 1835 the Mexican army tried to
remove a cannon from the town of Gonza-
les, Texas. Rebels stood next to the cannon.
Their fl ag read, “Come and take it.” In the
following battle, the rebels won. The Texas
Revolution, also known as the Texas War for
Independence, had begun.
Texas Independence
On March 2, 1836, Texans declared their
independence from Mexico. The new Repub-
lic of Texas was born. Both the declaration
and the constitution that shortly followed
were modeled after the U.S. documents. The
Texas constitution, however, made slavery
legal.
Delegates to the new Texas government
chose politician David Burnet as president and
Lorenzo de Zavala as vice president. Another
revolutionary, Sam Houston, was named
to head the Texas army. Austin went to the
United States to seek money and troops.
EXPANDING WEST 313
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
explicit fully
revealed without
vagueness
Stephen F. Austin, shown at left, and other
settlers were empresarios—they received
land from the Mexican government for
the purpose of bringing settlers to Texas.
Their holdings were guaranteed with a
contract like the one below.
Why do you think the Mexican
government wanted to attract
settlers to Texas?
Settling Texas
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-8
San Antonio
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A
San Jacinto
April 1836
The Alamo
February–
March 1836
Goliad
March 1836
Claimed by
U.S., Texas,
and Mexico
Gulf of
Mexico
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
REPUBLIC OF
TEXAS
LOUISIANA
(1812)
95˚W
N
S
W
E
Mexican army
Mexican victory
Texan army
Texan victory
0 50 100 Miles
0 50 100 Kilometers
Battle at the Alamo
The Texans’ actions angered Santa Anna. He
began assembling a force of thousands to
stop the rebellion.
A hastily created army of Texas volun-
teers had been clashing with Mexican troops
for months. Under Colonel Jim Travis, a
small force took the town of San Antonio.
It then occupied the
Alamo
Alamo,
an abandoned
an abandoned
mission near San Antonio that became an
mission near San Antonio that became an
important battle
important battle
site in the Texas Revolution
site in the Texas Revolution
.
.
Volunteers from the United States, including
frontiersman Davy Crockett and Colonel Jim
Bowie, joined the Alamo’s defense.
The rebels, numbering fewer than 200,
hoped to stall the huge Mexican force while a
larger Texas army assembled. For almost two
weeks, from February 23 to March 6, 1836, the
Texans held out. Travis managed to get a mes-
sage to other Texans through enemy lines:
I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patrio-
tism, and everything dear to the American
character, to come to our aid with all dispatch
[speed] . . . VICTORY OR DEATH.
—William Travis, from a letter written at the Alamo, 1836
Before dawn on March 6, the Mexican
army attacked. Despite heavy losses, the
army overcame the Texans. All the defend-
ers of the Alamo were killed, though some
civilians survived. Following a later battle, at
Goliad, Santa Anna ordered the execution of
350 prisoners who had surrendered. Texans
were enraged by the massacres.
Battle of San Jacinto
Santa Anna now chased the untrained forces
of Sam Houston. Outnumbered, the Texans
ed east. Finally, they reorganized at the San
Jacinto River, near Galveston Bay. There, the
Texans took a stand.
Santa Anna was confi dent of victory, but
he was careless in choosing the site for his
camp. On the afternoon of April 21, 1836,
while Mexican troops were resting, Hous-
ton’s forces swarmed the camp, shouting,
“Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”
The fi ghting ended swiftly. Santa Anna’s
army was destroyed.
In the
In the
Battle of
Battle of
San
San
Jacinto
Jacinto
,
,
the Texans captured Santa Anna and
the Texans captured Santa Anna and
forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its
forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its
independence
independence.
314 CHAPTER 10
The Texas Revolution
FOCUS ON
READING
Use this section
to summarize the
events of the
battle at the
Alamo.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-9
An Independent Nation
Sam Houston was the hero of the new
independent nation of Texas. The republic
created a new town named Houston and
made it the capital. Voters elected Sam Hous-
ton as president. Stephen F. Austin became
secretary of state.
To increase the population, Texas offered
land grants. American settlers came from
nearby southern states, often bringing slaves
with them to help grow and harvest cotton.
Most Texans hoped that the United States
would annex, or take control of, Texas, mak-
ing it a state. The U.S. Congress also wanted
to annex Texas. But President Andrew Jack-
son refused. He was concerned that admit-
ting Texas as a slave state would upset the
fragile balance of free and slave states. The
president also did not want to have a war
with Mexico over Texas.
Finally, Jackson did recognize Texas as an
independent nation. France did so in 1839.
Britain, which wanted to halt U.S. expan-
sion, recognized Texas in 1840.
The Mexican government, however, did
not recognize Santa Anna’s forced hand-
over of Texas. In 1837 the republic organized
the Texas Rangers to guard its long frontier
from Mexican and Native American attacks.
Finally, in 1844 Texas and Mexico signed a
peace treaty.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas What
issues did the new nation of Texas face?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW American set-
tlers in Texas challenged the Mexican gov-
ernment and won their independence. In
the next section you will learn about the
war between Mexico and the United States.
EXPANDING WEST 315
On March 6, 1836, Texans fought and lost
the Battle of the Alamo. A rallying cry for
the Texans at the Battle of San Jacinto was
“Remember the Alamo!” The single star of
the flag represents the Republic of Texas,
also called the Lone Star Republic.
Why do you think “Remember the Alamo!” was
a rallying cry for Texas troops at San Jacinto?
Section 2 Assessment
Online Quiz
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Identify What role did Stephen F. Austin play in the
settlement of Texas
?
b. Make Inferences Why did Mexican offi cials want to
bring more settlers to Texas?
c. Evaluate Do you think Mexico’s requirements for foreign
immigrants were reasonable or unreasonable? Explain.
2. a. Describe What were the important battles in the War for
Texas Independence? Why was each important?
b. Make Inferences Why did Texas offer land grants to settlers?
c. Predict What problems might the Republic of Texas face
?
Critical Thinking
3. Sequencing Copy the time line below. Use it to list impor-
tant events of the Texas Revolution.
April 1836
October 1835
March 1836
FOCUS ON WRITING
4. Explaining the Texas Revolution As you read this sec-
tion, make note of the most important players and events
in the story of how Texas gained independence from
Mexico. Consider also how you will present information
about these people and events to your fi lm’s audience.
What words, images, and sounds will make the story of
the revolution come alive for them?
HSS
8.8.5, 8.8.6
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-10
SECTION
3
Key Terms and People
manifest destiny, p. 316
James K. Polk, p. 317
vaqueros, p. 319
Californios, p. 319
Bear Flag Revolt, p. 320
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, p. 323
Gadsden Purchase, p. 323
What You Will Learn…
The ideals of manifest destiny
and the outcome of the Mexican-
American War led to U. S. expan-
sion to the Pacific Ocean.
The Big Idea
1. Many Americans believed
that the nation had a manifest
destiny to claim new lands in
the West.
2. As a result of the Mexican-
American War, the United
States added territory in the
Southwest
.
3. American settlement in the
Mexican Cession produced
conflict and a blending of
cultures.
Main Ideas
Your family are Californios, Spanish settlers who have lived in
California for many years. You raise horses on your ranch. So far,
you have gotten along with American settlers. But it has become
clear that the American government wants to take over California.
You hear that fi ghting has already started between American and
Mexican troops.
How might life change under American rule?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Mexican independence set the stage
for conflict and change in the West and Southwest. At the same time,
American settlers continued to move westward, settling in the Mexican
territories of Texas and California. American ambitions led to clashes
with Mexico and the people who already lived in Mexico’s territories.
Manifest Destiny
We have it in our power to start the world over again.
—Thomas Paine, from his pamphlet Common Sense
Americans had always believed they could build a new, better
society founded on democratic principles. In 1839 writer John
O’Sullivan noted, “We are the nation of human progress, and who
will, what can, set limits to our onward march?”
Actually, there was one limit: land. By the 1840s the United
States had a booming economy and population. Barely 70 years
old, the nation already needed more room for farms, ranches, busi-
nesses, and ever-growing families. Americans looked West to what
they saw as a vast wilderness, ready to be taken.
Some people believed it was America’s
manifest destiny
manifest destiny
, or
, or
obvious fate,
obvious fate,
to settle land all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean in order
to settle land all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean in order
to spread democracy
to spread democracy. O’Sullivan coined the term in 1845. He wrote
that it was America’s “manifest destiny to overspread and to possess
the whole continent which Providence [God] has given us for the
development of the great experiment of liberty . . . ”
If YOU were there...
The Mexican-
American War
316 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.6
Describe the Texas
War for Independence and the
Mexican-American War, including
territorial settlements, the aftermath
of the wars, and the effects the wars
had on the lives of Americans, includ-
ing Mexican Americans today.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-11
In the mid-1800s, manifest destiny
was tied up with the slavery issue. If Amer-
ica gained new territory, would slavery be
allowed there? Presidents had to face the dif-
cult issue. Among them was John Tyler, a
pro-slavery Whig who wanted to increase the
power of the southern slave states by annex-
ing Texas. His fellow Whigs disagreed.
In 1844, the Whig Party passed up Tyler
and chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky
as its presidential candidate. At fi rst oppos-
ing annexation, Clay changed his mind due
to pressure from southern politicians. The
Democratic Party chose former Tennessee
governor
James K. Polk to oppose Clay. Both
candidates strongly favored acquiring Texas
and Oregon, but Polk was perceived as the
expansionist candidate.
Southerners feared the loss of Texas, a
possible new slave state. Others worried that
Texas might become an ally of Britain. These
concerns helped Polk narrowly defeat Clay.
Acquiring New Territory
President Polk quickly set out to fulfi ll his
campaign promise to annex Oregon and
Texas. By the 1820s, Russia and Spain had
given up their claims to Oregon Country.
Britain and the United States had agreed to
occupy the territory together.
As more Americans settled there, they
began to ask that Oregon become part of the
United States. Polk wanted to protect these
settlers’ interests. Some politicians noted that
Oregon Country would provide a Pacifi c port
for the growing U.S. trade with China.
Meanwhile, Britain and the United States
disagreed over how to draw the United States–
Canadian border. American expansionists
cried, “Fifty-four forty or fi ght!” This slogan
referred to 54°40' north latitude, the line to
which Americans wanted their northern
territory to extend.
Neither side really wanted a war, though.
In 1846 Great Britain and the United States
signed a treaty that gave the United States all
Oregon land south of the forty-ninth paral-
lel. This treaty drew the border that still exists
today. Oregon became an organized U.S. terri-
tory in February 1848.
Texas came next. By March 1845,
Congress had approved annexation and
EXPANDING WEST 317
John Gast’s 1872 painting
American Progress shows
the spirit of manifest destiny
leading settlers westward.
What in this painting shows
how settlers traveled west?
Manifest Destiny
Native Americans
and buffalo are
pushed away by the
approaching settlers.
The Mississippi
River is in the
background as
settlers push
farther west.
The woman represents
America, moving west
and bringing sunlight,
settlers, and telegraph
wires to the new lands.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-12
needed only the support of the Republic of
Texas. Americans continued to pour into
Texas. Texas politicians hoped that join-
ing the United States would help solve the
republic’s fi nancial and military problems.
The Texas Congress approved annexation in
June 1845. Texas became part of the United
States in December. This action angered the
Mexican government, which considered
Texas to be a “stolen province.”
California under Mexico
Although the annexation of Texas angered
Mexico, it still had settlements in other areas
of the present-day Southwest to govern. New
Mexico was the oldest settled area, with its
capital at Santa Fe. Mexico also controlled
present-day Arizona, Nevada, and California.
During early Spanish rule, the mission
system had dominated much of the present-
day Southwest. Over time, it had become
less important there, especially in New Mex-
ico, where settlers lived in small villages. In
California, however, missions remained the
focus of everyday life. Missions under later
Spanish rule carried out huge farming and
ranching operations using the labor of Native
Americans. Some of the Indians came will-
ingly to the missions. Others were brought
by force. Usually, they were not allowed to
leave the mission once they had arrived.
They had to adopt the clothing, food, and
religion of the Spanish priests.
Missions often sold their goods to local
pueblos, or towns, that arose near the mis-
sions and presidios. One wealthy California
settler, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, remem-
bered the early days.
We were the pioneers of the Pacifi c coast,
building towns and missions while General
[George] Washington was carrying on the war
of the Revolution.
—Mariano Guadalupe
Vallejo, quoted in Eyewitnesses and Others
After winning independence from Spain
in 1821, Mexico began to change old Spanish
318 CHAPTER 10
Saddles like these
were highly prized
by vaqueros.
Leather chaps
protected riders from
dust and scrapes.
Vaqueros were
known for
their specially
designed hats.
ANALYZING VISUALS
What features of the vaqueros’ life are
shown in this painting?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
Ranch Life
Spanish and Mexican vaqueros, or cowboys,
were expert horseriders. They used their
horses to herd cattle on the ranches of the
Spanish Southwest.
History Close-up
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-13
policies toward California and Texas. In
1833, for example, Mexico ended the mis-
sion system in California. Mission lands were
broken up, and huge grants were given to
some of the wealthiest California settlers,
including Vallejo. They created vast ranchos,
or ranches, with tens of thousands of acres
of land.
Vaqueros
Vaqueros,
or cowboys, managed the
or cowboys, managed the
large herds of cattle and sheep.
large herds of cattle and sheep. Cowhides were
so valuable that they were called “California
banknotes.” Hides were traded for household
items and luxury goods with ship captains
from the eastern United States. Some settlers
also made wine and grew citrus fruits.
Although they had been freed from
the missions, for most California Indians the
elements of life changed very little. They
continued to herd animals and do much
of the hard physical labor on ranches and
farms. Some, however, ran away into the wil-
derness or to the nearby towns of San Diego
and Los Angeles.
The Californios
Because of the great distance between
California and the center of Mexico’s govern-
ment, by the early 1820s California had only
around 3,200 colonists.
These colonists,
These colonists,
called
called
Californios
Californios, felt little connection to
their faraway government.
Californios developed a lasting reputation
for hospitality and skilled horse riding. In Two
Years Before the Mast, American novelist Rich-
ard Henry Dana Jr. wrote about his encoun-
ters with Californio culture. He described, for
example, what happened after a Californio
served a feast to Dana and a friend.
We took out some money and asked him how
much we were to pay. He shook his head and
crossed himself, saying that it was charity—that
the Lord gave it to us.
—Richard Henry Dana Jr. from Two
Years Before the Mast
In addition to traders and travelers, a
small number of settlers also arrived from
the United States. They were called Anglos
by the Californios. Although there were few
Anglo settlers in California, their calls for
independence increased tensions between
Mexico and the United States.
READING CHECK
Drawing Inferences How
did manifest destiny affect Spanish and Mexican
rule in California?
Mexican-American War
Diplomatic relations between Mexico and the
United States became increasingly strained.
U.S. involvement in California and Texas con-
tributed to this tension.
Confl ict Breaks Out
Mexico had long insisted that its north-
ern border lay along the Nueces River.
The United States said the border was
farther south, along the Rio Grande. In
June 1845 President Polk ordered General
Zachary Taylor to lead an army into the
disputed region.
Polk sent diplomat John Slidell to Mexico
City to try to settle the border dispute. Slidell
EXPANDING WEST 319
BIOGRAPHY
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
18 0 8 18 9 0
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was born to an
influential Californio family in Monterey. He
joined the Mexican army shortly after
Mexico’s independence from Spain. He was
soon put in charge of Mexico’s efforts to
increase settlement in northern California.
Vallejo eventually became the richest man in
California, owning enormous amounts of
land and livestock. He welcomed American
rule of California, believing it would result in
self-government for Californios. Vallejo served
at the state constitutional convention as well
as in the first state senate.
Analyzing Why did Vallejo encourage American
rule of California?
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
elements the
basic parts of an
individual’s
surroundings
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-14
came with an offer to buy New Mexico and
California for $30 million. Mexican offi cials
refused to speak to him.
In March 1846, General Taylor led his
troops to the Rio Grande. He camped across
from Mexican forces stationed near the town
of Matamoros, Mexico. In April, the Mexican
commander told Taylor to withdraw from
Mexican territory. Taylor refused. The two sides
clashed, and several U.S. soldiers were killed.
President Polk delivered the news
to Congress.
Mexico has passed the boundary of the United
States, has invaded our territory, and shed
American blood upon the American soil . . . The
two nations are now at war.
—James K. Polk, from his address to Congress, May 11, 1846
Polk’s war message was persuasive. Two days
later, Congress declared war on Mexico.
War Begins
At the beginning of the war with Mexico, the
U.S. Army had better weapons and equip-
ment. Yet it was greatly outnumbered and
poorly prepared. The government put out
a call for 50,000 volunteers. About 200,000
responded. Many were young men who
thought the war would be a grand adventure
in a foreign land.
On the home front, many Americans
supported the war. However, many Whigs
thought the war was unjustifi ed and avoid-
able. Northern abolitionists also opposed the
confl ict. They feared the spread of slavery
into southwestern lands.
While Americans debated the war, fi ght-
ing proceeded. General Taylor’s soldiers won
battles south of the Nueces River. Taylor then
crossed the Rio Grande and occupied Mat-
amoros, Mexico. While Taylor waited for
more men, Polk ordered General Stephen
Kearny to attack New Mexico. On August 18,
1846, Kearny took Santa Fe, the capital city,
without a fi ght. He claimed the entire prov-
ince of New Mexico for the United States and
marched west to California, where another
confl ict with Mexico was already under way.
The Bear Flag Revolt
In 1846, only about 500 Americans lived in
the huge province of California, in contrast to
about 12,000 Californios. Yet, in the spirit of
manifest destiny, a small group of American
settlers seized the town of Sonoma, north of
San Francisco, on June 14. Hostilities began
between the two sides when the Americans
took some horses that were intended for
the Mexican militia.
In what became known
In what became known
as the
as the
Bear Flag Revolt
Bear Flag Revolt
, the Americans
, the Americans
declared California to be an independent
declared California to be an independent
nation
nation. Above the town, the rebels hoisted
a hastily made fl ag of a grizzly bear facing a
red star. Californios laughed at the roughly-
made bear, thinking it “looked more like a
pig than a bear.”
John C. Frémont, a U.S. Army captain,
was leading a mapping expedition across the
Sierra Nevada when he heard of the possible
war with Mexico. Frémont went to Sonoma
and quickly joined the American settlers in
their revolt against the Californios. Because
war had already broken out between the
United States and Mexico, Frémont’s actions
were seen as benefi cial to the American cause
in the region. His stated goal, however, was
Californian independence, not to annex
California to the United States. During the
revolt, several important Californios were
taken prisoner, including Mariano Vallejo.
Vallejo and his brother were held at an Ang-
lo settlement for two months without any
formal charges being brought against them.
Long after his release, Vallejo wrote a history
of California that included an account of his
time as a bear fl ag prisoner.
But the bear fl ag was quick to fall. In July,
U.S. naval forces came ashore in California
and raised the stars and stripes. Kearny’s army
arrived from the East. The towns of San Diego,
Los Angeles, and San Francisco fell rapidly. In
August, U.S. Navy Commodore Robert Stock-
ton claimed California for the United States.
Some Californios continued to resist until
early 1847, when they surrendered.
320 CHAPTER 10
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-15
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
NEW
MEXICO
CA
OREGON COUNTRY
UNORGANIZED
TERRITORY
S
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Fort Leavenworth
Bent’s
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Sutter's Fort
TEXAS
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Gulf of
Mexico
Bear Flag Revolt, June 1846
San Gabriel,
Jan. 1847
San Pasqual,
Dec. 1846
Buena Vista,
Feb. 1847
Mexico City,
Sept. 1847
Veracruz,
Mar. 1847
Cerro
Gordo,
April 1847
Monterrey,
Sept . 1846
Resaca de la Palma,
May 1846
Palo Alto,
May 1846
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Salt Lake
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San
Antonio
Santa Fe
Chihuahua
New Orleans
Corpus Christi
Matamoros
Tampico
Mazatlán
San
Francisco
Monterey
Los Angeles
Sonoma
San Diego
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
90˚W
110˚W
120˚W
20˚N
30˚N
T
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American forces
American victory
Mexican forces
Mexican victory
Fort
Modern-day state
boundaries
0 100 200 Miles
0 100 200 Kilometers
EXPANDING WEST 321
The Bear Flag Revolt
American settlers took over
Sonoma, the regional head-
quarters of the Mexican
army. They captured Mexican
general Mariano Vallejo
and declared California a
new country: the California
Republic.
Mexican-American War, 1846–1847
Interactive Map
End of the War
General Winfield Scott
landed at Veracruz
and defeated troops
in the Mexican for-
tress there. He then
marched inland,
toward Mexico City.
Scotts capture of the
Mexican capital led to
the end of the war.
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
INTERPRETING MAPS
1. Location What Mexican city did Scott’s forces attack in
March 1847?
2. Movement Which U.S. commander led forces from Santa
Fe to San Diego?
KEYWORD: SS8 CH10
Interactive Map
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-16
Wars End
In Mexico General Taylor fi nally got the rein-
forcements he needed. He drove his forces
deep into enemy lands. Santa Anna, thrown
from offi ce after losing Texas, returned to
power in Mexico in September 1846. Quick-
ly, he came after Taylor.
The two armies clashed at Buena Vista in
February 1847. After a close battle with heavy
casualties on both sides, the Mexican Army
retreated. The next morning, the cry went
up: “The enemy has fl ed! The fi eld is ours!”
Taylor’s success made him a war hero back
home. The general’s popularity troubled Pres-
ident Polk, and when Taylor’s progress stalled,
Polk gave the command to General Winfi eld
Scott. A beloved leader, he was known by his
troops as “Old Fuss and Feathers” because of
his strict military discipline.
Scott sailed to the port of Veracruz, the
strongest fortress in Mexico. On March 29,
after an 88-hour artillery attack, Veracruz fell.
Scott moved on to the fi nal goal, Mexico City,
the capital. Taking a route similar to one fol-
lowed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cor-
tés in 1519, the Americans pushed 200 or so
miles inland. Santa Anna tried to stop the U.S.
forces at Cerro Gordo in mid-April, but failed.
By August 1847, U.S. troops were at the edge
of Mexico City.
After a truce failed, Scott ordered a mas-
sive attack on Mexico City. Mexican soldiers
and civilians fought fi erce battles in and
around the capital. At a military school atop
the steep, fortifi ed hill of Chapultepec, young
Mexican cadets bravely defended their hope-
less position. At least one soldier jumped
to his death rather than surrender to the
invading forces. Finally, on September 14,
1847, Mexico City fell. Santa Anna soon fl ed
the country.
READING CHECK
Sequencing In chronological
order, list the key battles of the Mexican-American War.
322 CHAPTER 10
American soldier
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-17
American Settlement in the
Mexican Cession
The war ended after Scott took Mexico City.
In
In
February 1848, the United States and Mex-
February 1848, the United States and Mex-
ico
ico
signed the
signed the
Treaty of Guadalupe
Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo
Hidalgo
,
,
which offi cially ended the war and forced
which offi cially ended the war and forced
Mexico to turn over much of its northern ter-
Mexico to turn over much of its northern ter-
ritory to the United States.
ritory to the United States. Known as the Mex-
ican Cession, this land included the present-
day states of California, Nevada, and Utah. In
addition, it included most of Arizona and New
Mexico and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
The United States also won the area claimed
by Texas north of the Rio Grande. The Mexi-
can Cession totaled more than 500,000 square
miles and increased the size of the United
States by almost 25 percent.
Agreements and Payments
In exchange for this vast territory, the United
States agreed to pay Mexico $15 million. In
addition, the United States assumed claims of
more than $3 million held by American citi-
zens against the Mexican government. The
treaty also addressed the status of Mexicans
in the Mexican Cession. The treaty provided
that they would be “protected in the free
enjoyment of their liberty and property, and
secured in the free exercise of their religion.”
The Senate passed the treaty in March 1848.
After the war with Mexico, some Ameri-
cans wanted to guarantee that any south-
ern railroad to California would be built
completely on American soil. James Gads-
den, U.S. minister to Mexico, negotiated
an important agreement with Mexico in
December 1853.
Under the terms of the
Under the terms of the
Gadsden Purchase
Gadsden Purchase,
the U.S. government
the U.S. government
paid Mexico $10 million. In exchange,
paid Mexico $10 million. In exchange,
the
the
United States received the southern parts of
United States received the southern parts of
what are now Arizona and New Mexico.
what are now Arizona and New Mexico. With
this purchase, the existing boundary with
Mexico was fi nally xed.
Surge of American Settlers
After the Mexican-American War, a fl ood
of Americans moved to the Southwest.
American newcomers struggled against
longtime residents to control the land and
other valuable resources, such as water
and minerals. Most Mexicans, Mexican
Americans, and Native Americans faced
legal, economic, and social discrimina-
tion. As a result, they found it diffi cult to
protect their rights.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo prom-
ised to protect Mexican American residents’
property rights. Yet differences between Mexi-
can and U.S. land laws led to great confusion.
The U.S. government often made Mexican
American landowners go to court to prove
that they had titles to their land. Landowners
had to pay their own travel costs as well as
those of witnesses and interpreters. They also
had to pay attorneys’ and interpreters’ fees.
These legal battles often bankrupted land-
owners. New settlers also tended to ignore
Mexican legal concepts, such as community
property or community water rights.
EXPANDING WEST 323
Mexican soldier
After the two-day
Battle of Buena Vista,
the American army
gained control of
northern Mexico.
At the beginning of the
battle, Mexican forces
outnumbered the
Americans. But the
Mexicans suffered
more than twice as
many casualties.
Why was the Battle
of Buena Vista a
turning point in the
Mexican-American War?
Battle of Buena Vista
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-18
Mexican holidays
like Cinco de
Mayo and Día
de los Muertos
are still popular
holidays in the
Southwest.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
0–4.9%
5–9.9%
10–24.9%
25–49.9%
>50%
U.S. Mexican
American
Population, 2000
0 150 300 Miles
0150300 Kilometers
Names of places—such as San Antonio, San
Diego, and Santa Barbara—show Hispanic
heritage. Other place-names, such as Taos
and Tesuque, are derived from Native Ameri-
can words. Communities throughout the
Southwest regularly celebrated both Mexican
and American holidays.
Mexican and Native American know-
ledge and traditions also shaped many local
economies. Mexican Americans taught
Anglo settlers about mining in the moun-
tains. Many ranching communities were fi rst
started by Mexican settlers. In addition,
Mexican Americans introduced new types
of saddles and other equipment to Ameri-
can ranchers. Adobe, developed by the Ana-
sazi Indians, was adopted from the Pueblo
people by the Spanish. It is still commonly
324 CHAPTER 10
White settlers also battled with American
Indians over property rights. In some areas,
for example, new white settlers soon out-
numbered southwestern Native Americans.
The Anglo settlers often tried to take con-
trol of valuable water resources and grazing
lands. In addition, settlers rarely respected
Indian holy places. Native American peoples
such as the Navajo and the Apache tried to
protect their land and livestock from the set-
tlers. Indians and settlers alike attacked one
another to protect their interests.
Cultural Encounters
Despite confl icts, different cultures shaped
one another in the Southwest. In settlements
with large Mexican populations, laws were
often printed in both English and Spanish.
T
O
DAY
TO
LINKING
Mexican Americans Today
Today Mexican Americans are about 8 percent of the U.S. population.
More than 20 million Mexican Americans live in all 50 states. Many
who live in the West are descended from people who lived there
long before the region became part of the United States.
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
INTERPRETING MAPS
Region In what region does the largest
percentage of Mexican Americans live?
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-19
Section 3 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Defi ne What was manifest destiny?
b. Make Inferences Why was westward expansion
such an important issue in the election of 1844?
c. Evaluate Do you think California benefi ted from
Mexican independence? Why or why not?
2. a. Recall Why did the United States declare war
on Mexico?
b. Summarize What was General Winfi eld Scott’s
strategy for winning the war with Mexico?
c. Elaborate Would you have sided with those
who opposed the war with Mexico or with those
who supported it? Why?
3. a. Describe What confl icts did American settlers,
Native Americans, and Mexican Americans in the
Mexican Cession experience?
b. Draw Conclusions Why were water rights so
important in the American Southwest
?
c. Evaluate In your opinion, what was the most
important effect of the annexation of the Mexican
Cession?
Critical Thinking
4 Identifying Cause and Effect Copy the graphic
organizer below onto your own sheet of paper.
Use it to identify the causes and effects of the
Mexican-American War.
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Explaining the Mexican-American War How will
you convey ideas, such as manifest destiny, in a
lm? How will you explain to your audience the
Mexican-American War’s role in expansion of the
United States? Consider these questions as you
read this section.
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Online Quiz
used by American residents in New Mexico,
Arizona, and California.
Trade also changed the Southwest. For
example, the Navajo created handwoven
woolen blankets to sell to Americans. Ameri-
cans in turn brought manufactured goods and
money to the Southwest. Due to exchanges
like these, the economies of many Mexican
American and Native American communi-
ties in the Southwest began to change.
Water Rights
In the East water-use laws commonly required
owners whose land bordered streams or riv-
ers to maintain a free fl ow of water. These
restrictions generally prevented landown-
ers from constructing dams because doing
so would infringe upon the water rights of
neighbors downstream.
In the typically dry climate of the West,
large-scale agriculture was not possible with-
out irrigation. Dams and canals were required
to direct scarce water to fi elds. This need con-
icted with the accepted eastern tradition of
equal access to water.
Brigham Young established a strict code
regulating water rights for the Mormon com-
munity. In any dispute over water use, the
good of the community would outweigh the
interests of individuals. Young’s approach
stood as an example for modern water laws
throughout the West.
READING CHECK
Summarizing What were
some of the early important agreements between
the United States and Mexico, and why were they
significant?
EXPANDING WEST 325
Causes
Effects
Mexican-American War
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW America’s west-
ward expansion continued rapidly after
the Mexican-American War. In the next
section you will learn about the California
gold rush.
HSS
8.8.6
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 PDF
1811
John Jacob Astor
founds the fur-trading
post Astoria on the
Columbia River.
1810
CHAPTER
10
1800–1855
Expanding
Expanding
West
West
304 CHAPTER 10
Outline for a Documentary Film Many documentary films
have been made about the history of the United States, but
there is always room for one more. In this chapter you will
read about the westward expansion of the United States,
a period filled with excitement and challenge. Then you
will create an outline for a documentary film to be used in
middle-school history classes.
FOCUS ON WRITING
California Standards
History–Social Science
8.8 Students analyze the divergent paths of the American
people in the West from 1800 to the mid-1800s and the challenges
they faced.
8.9 Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish
slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence.
Analysis Skills
CS 3 Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify
physical and cultural features of neighborhoods, cities, states,
and countries.
English–Language Arts
Writing 8.2.1.c Employ narrative and descriptive strategies.
Reading 8.2.0 Students read and understand grade-level
appropriate material.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Download
1827
The United States and
Great Britain agree to
continue joint occupation
of Oregon Country.
1842
China gives Great
Britain control of the
island of Hong Kong.
EXPANDING WEST
305
1854
Commodore Matthew
Perry negotiates a trade
treaty with Japan.
18 30 18 4 0 18 5 0
1846
The United States
declares war
against Mexico.
1848
Gold is
discovered in
California on
January 24.
HOLT
History’s Impact
video series
Watch the video to under-
stand the impact of the
California gold rush.
In this chapter you will learn about how the
United States expanded west. The country
acquired vast amounts of territory in a short
time. Lured by land and gold, hundreds of thou-
sands of Americans followed trails west in search
of a better life. However, many Californio fami-
lies, like the one pictured here, had already lived
in California for generations.
What You Will Learn…
1838
Californios revolt
unsuccessfully against the
Mexican government.
1821
Mexico wins its
independence
from Spain.
18 2 0
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 PDF Download
306 CHAPTER 00306 CHAPTER 10
Religion
Reading Social Studies by Kylene Beers
Focus on Themes
In this chapter, you will
read about the American people as they continued
their westward expansion. You will read about the
famous Oregon and Santa Fe trails, Texas’s fi ght for
independence from Mexico, and Mexico’s war with
the United States. Finally, you will read about the
California Gold Rush that brought thousands of
people west. As you read each section, you will
see how economic issues affected the growth of
different geographic areas.
Geography
Politics
Economics
Religion
Focus on Reading In Chapter 3 you learned how writers some-
times give you clues to a word’s meaning in the same or a nearby
sentence. Those clues are usually defi nitions, restatements in different
words, or comparisons or contrasts. But what do you do if you don’t
know the word and the writer doesn’t think to give you a direct clue?
Using Broader Context Clues If the writer doesn’t give you one of
those direct clues, you have to try to fi gure out the meaning of the
word for yourself.
1. Read the whole paragraph and look for information that will help you
gure out the meaning.
2. Look up the word in the dictionary to be sure of its meaning.
Notice how a student used information from the whole paragraph to learn
the meaning of two unknown words.
Society
and Culture
Science and
Technology
Vocabulary in Context
Additional reading
support can be
found in the
In 1844, the Whigs passed up Tyler and
chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky as
their presidential candidate. At fi rst oppos-
ing annexation, Clay changed his mind
due to pressure from southern voters. The
Democratic Party chose former Tennessee
governor James K. Polk to oppose Clay.
Both candidates strongly favored acquiring
Texas and Oregon, but Polk was perceived
as the expansionist candidate.
(p. 317)
The dictionary defi nition is “to add or attach.
That’s close. Now what about expansionist? I know one meaning
of expand is similar to add. An expansionist was probably someone
who wanted to add to or expand the country.
I’m not sure about annexation. The southerners
convinced Clay to be for it. Maybe if I read some more.
Oh, both presidential candidates favored acquiring
Texas and Oregon. Maybe annexation means almost the same
thing as acquiring. I’ll check the dictionary.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-1
SECTION TITLE 307EXPANDING WEST 307
Key Terms
Key Terms
and People
and People
You Try It!
The following passage is from the chapter you are about to read.
Read the passage and then answer the questions.
American Settlement
in the Mexican Cession
The war ended after Scott took Mexico City. In
February 1848, the United States and Mexico
signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which
offi cially ended the war and forced Mexico to
turn over much of its northern territory to the
United States. Known as the Mexican Cession,
this land included the present-day states
of California, Nevada, and Utah. . . .
In exchange for this vast territory,
the United States agreed to pay Mexico
$15 million. In addition, the United States
assumed claims of more than $3 million held
by American citizens against the Mexican
government.
From
Chapter 10,
p. 323
Refer to the passages to answer the following questions.
1. Do you know what the word cession means? What clues in the
rst paragraph can help you fi gure out what the word might
mean? Use those clues to write a defi nition of cession.
2. Look cession up in a dictionary. How does your defi nition compare
to the dictionary defi nition?
3. In your experience, what does the word assume usually mean?
Do you think that meaning is the one used in the second para-
graph? If not, what do you think assume means in this case?
4. Look assume up in a dictionary. Does one of its meanings match
the one you came up with?
Chapter 10
Section 1
John Jacob Astor (p. 308)
mountain men (p. 308)
Oregon Trail (p. 309)
Santa Fe Trail (p. 310)
Mormons (p. 310)
Brigham Young (p. 311)
Section 2
Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
(p. 312)
empresarios (p. 312)
Stephen F. Austin (p. 313)
Antonio López de Santa Anna (p. 313)
Alamo (p. 314)
Battle of San Jacinto (p. 314)
Section 3
manifest destiny (p. 316)
James K. Polk (p. 317)
Californios (p. 319)
Bear Flag Revolt (p. 320)
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (p. 323)
Gadsden Purchase (p. 323)
Section 4
John Sutter (p. 327)
Donner party (p. 327)
forty-niners (p. 327)
prospect (p. 328)
placer miners (p. 328)
Academic Vocabulary
Success in school is related to
knowing academic vocabulary—
the words that are frequently used
in school assignments and discus-
sions. In this chapter, you will learn
the following academic words:
explicit (p. 313)
elements (p. 319)
As you read Chapter 10, use context
clues to figure out the meanings of
unfamiliar words. Check yourself by
looking the words up in a dictionary.
ELA
Reading 8.1.3 Use word meanings within the appropriate
context.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-2
SECTION
1
Key Terms and People
John Jacob Astor, p. 308
mountain men, p. 308
Oregon Trail, p. 309
Santa Fe Trail, p. 311
Mormons, p. 311
Brigham Young, p. 311
What You Will Learn…
The American West attracted
a variety of settlers.
The Big Idea
1. During the early 1800s,
Americans moved west of the
Rocky Mountains to settle
and trade.
2. The Mormons traveled west in
search of religious freedom.
Main Ideas
You live in Ohio in 1840. A few months ago, you and your family
heard stories about a wonderful land in the Northwest, with spar-
kling rivers and fertile valleys. You all decide to pull up stakes and
head West. You travel to Independence, Missouri, planning to join
a wagon train on the Oregon Trail. In Missouri, you’re surprised to
nd hundreds of other people planning to make the trip.
What would you expect your
journey West to be like?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Many Americans in the Jacksonian
Era were restless, curious, and eager to be on the move. The American
West drew a variety of settlers. Some looked for wealth and adventure.
Others, like this family on its way to the Northwest, dreamed of rich
farmland and new homes.
Americans Move West
In the early 1800s, Americans pushed steadily westward, moving
even beyond the territory of the United States. They traveled by
canoe and fl atboat, on horseback, and by wagon train. Some even
walked much of the way.
The rush to the West occurred, in part, because of a hat. The “high
hat,” made of water-repellent beaver fur, was popular in the United
States and Europe. While acquiring fur for the hats, French, British,
and American companies gradually killed off the beaver population
in the East. Companies moved west in search of more beavers. Most
of the fi rst non-Native Americans who traveled to the Rocky Moun-
tains and the Pacifi c Northwest were fur traders and trappers.
American merchant
John Jacob Astor created one of the largest
fur businesses, the American Fur Company. His company bought
skins from western
fur traders and trappers who became known as
fur traders and trappers who became known as
mountain men
mountain men. These adventurers were some of the fi rst easterners
to explore and map the Rocky Mountains and lands west of them.
Mountain men lived lonely and often dangerous lives. They trapped
animals on their own, far from towns and settlements. Mountain
men such as Jedediah Smith, Manuel Lisa, Jim Bridger, and Jim
If YOU were there...
Trails to the West
308 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.2 Describe the purpose,
challenges, and economic incentives
associated with westward expansion,
including the concepts of Manifest
Destiny (e.g., the Lewis and Clark
expedition, accounts of the removal
of Indians, the Cherokees’ “Trail of
Tears,” settlement of the Great Plains)
and the territorial acquisitions that
spanned numerous decades.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-3
Beckwourth
Pass
MEXICO
CANADA
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V
A
D
A
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A
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A
D
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R
A
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Las
Vegas
Los Angeles
San
Francisco
Salt
Lake City
Santa Fe
Council
Grove
Independence
Nauvoo
Council
Bluffs
Astoria
Portland
Ft. Laramie
Ft. Leavenworth
Ft. Kearney
Ft.
Bridger
Ft. Vancouver
Sutter’s
Fort
Ft. Hall
Ft. Boise
Great
Salt Lake
M
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ATLANTIC
OCEAN
PACIFIC
OCEAN
TX
NEW MEXICO
TERRITORY
UTAH
TERRITORY
OREGON
TERRITORY
NEBRASKA
TERRITORY
MINNESOTA
TERRITORY
INDIAN
TERRITORY
CA
LA
WI
IL
IA
MO
AR
120˚W
70˚W
40˚N
N
S
W
E
California 2,000 miles, 6 m
Santa Fe 1,200 miles, 2 m
Mormon 1,300 miles, 4
Trails, Distances, and Travel Times
Beckwourth survived many hardships during
their search for wealth and adventure. To sur-
vive on the frontier, mountain men adopted
Native American customs and clothing. In
addition, they often married Native American
women. The Indian wives of trappers often
worked hard to contribute to their success.
Pioneer William Ashley saw that frequently
bringing furs out of the Rocky Mountains was
expensive. He asked his traders to stay in the
mountains and meet once a year to trade and
socialize. This practice helped make the fur trade
more profi table. The yearly meeting was known
as the rendezvous. At the rendezvous, mountain
men and Native American trappers sold their
fur to fur-company agents. It was thus impor-
tant to bring as many furs as possible. One trap-
per described the people at a typical rendezvous
in 1837. He saw Americans, Canadian French,
some Europeans, and “Indians, of nearly every
tribe in the Rocky Mountains.”
The rendezvous was fi lled with celebrating
and storytelling. At the same time, the meet-
ing was also about conducting business. West-
ern artist Alfred Jacob Miller described how
trade was begun in the rendezvous camp.
The Fur Companys great tent is raised; the
Indians erect their picturesque [beautiful] white
lodges; the accumulated [collected] furs of
the hunting season are brought forth and the
Companys tent is a . . . busy place.
—Alfred Jacob Miller, quoted in The Fur Trade of the
American West, by David J. Wishart
In 1811, John Jacob Astor founded a fur-
trading post called Astoria at the mouth of the
Columbia River. Astoria was one of the fi rst
American settlements in what became known
as Oregon Country. American Indians occu-
pied the region, which was rich in forests,
rivers, and wildlife. However, Britain, Russia,
Spain, and the United States all claimed the
land. The United States based its claim on
EXPANDING WEST 309
Trails Leading West
INTERPRETING MAPS
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
1. Movement Which trails took the longest to
travel?
2. Human-Environment Interaction What
difficulties do you think travelers on the trails
faced?
Jim Beckwourth
was an African
American fur trap-
per and explorer
of the West in the
early 1800s.
onths
onths
months
Old Spanish 700 miles, 7 weeks
Oregon 2,000 miles, 6 months
Fort or trading post
0 200 400 Miles
0 200 400 Kilometers
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-4
This Mormon family left Iowa in 1856
and took the Mormon Trail to Utah. The
children walked 1,200 miles on this long
and difficult journey.
How many family members can you see
in this photo?
Mormon Pioneers
the exploration of merchant captain Robert
Gray, who had reached the mouth of the
Columbia River in 1792.
Recognizing the huge economic value of
the Pacifi c Northwest, the United States made
treaties in which Spain and Russia gave up
their claims to various areas. The United States
also signed treaties with Britain allowing both
countries to occupy Oregon Country, the
Columbia River, and its surrounding lands.
By the 1840s, the era of American fur
trading in the Pacifi c Northwest was drawing
to a close. The demand for beaver furs had
fallen because fashions changed. Too much
trapping had also greatly reduced the num-
ber of beavers. Some mountain men gave
up their work and moved back east. Their
daring stories, however, along with the trea-
ties made by the U.S. government, inspired
other Americans to move West. Lured by
rich resources and a mild climate, easterners
poured into Oregon Country in the 1840s.
These new settlers soon replaced the moun-
tain men on the frontier.
310 CHAPTER 10
The Oregon Trail
Many settlers moving to Oregon Coun-
try and other western areas followed
the
2,000-mile-long
2,000-mile-long
Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
, which
, which
stretched from places such as Indepen-
stretched from places such as Indepen-
dence, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa,
dence, Missouri, or Council Bluffs, Iowa,
west into Oregon Country
west into Oregon Country. The trail fol-
lowed the Platte and Sweetwater Rivers
over the Plains. After it crossed the Rocky
Mountains, the trail forked. The northern
branch led to the Willamette Valley in Ore-
gon. The other branch went to California
and became known as the California Trail.
Traveling the trail challenged the strength
and determination of pioneer families. The
journey usually began after the rainy sea-
son ended in late spring and lasted about six
months. The cost, about $600 for a family
of four, was high at a time when a typical
worker usually made about $1.50 per day.
Young families made up most groups of set-
tlers. They gathered in wagon trains for the
trip. There could be as few as 10 wagons or as
many as several dozen in a wagon train.
The wagons were pulled by oxen, mules,
or horses. Pioneers often walked to save their
animals’ strength. They kept up a tiring pace,
traveling from dawn until dusk. Settler Jesse
Applegate recalled the advice he received
from an experienced Oregon pioneer: “Trav-
el, travel, TRAVEL . . . Nothing is good that
causes a moment’s delay.”
Some pioneers brought small herds of
cattle with them on the trail. They faced
severe hardships, including shortages of
food, supplies, and water. Rough weather
and geographic barriers, such as rivers and
mountains, sometimes forced large numbers
of pioneers to abandon their wagons. In the
early days of the Oregon Trail, many Native
Americans helped the pioneers, acting as
guides and messengers. They also traded
goods for food. Although newspapers report-
ed Native American “massacres” of pioneers,
few settlers died during Indian attacks.
The settlers who arrived safely in Ore-
gon and California found generally healthy
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-5
Trails Travelers Motives
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Section 1 Assessment
Online Quiz
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Identify What was the Oregon Trail?
b. Elaborate Would you have chosen to leave your home
to travel West? Why?
2. a. Identify Who are the Mormons?
b. Summarize What diffi culties led Mormons to move
to Utah?
Critical Thinking
3. Categorizing Copy the chart below. Identify different trails
to the West, describe the people who traveled along each
trail, and explain their motives for traveling west.
4. Describing Trails West As you read this section, note
important topics that you might want to cover in your
documentary fi lm. In addition, write down ideas about
how you might present information about each topic. For
example, will you use a narrator to tell the life story of
Joseph Smith, or will you have actors present it dramatically?
EXPANDING WEST
311
and pleasant climates. By 1845 some 5,000
settlers occupied the Willamette Valley.
The Santa Fe Trail
The
The
Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
was another important
was another important
path west. It led from Independence, Mis-
path west. It led from Independence, Mis-
souri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
souri, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It followed
an ancient trading route fi rst used by Native
Americans. American traders loaded their
wagon trains with cloth and other manufac-
tured goods to exchange for horses, mules,
and silver from Mexican traders in Santa Fe.
The long trip across blazing deserts and
rough mountains was dangerous. But the lure
of high profi ts encouraged traders to take to
the trail. One trader reported a 2,000 percent
profit on his cargo. The U.S. government
helped protect traders by sending troops to
ensure that Native Americans were not a
threat.
READING CHECK
Contrasting How were the
Oregon and Santa Fe trails different?
Mormons Travel West
One large group of settlers traveled to the
West in search of religious freedom. In 1830
a young man named Joseph Smith founded
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints in western New York.
The members
The members
of Joseph Smith’s church became known as
of Joseph Smith’s church became known as
Mormons
Mormons. Smith told his followers that he
had found and translated a set of golden tab-
lets containing religious teachings. The writ-
ings were called the Book of Mormon.
Church membership grew rapidly. Howev-
er, certain beliefs and practices caused Mormons
to be persecuted. For example, beginning in the
1850s some Mormon men practiced polyga-
my—a practice in which one man is married to
several women at the same time. This practice
was outlawed by the church in 1890.
In the early 1830s Smith and his grow-
ing number of converts left New York. They
formed new communities, first in Ohio,
then in Missouri, and fi nally in Illinois. All
FOCUS ON WRITING
three communities eventually failed, and an
anti-Mormon mob murdered Smith in 1844.
Following Smith’s murder,
Brigham Young
became head of the Mormon Church. Young
chose what is now Utah as the group’s new
home, and thousands of Mormons took the
Mormon Trail to the area near the Great Salt
Lake, where they prospered. By 1860 there
were about 40,000 Mormons in Utah.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas
Why did Mormons move West?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Some of the
rst Americans to move West were fur trad-
ers and trappers. Settlers soon followed. In
the next section you will learn about the
Texas Revolution.
HSS
8.8.2
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-6
SECTION
2
Key Terms and People
Father Miguel Hidalgo y
Costilla, p. 312
empresarios, p. 312
Stephen F. Austin, p. 313
Antonio López de Santa Anna, p. 313
Alamo, p. 314
Battle of San Jacinto, p. 314
What You Will Learn…
In 1836, Texas gained its
independence from Mexico.
The Big Idea
1. Many American settlers moved
to Texas after Mexico achieved
independence from Spain.
2. Texans revolted against
Mexican rule and established
an independent nation.
Main Ideas
You are the father of a large farm family in Missouri. There is not
enough land for everyone, so you’re looking for another opportu-
nity. One day, a Mexican government offi cial comes to town. He is
looking for people to settle in Texas. The Mexican government is
offering generous tracts of land to colonists. However, you have to
become a citizen of Mexico and follow Mexican laws.
Would you decide to move your family
to Texas? Why?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Spain controlled a vast amount of terri-
tory in what would later become the American Southwest. The Spanish
built missions and forts in Texas to establish control of that region. But
the settlements were far apart, and conflicts with Native Americans dis-
couraged Spanish settlers from moving to Texas. When Mexico became
an independent republic, it actively looked for more settlers.
American Settlers Move to Texas
Mexico had a long, unprotected border that stretched from Texas
to California. Mexico’s Spanish rulers worried constantly about
attacks from neighbors. They also were concerned about threats
from within Mexico.
Their fears were justifi ed. Mexicans moved to overthrow Span-
ish rule in the early 1800s. In September 1810
Father Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla,
a Mexican priest, led a rebellion of about 80,000
poor Indians and mestizos, or people of Indian and Spanish ances-
try. They hoped that if Mexico became independent from the Span-
ish monarchy, their lives would improve.
Hidalgo’s revolt failed, but the rebellion he started grew. In
1821 Mexico became independent. In 1824 it adopted a republican
constitution that declared rights for all Mexicans. The new Mexi-
can government hired
empresarios
empresarios,
or agents
or agents, to bring settlers to
Texas. They paid the agents in land.
If YOU were there...
The Texas
Revolution
312 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.5
Discuss Mexican settle-
ments and their locations, cultural
traditions, attitudes toward slavery,
land-grant system, and economics.
8.8.6 Describe the Texas War for
Independence and the Mexican-
American War, including territorial
settlements, the aftermath of the
wars, and the effects the wars had
on the lives of Americans, including
Mexican Americans today.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-7
In 1822 one young agent, Stephen F.
Austin
, started a colony on the lower Colora-
do River. The fi rst 300 families became known
as the Old Three Hundred. Austin’s successful
colony attracted other agents, and American
settlers fl ocked to the region.
In exchange for free land, settlers had to
obey Mexican laws. But some settlers often
explicitly ignored these laws. For example,
despite the ban on slavery, many brought
slaves. Concerned that it was losing control
to the growing American population, Mexico
responded. In 1830, it banned further settle-
ment by Americans. Angry about the new
law, many Texans began to think of gaining
independence from Mexico.
Meanwhile, Mexico had come under
the rule of General
Antonio López de Santa
Anna
. He soon suspended Mexico’s republi-
can constitution and turned his attention to
the growing unrest in Texas.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas Why did
settlers move to Texas?
Texans Revolt against Mexico
In October 1835 the Mexican army tried to
remove a cannon from the town of Gonza-
les, Texas. Rebels stood next to the cannon.
Their fl ag read, “Come and take it.” In the
following battle, the rebels won. The Texas
Revolution, also known as the Texas War for
Independence, had begun.
Texas Independence
On March 2, 1836, Texans declared their
independence from Mexico. The new Repub-
lic of Texas was born. Both the declaration
and the constitution that shortly followed
were modeled after the U.S. documents. The
Texas constitution, however, made slavery
legal.
Delegates to the new Texas government
chose politician David Burnet as president and
Lorenzo de Zavala as vice president. Another
revolutionary, Sam Houston, was named
to head the Texas army. Austin went to the
United States to seek money and troops.
EXPANDING WEST 313
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
explicit fully
revealed without
vagueness
Stephen F. Austin, shown at left, and other
settlers were empresarios—they received
land from the Mexican government for
the purpose of bringing settlers to Texas.
Their holdings were guaranteed with a
contract like the one below.
Why do you think the Mexican
government wanted to attract
settlers to Texas?
Settling Texas
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-8
San Antonio
C
o
l
o
r
a
d
o
R
i
v
e
r
R
i
o
G
r
a
n
d
e
S
A
N
T
A
A
N
N
A
U
R
R
E
A
San Jacinto
April 1836
The Alamo
February–
March 1836
Goliad
March 1836
Claimed by
U.S., Texas,
and Mexico
Gulf of
Mexico
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
REPUBLIC OF
TEXAS
LOUISIANA
(1812)
95˚W
N
S
W
E
Mexican army
Mexican victory
Texan army
Texan victory
0 50 100 Miles
0 50 100 Kilometers
Battle at the Alamo
The Texans’ actions angered Santa Anna. He
began assembling a force of thousands to
stop the rebellion.
A hastily created army of Texas volun-
teers had been clashing with Mexican troops
for months. Under Colonel Jim Travis, a
small force took the town of San Antonio.
It then occupied the
Alamo
Alamo,
an abandoned
an abandoned
mission near San Antonio that became an
mission near San Antonio that became an
important battle
important battle
site in the Texas Revolution
site in the Texas Revolution
.
.
Volunteers from the United States, including
frontiersman Davy Crockett and Colonel Jim
Bowie, joined the Alamo’s defense.
The rebels, numbering fewer than 200,
hoped to stall the huge Mexican force while a
larger Texas army assembled. For almost two
weeks, from February 23 to March 6, 1836, the
Texans held out. Travis managed to get a mes-
sage to other Texans through enemy lines:
I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patrio-
tism, and everything dear to the American
character, to come to our aid with all dispatch
[speed] . . . VICTORY OR DEATH.
—William Travis, from a letter written at the Alamo, 1836
Before dawn on March 6, the Mexican
army attacked. Despite heavy losses, the
army overcame the Texans. All the defend-
ers of the Alamo were killed, though some
civilians survived. Following a later battle, at
Goliad, Santa Anna ordered the execution of
350 prisoners who had surrendered. Texans
were enraged by the massacres.
Battle of San Jacinto
Santa Anna now chased the untrained forces
of Sam Houston. Outnumbered, the Texans
ed east. Finally, they reorganized at the San
Jacinto River, near Galveston Bay. There, the
Texans took a stand.
Santa Anna was confi dent of victory, but
he was careless in choosing the site for his
camp. On the afternoon of April 21, 1836,
while Mexican troops were resting, Hous-
ton’s forces swarmed the camp, shouting,
“Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!”
The fi ghting ended swiftly. Santa Anna’s
army was destroyed.
In the
In the
Battle of
Battle of
San
San
Jacinto
Jacinto
,
,
the Texans captured Santa Anna and
the Texans captured Santa Anna and
forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its
forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its
independence
independence.
314 CHAPTER 10
The Texas Revolution
FOCUS ON
READING
Use this section
to summarize the
events of the
battle at the
Alamo.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-9
An Independent Nation
Sam Houston was the hero of the new
independent nation of Texas. The republic
created a new town named Houston and
made it the capital. Voters elected Sam Hous-
ton as president. Stephen F. Austin became
secretary of state.
To increase the population, Texas offered
land grants. American settlers came from
nearby southern states, often bringing slaves
with them to help grow and harvest cotton.
Most Texans hoped that the United States
would annex, or take control of, Texas, mak-
ing it a state. The U.S. Congress also wanted
to annex Texas. But President Andrew Jack-
son refused. He was concerned that admit-
ting Texas as a slave state would upset the
fragile balance of free and slave states. The
president also did not want to have a war
with Mexico over Texas.
Finally, Jackson did recognize Texas as an
independent nation. France did so in 1839.
Britain, which wanted to halt U.S. expan-
sion, recognized Texas in 1840.
The Mexican government, however, did
not recognize Santa Anna’s forced hand-
over of Texas. In 1837 the republic organized
the Texas Rangers to guard its long frontier
from Mexican and Native American attacks.
Finally, in 1844 Texas and Mexico signed a
peace treaty.
READING CHECK
Finding Main Ideas What
issues did the new nation of Texas face?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW American set-
tlers in Texas challenged the Mexican gov-
ernment and won their independence. In
the next section you will learn about the
war between Mexico and the United States.
EXPANDING WEST 315
On March 6, 1836, Texans fought and lost
the Battle of the Alamo. A rallying cry for
the Texans at the Battle of San Jacinto was
“Remember the Alamo!” The single star of
the flag represents the Republic of Texas,
also called the Lone Star Republic.
Why do you think “Remember the Alamo!” was
a rallying cry for Texas troops at San Jacinto?
Section 2 Assessment
Online Quiz
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Identify What role did Stephen F. Austin play in the
settlement of Texas
?
b. Make Inferences Why did Mexican offi cials want to
bring more settlers to Texas?
c. Evaluate Do you think Mexico’s requirements for foreign
immigrants were reasonable or unreasonable? Explain.
2. a. Describe What were the important battles in the War for
Texas Independence? Why was each important?
b. Make Inferences Why did Texas offer land grants to settlers?
c. Predict What problems might the Republic of Texas face
?
Critical Thinking
3. Sequencing Copy the time line below. Use it to list impor-
tant events of the Texas Revolution.
April 1836
October 1835
March 1836
FOCUS ON WRITING
4. Explaining the Texas Revolution As you read this sec-
tion, make note of the most important players and events
in the story of how Texas gained independence from
Mexico. Consider also how you will present information
about these people and events to your fi lm’s audience.
What words, images, and sounds will make the story of
the revolution come alive for them?
HSS
8.8.5, 8.8.6
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-10
SECTION
3
Key Terms and People
manifest destiny, p. 316
James K. Polk, p. 317
vaqueros, p. 319
Californios, p. 319
Bear Flag Revolt, p. 320
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, p. 323
Gadsden Purchase, p. 323
What You Will Learn…
The ideals of manifest destiny
and the outcome of the Mexican-
American War led to U. S. expan-
sion to the Pacific Ocean.
The Big Idea
1. Many Americans believed
that the nation had a manifest
destiny to claim new lands in
the West.
2. As a result of the Mexican-
American War, the United
States added territory in the
Southwest
.
3. American settlement in the
Mexican Cession produced
conflict and a blending of
cultures.
Main Ideas
Your family are Californios, Spanish settlers who have lived in
California for many years. You raise horses on your ranch. So far,
you have gotten along with American settlers. But it has become
clear that the American government wants to take over California.
You hear that fi ghting has already started between American and
Mexican troops.
How might life change under American rule?
BUILDING BACKGROUND
Mexican independence set the stage
for conflict and change in the West and Southwest. At the same time,
American settlers continued to move westward, settling in the Mexican
territories of Texas and California. American ambitions led to clashes
with Mexico and the people who already lived in Mexico’s territories.
Manifest Destiny
We have it in our power to start the world over again.
—Thomas Paine, from his pamphlet Common Sense
Americans had always believed they could build a new, better
society founded on democratic principles. In 1839 writer John
O’Sullivan noted, “We are the nation of human progress, and who
will, what can, set limits to our onward march?”
Actually, there was one limit: land. By the 1840s the United
States had a booming economy and population. Barely 70 years
old, the nation already needed more room for farms, ranches, busi-
nesses, and ever-growing families. Americans looked West to what
they saw as a vast wilderness, ready to be taken.
Some people believed it was America’s
manifest destiny
manifest destiny
, or
, or
obvious fate,
obvious fate,
to settle land all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean in order
to settle land all the way to the Pacifi c Ocean in order
to spread democracy
to spread democracy. O’Sullivan coined the term in 1845. He wrote
that it was America’s “manifest destiny to overspread and to possess
the whole continent which Providence [God] has given us for the
development of the great experiment of liberty . . . ”
If YOU were there...
The Mexican-
American War
316 CHAPTER 10
HSS
8.8.6
Describe the Texas
War for Independence and the
Mexican-American War, including
territorial settlements, the aftermath
of the wars, and the effects the wars
had on the lives of Americans, includ-
ing Mexican Americans today.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-11
In the mid-1800s, manifest destiny
was tied up with the slavery issue. If Amer-
ica gained new territory, would slavery be
allowed there? Presidents had to face the dif-
cult issue. Among them was John Tyler, a
pro-slavery Whig who wanted to increase the
power of the southern slave states by annex-
ing Texas. His fellow Whigs disagreed.
In 1844, the Whig Party passed up Tyler
and chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky
as its presidential candidate. At fi rst oppos-
ing annexation, Clay changed his mind due
to pressure from southern politicians. The
Democratic Party chose former Tennessee
governor
James K. Polk to oppose Clay. Both
candidates strongly favored acquiring Texas
and Oregon, but Polk was perceived as the
expansionist candidate.
Southerners feared the loss of Texas, a
possible new slave state. Others worried that
Texas might become an ally of Britain. These
concerns helped Polk narrowly defeat Clay.
Acquiring New Territory
President Polk quickly set out to fulfi ll his
campaign promise to annex Oregon and
Texas. By the 1820s, Russia and Spain had
given up their claims to Oregon Country.
Britain and the United States had agreed to
occupy the territory together.
As more Americans settled there, they
began to ask that Oregon become part of the
United States. Polk wanted to protect these
settlers’ interests. Some politicians noted that
Oregon Country would provide a Pacifi c port
for the growing U.S. trade with China.
Meanwhile, Britain and the United States
disagreed over how to draw the United States–
Canadian border. American expansionists
cried, “Fifty-four forty or fi ght!” This slogan
referred to 54°40' north latitude, the line to
which Americans wanted their northern
territory to extend.
Neither side really wanted a war, though.
In 1846 Great Britain and the United States
signed a treaty that gave the United States all
Oregon land south of the forty-ninth paral-
lel. This treaty drew the border that still exists
today. Oregon became an organized U.S. terri-
tory in February 1848.
Texas came next. By March 1845,
Congress had approved annexation and
EXPANDING WEST 317
John Gast’s 1872 painting
American Progress shows
the spirit of manifest destiny
leading settlers westward.
What in this painting shows
how settlers traveled west?
Manifest Destiny
Native Americans
and buffalo are
pushed away by the
approaching settlers.
The Mississippi
River is in the
background as
settlers push
farther west.
The woman represents
America, moving west
and bringing sunlight,
settlers, and telegraph
wires to the new lands.
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-12
needed only the support of the Republic of
Texas. Americans continued to pour into
Texas. Texas politicians hoped that join-
ing the United States would help solve the
republic’s fi nancial and military problems.
The Texas Congress approved annexation in
June 1845. Texas became part of the United
States in December. This action angered the
Mexican government, which considered
Texas to be a “stolen province.”
California under Mexico
Although the annexation of Texas angered
Mexico, it still had settlements in other areas
of the present-day Southwest to govern. New
Mexico was the oldest settled area, with its
capital at Santa Fe. Mexico also controlled
present-day Arizona, Nevada, and California.
During early Spanish rule, the mission
system had dominated much of the present-
day Southwest. Over time, it had become
less important there, especially in New Mex-
ico, where settlers lived in small villages. In
California, however, missions remained the
focus of everyday life. Missions under later
Spanish rule carried out huge farming and
ranching operations using the labor of Native
Americans. Some of the Indians came will-
ingly to the missions. Others were brought
by force. Usually, they were not allowed to
leave the mission once they had arrived.
They had to adopt the clothing, food, and
religion of the Spanish priests.
Missions often sold their goods to local
pueblos, or towns, that arose near the mis-
sions and presidios. One wealthy California
settler, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, remem-
bered the early days.
We were the pioneers of the Pacifi c coast,
building towns and missions while General
[George] Washington was carrying on the war
of the Revolution.
—Mariano Guadalupe
Vallejo, quoted in Eyewitnesses and Others
After winning independence from Spain
in 1821, Mexico began to change old Spanish
318 CHAPTER 10
Saddles like these
were highly prized
by vaqueros.
Leather chaps
protected riders from
dust and scrapes.
Vaqueros were
known for
their specially
designed hats.
ANALYZING VISUALS
What features of the vaqueros’ life are
shown in this painting?
ANALYSIS
SKILL
Ranch Life
Spanish and Mexican vaqueros, or cowboys,
were expert horseriders. They used their
horses to herd cattle on the ranches of the
Spanish Southwest.
History Close-up
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-13
policies toward California and Texas. In
1833, for example, Mexico ended the mis-
sion system in California. Mission lands were
broken up, and huge grants were given to
some of the wealthiest California settlers,
including Vallejo. They created vast ranchos,
or ranches, with tens of thousands of acres
of land.
Vaqueros
Vaqueros,
or cowboys, managed the
or cowboys, managed the
large herds of cattle and sheep.
large herds of cattle and sheep. Cowhides were
so valuable that they were called “California
banknotes.” Hides were traded for household
items and luxury goods with ship captains
from the eastern United States. Some settlers
also made wine and grew citrus fruits.
Although they had been freed from
the missions, for most California Indians the
elements of life changed very little. They
continued to herd animals and do much
of the hard physical labor on ranches and
farms. Some, however, ran away into the wil-
derness or to the nearby towns of San Diego
and Los Angeles.
The Californios
Because of the great distance between
California and the center of Mexico’s govern-
ment, by the early 1820s California had only
around 3,200 colonists.
These colonists,
These colonists,
called
called
Californios
Californios, felt little connection to
their faraway government.
Californios developed a lasting reputation
for hospitality and skilled horse riding. In Two
Years Before the Mast, American novelist Rich-
ard Henry Dana Jr. wrote about his encoun-
ters with Californio culture. He described, for
example, what happened after a Californio
served a feast to Dana and a friend.
We took out some money and asked him how
much we were to pay. He shook his head and
crossed himself, saying that it was charity—that
the Lord gave it to us.
—Richard Henry Dana Jr. from Two
Years Before the Mast
In addition to traders and travelers, a
small number of settlers also arrived from
the United States. They were called Anglos
by the Californios. Although there were few
Anglo settlers in California, their calls for
independence increased tensions between
Mexico and the United States.
READING CHECK
Drawing Inferences How
did manifest destiny affect Spanish and Mexican
rule in California?
Mexican-American War
Diplomatic relations between Mexico and the
United States became increasingly strained.
U.S. involvement in California and Texas con-
tributed to this tension.
Confl ict Breaks Out
Mexico had long insisted that its north-
ern border lay along the Nueces River.
The United States said the border was
farther south, along the Rio Grande. In
June 1845 President Polk ordered General
Zachary Taylor to lead an army into the
disputed region.
Polk sent diplomat John Slidell to Mexico
City to try to settle the border dispute. Slidell
EXPANDING WEST 319
BIOGRAPHY
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
18 0 8 18 9 0
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was born to an
influential Californio family in Monterey. He
joined the Mexican army shortly after
Mexico’s independence from Spain. He was
soon put in charge of Mexico’s efforts to
increase settlement in northern California.
Vallejo eventually became the richest man in
California, owning enormous amounts of
land and livestock. He welcomed American
rule of California, believing it would result in
self-government for Californios. Vallejo served
at the state constitutional convention as well
as in the first state senate.
Analyzing Why did Vallejo encourage American
rule of California?
ACADEMIC
VOCABULARY
elements the
basic parts of an
individual’s
surroundings
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-14
came with an offer to buy New Mexico and
California for $30 million. Mexican offi cials
refused to speak to him.
In March 1846, General Taylor led his
troops to the Rio Grande. He camped across
from Mexican forces stationed near the town
of Matamoros, Mexico. In April, the Mexican
commander told Taylor to withdraw from
Mexican territory. Taylor refused. The two sides
clashed, and several U.S. soldiers were killed.
President Polk delivered the news
to Congress.
Mexico has passed the boundary of the United
States, has invaded our territory, and shed
American blood upon the American soil . . . The
two nations are now at war.
—James K. Polk, from his address to Congress, May 11, 1846
Polk’s war message was persuasive. Two days
later, Congress declared war on Mexico.
War Begins
At the beginning of the war with Mexico, the
U.S. Army had better weapons and equip-
ment. Yet it was greatly outnumbered and
poorly prepared. The government put out
a call for 50,000 volunteers. About 200,000
responded. Many were young men who
thought the war would be a grand adventure
in a foreign land.
On the home front, many Americans
supported the war. However, many Whigs
thought the war was unjustifi ed and avoid-
able. Northern abolitionists also opposed the
confl ict. They feared the spread of slavery
into southwestern lands.
While Americans debated the war, fi ght-
ing proceeded. General Taylor’s soldiers won
battles south of the Nueces River. Taylor then
crossed the Rio Grande and occupied Mat-
amoros, Mexico. While Taylor waited for
more men, Polk ordered General Stephen
Kearny to attack New Mexico. On August 18,
1846, Kearny took Santa Fe, the capital city,
without a fi ght. He claimed the entire prov-
ince of New Mexico for the United States and
marched west to California, where another
confl ict with Mexico was already under way.
The Bear Flag Revolt
In 1846, only about 500 Americans lived in
the huge province of California, in contrast to
about 12,000 Californios. Yet, in the spirit of
manifest destiny, a small group of American
settlers seized the town of Sonoma, north of
San Francisco, on June 14. Hostilities began
between the two sides when the Americans
took some horses that were intended for
the Mexican militia.
In what became known
In what became known
as the
as the
Bear Flag Revolt
Bear Flag Revolt
, the Americans
, the Americans
declared California to be an independent
declared California to be an independent
nation
nation. Above the town, the rebels hoisted
a hastily made fl ag of a grizzly bear facing a
red star. Californios laughed at the roughly-
made bear, thinking it “looked more like a
pig than a bear.”
John C. Frémont, a U.S. Army captain,
was leading a mapping expedition across the
Sierra Nevada when he heard of the possible
war with Mexico. Frémont went to Sonoma
and quickly joined the American settlers in
their revolt against the Californios. Because
war had already broken out between the
United States and Mexico, Frémont’s actions
were seen as benefi cial to the American cause
in the region. His stated goal, however, was
Californian independence, not to annex
California to the United States. During the
revolt, several important Californios were
taken prisoner, including Mariano Vallejo.
Vallejo and his brother were held at an Ang-
lo settlement for two months without any
formal charges being brought against them.
Long after his release, Vallejo wrote a history
of California that included an account of his
time as a bear fl ag prisoner.
But the bear fl ag was quick to fall. In July,
U.S. naval forces came ashore in California
and raised the stars and stripes. Kearny’s army
arrived from the East. The towns of San Diego,
Los Angeles, and San Francisco fell rapidly. In
August, U.S. Navy Commodore Robert Stock-
ton claimed California for the United States.
Some Californios continued to resist until
early 1847, when they surrendered.
320 CHAPTER 10
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-15
DISPUTED
TERRITORY
NEW
MEXICO
CA
OREGON COUNTRY
UNORGANIZED
TERRITORY
S
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Bent’s
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Sutter's Fort
TEXAS
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Gulf of
Mexico
Bear Flag Revolt, June 1846
San Gabriel,
Jan. 1847
San Pasqual,
Dec. 1846
Buena Vista,
Feb. 1847
Mexico City,
Sept. 1847
Veracruz,
Mar. 1847
Cerro
Gordo,
April 1847
Monterrey,
Sept . 1846
Resaca de la Palma,
May 1846
Palo Alto,
May 1846
C
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San
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Santa Fe
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New Orleans
Corpus Christi
Matamoros
Tampico
Mazatlán
San
Francisco
Monterey
Los Angeles
Sonoma
San Diego
MEXICO
UNITED STATES
90˚W
110˚W
120˚W
20˚N
30˚N
T
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American forces
American victory
Mexican forces
Mexican victory
Fort
Modern-day state
boundaries
0 100 200 Miles
0 100 200 Kilometers
EXPANDING WEST 321
The Bear Flag Revolt
American settlers took over
Sonoma, the regional head-
quarters of the Mexican
army. They captured Mexican
general Mariano Vallejo
and declared California a
new country: the California
Republic.
Mexican-American War, 1846–1847
Interactive Map
End of the War
General Winfield Scott
landed at Veracruz
and defeated troops
in the Mexican for-
tress there. He then
marched inland,
toward Mexico City.
Scotts capture of the
Mexican capital led to
the end of the war.
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
INTERPRETING MAPS
1. Location What Mexican city did Scott’s forces attack in
March 1847?
2. Movement Which U.S. commander led forces from Santa
Fe to San Diego?
KEYWORD: SS8 CH10
Interactive Map
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-16
Wars End
In Mexico General Taylor fi nally got the rein-
forcements he needed. He drove his forces
deep into enemy lands. Santa Anna, thrown
from offi ce after losing Texas, returned to
power in Mexico in September 1846. Quick-
ly, he came after Taylor.
The two armies clashed at Buena Vista in
February 1847. After a close battle with heavy
casualties on both sides, the Mexican Army
retreated. The next morning, the cry went
up: “The enemy has fl ed! The fi eld is ours!”
Taylor’s success made him a war hero back
home. The general’s popularity troubled Pres-
ident Polk, and when Taylor’s progress stalled,
Polk gave the command to General Winfi eld
Scott. A beloved leader, he was known by his
troops as “Old Fuss and Feathers” because of
his strict military discipline.
Scott sailed to the port of Veracruz, the
strongest fortress in Mexico. On March 29,
after an 88-hour artillery attack, Veracruz fell.
Scott moved on to the fi nal goal, Mexico City,
the capital. Taking a route similar to one fol-
lowed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cor-
tés in 1519, the Americans pushed 200 or so
miles inland. Santa Anna tried to stop the U.S.
forces at Cerro Gordo in mid-April, but failed.
By August 1847, U.S. troops were at the edge
of Mexico City.
After a truce failed, Scott ordered a mas-
sive attack on Mexico City. Mexican soldiers
and civilians fought fi erce battles in and
around the capital. At a military school atop
the steep, fortifi ed hill of Chapultepec, young
Mexican cadets bravely defended their hope-
less position. At least one soldier jumped
to his death rather than surrender to the
invading forces. Finally, on September 14,
1847, Mexico City fell. Santa Anna soon fl ed
the country.
READING CHECK
Sequencing In chronological
order, list the key battles of the Mexican-American War.
322 CHAPTER 10
American soldier
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-17
American Settlement in the
Mexican Cession
The war ended after Scott took Mexico City.
In
In
February 1848, the United States and Mex-
February 1848, the United States and Mex-
ico
ico
signed the
signed the
Treaty of Guadalupe
Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo
Hidalgo
,
,
which offi cially ended the war and forced
which offi cially ended the war and forced
Mexico to turn over much of its northern ter-
Mexico to turn over much of its northern ter-
ritory to the United States.
ritory to the United States. Known as the Mex-
ican Cession, this land included the present-
day states of California, Nevada, and Utah. In
addition, it included most of Arizona and New
Mexico and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
The United States also won the area claimed
by Texas north of the Rio Grande. The Mexi-
can Cession totaled more than 500,000 square
miles and increased the size of the United
States by almost 25 percent.
Agreements and Payments
In exchange for this vast territory, the United
States agreed to pay Mexico $15 million. In
addition, the United States assumed claims of
more than $3 million held by American citi-
zens against the Mexican government. The
treaty also addressed the status of Mexicans
in the Mexican Cession. The treaty provided
that they would be “protected in the free
enjoyment of their liberty and property, and
secured in the free exercise of their religion.”
The Senate passed the treaty in March 1848.
After the war with Mexico, some Ameri-
cans wanted to guarantee that any south-
ern railroad to California would be built
completely on American soil. James Gads-
den, U.S. minister to Mexico, negotiated
an important agreement with Mexico in
December 1853.
Under the terms of the
Under the terms of the
Gadsden Purchase
Gadsden Purchase,
the U.S. government
the U.S. government
paid Mexico $10 million. In exchange,
paid Mexico $10 million. In exchange,
the
the
United States received the southern parts of
United States received the southern parts of
what are now Arizona and New Mexico.
what are now Arizona and New Mexico. With
this purchase, the existing boundary with
Mexico was fi nally xed.
Surge of American Settlers
After the Mexican-American War, a fl ood
of Americans moved to the Southwest.
American newcomers struggled against
longtime residents to control the land and
other valuable resources, such as water
and minerals. Most Mexicans, Mexican
Americans, and Native Americans faced
legal, economic, and social discrimina-
tion. As a result, they found it diffi cult to
protect their rights.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo prom-
ised to protect Mexican American residents’
property rights. Yet differences between Mexi-
can and U.S. land laws led to great confusion.
The U.S. government often made Mexican
American landowners go to court to prove
that they had titles to their land. Landowners
had to pay their own travel costs as well as
those of witnesses and interpreters. They also
had to pay attorneys’ and interpreters’ fees.
These legal battles often bankrupted land-
owners. New settlers also tended to ignore
Mexican legal concepts, such as community
property or community water rights.
EXPANDING WEST 323
Mexican soldier
After the two-day
Battle of Buena Vista,
the American army
gained control of
northern Mexico.
At the beginning of the
battle, Mexican forces
outnumbered the
Americans. But the
Mexicans suffered
more than twice as
many casualties.
Why was the Battle
of Buena Vista a
turning point in the
Mexican-American War?
Battle of Buena Vista
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-18
Mexican holidays
like Cinco de
Mayo and Día
de los Muertos
are still popular
holidays in the
Southwest.
THE IMPACT
TODAY
0–4.9%
5–9.9%
10–24.9%
25–49.9%
>50%
U.S. Mexican
American
Population, 2000
0 150 300 Miles
0150300 Kilometers
Names of places—such as San Antonio, San
Diego, and Santa Barbara—show Hispanic
heritage. Other place-names, such as Taos
and Tesuque, are derived from Native Ameri-
can words. Communities throughout the
Southwest regularly celebrated both Mexican
and American holidays.
Mexican and Native American know-
ledge and traditions also shaped many local
economies. Mexican Americans taught
Anglo settlers about mining in the moun-
tains. Many ranching communities were fi rst
started by Mexican settlers. In addition,
Mexican Americans introduced new types
of saddles and other equipment to Ameri-
can ranchers. Adobe, developed by the Ana-
sazi Indians, was adopted from the Pueblo
people by the Spanish. It is still commonly
324 CHAPTER 10
White settlers also battled with American
Indians over property rights. In some areas,
for example, new white settlers soon out-
numbered southwestern Native Americans.
The Anglo settlers often tried to take con-
trol of valuable water resources and grazing
lands. In addition, settlers rarely respected
Indian holy places. Native American peoples
such as the Navajo and the Apache tried to
protect their land and livestock from the set-
tlers. Indians and settlers alike attacked one
another to protect their interests.
Cultural Encounters
Despite confl icts, different cultures shaped
one another in the Southwest. In settlements
with large Mexican populations, laws were
often printed in both English and Spanish.
T
O
DAY
TO
LINKING
Mexican Americans Today
Today Mexican Americans are about 8 percent of the U.S. population.
More than 20 million Mexican Americans live in all 50 states. Many
who live in the West are descended from people who lived there
long before the region became part of the United States.
GEOGRAPHY
SKILLS
INTERPRETING MAPS
Region In what region does the largest
percentage of Mexican Americans live?
US_History_Textbook_8th_Grade_Chapter_10_Expanding_West_Part_1 Image-19
Section 3 Assessment
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
1. a. Defi ne What was manifest destiny?
b. Make Inferences Why was westward expansion
such an important issue in the election of 1844?
c. Evaluate Do you think California benefi ted from
Mexican independence? Why or why not?
2. a. Recall Why did the United States declare war
on Mexico?
b. Summarize What was General Winfi eld Scott’s
strategy for winning the war with Mexico?
c. Elaborate Would you have sided with those
who opposed the war with Mexico or with those
who supported it? Why?
3. a. Describe What confl icts did American settlers,
Native Americans, and Mexican Americans in the
Mexican Cession experience?
b. Draw Conclusions Why were water rights so
important in the American Southwest
?
c. Evaluate In your opinion, what was the most
important effect of the annexation of the Mexican
Cession?
Critical Thinking
4 Identifying Cause and Effect Copy the graphic
organizer below onto your own sheet of paper.
Use it to identify the causes and effects of the
Mexican-American War.
FOCUS ON WRITING
5. Explaining the Mexican-American War How will
you convey ideas, such as manifest destiny, in a
lm? How will you explain to your audience the
Mexican-American War’s role in expansion of the
United States? Consider these questions as you
read this section.
KEYWORD: SS8 HP10
Online Quiz
used by American residents in New Mexico,
Arizona, and California.
Trade also changed the Southwest. For
example, the Navajo created handwoven
woolen blankets to sell to Americans. Ameri-
cans in turn brought manufactured goods and
money to the Southwest. Due to exchanges
like these, the economies of many Mexican
American and Native American communi-
ties in the Southwest began to change.
Water Rights
In the East water-use laws commonly required
owners whose land bordered streams or riv-
ers to maintain a free fl ow of water. These
restrictions generally prevented landown-
ers from constructing dams because doing
so would infringe upon the water rights of
neighbors downstream.
In the typically dry climate of the West,
large-scale agriculture was not possible with-
out irrigation. Dams and canals were required
to direct scarce water to fi elds. This need con-
icted with the accepted eastern tradition of
equal access to water.
Brigham Young established a strict code
regulating water rights for the Mormon com-
munity. In any dispute over water use, the
good of the community would outweigh the
interests of individuals. Young’s approach
stood as an example for modern water laws
throughout the West.
READING CHECK
Summarizing What were
some of the early important agreements between
the United States and Mexico, and why were they
significant?
EXPANDING WEST 325
Causes
Effects
Mexican-American War
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW America’s west-
ward expansion continued rapidly after
the Mexican-American War. In the next
section you will learn about the California
gold rush.
HSS
8.8.6

Subjects

U.S. History

Grade Levels

K12

Resource Type

PDF

US History Textbook 8th Grade Chapter 10 Expanding West Part 1 PDF Download

10 ) Weed California Standards Science Students analyze the divergent paths of the American people in the 1800 to the and the challenges they faced . Students analyze the early and steady attempts to abolish slavery and to realize the ideals of the Declaration of . Analysis Skills Students use a variety of maps and documents to identify physical and cultural features of neighborhoods , cities , states , and countries . Arts Writing Employ narrative and descriptive strategies . Reading Students read and understand appropriate material . FOCUS ON WRITING Outline for a Documentary Film Many documentary films have been made about the history of the United States , but there is always room for one more . In this chapter you will read about the westward expansion of the United States , a period filled with excitement and challenge . Then you will create an outline for a documentary film to be used in history classes . 1811 John Jacob Astor founds the post Astoria on the Columbia River . 304 CHAPTER 10

' History Impact series Watch the video to stand the impact of the California gold rush . I ' What Will Learn In this chapter you will learn about how the United States expanded west . The country acquired vast amounts of territory in a short time . Lured by land and gold , hundreds of , sands of Americans followed trails west in search of a better life . However , many lies , like the one pictured here , had already lived in California for generations . The United States and The United States Great Britain agreeto declares war discovered in . California on Country . January 24 . 1848 Gold is Mexico wins its revolt China gives Great Commodore Matthew independence unsuccessfully against the Britain control ofthe Perry negotiates from Spain . Mexican government . island of Hong Kong . Japan . EXPANDING WEST 305

Reading Social Studies Politics Religion society Economics Geography ' Focus on Themes In this chapter , you will the United States . Finally , you will read about the read about the American people as they continued California Gold Rush that brought thousands of their westward expansion . You will read about the people west . As you read each section , you will famous Oregon and Santa Fe trails , Texas fight for see how economic issues affected the growth of independence from Mexico , and war with different geographic areas . Vocabulary in Context Focus on Reading In Chapter you learned how writers I In , to times give you clues to a word meaning in the same or a nearby ' I ' sentence . Those clues are usually definitions , in different words , or comparisons or contrasts . But what do you do if you do ' know the word and the writer doesn think to give you a direct clue ?

Using Broader Context Clues If the writer does give you one of those direct clues , you have to try to figure out the meaning of the word for yourself . Read the whole paragraph and look for information that will help you figure out the meaning . Look up the word in the dictionary to be sure of its meaning . Notice how a student used information from the whole paragraph to learn the meaning of two unknown words . In 1844 , the passed up Tyler and chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky as their presidential candidate . At ing annexation Clay changed his mind due to pressure from southern voters . The Democratic Party chose former Tennessee governor James Polk to oppose Clay . Both candidates strongly favored Texas and Oregon , but Polk was perceived as the expansionist candidate . 317 ) not sure about annexation . The southerners convinced Clay to be for it . Maybe ifl read some more . Oh , both presidential candidates favored acquiring Texas and Oregon . Maybe annexation means almost the same thing as acquiring . check the dictionary . The dictionary is to add or That close . Now what about expansionist ?

I know one meaning of expand is similar to add . An expansionist was probably someone who wanted to add to or expand the country . 306 CHAPTER 10 ELA Reading Use word meanings within the appropriate context . Chapter 10 You Try It ! Section The following passage is from the chapter you are about to read . John Jacob Astor ( 303 ) Read the passage and then answer the questions . mountain men ( Oregon Trail ( 309 Santa Fe Trail ( 310 ) Mormons ( 310 ) American Settlement mam Young , in the Mexican Cession Section The war ended after Scott took Mexico City . In 323 Father Miguel Hidalgo February 1848 , the United States and Mexico ' 312 ) signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , which Ste Austin ( 313 ) officially ended the war and forced Mexico to Antonio de Sam Anna ( 373 turn over much of its northern territory to the Alamo ( 314 ) United States . Known as the Mexican Cession , Battle 53 this land included the states section of California , Nevada , and Utah . destiny ( 315 ) In exchange for this vast territory , James Polk ( 377 ) the United States agreed to pay Mexico ( Bear Flag Revolt ( 320 ) 15 ' In addition , the United States . I . I Guadalupe Hidalgo ( 323 ) assumed claims of more than million held Purchase ( 323 ) by American citizens against the Mexican government . John Su er ( 327 ) Donner party ( 327 ) 327 ) Refer to the passages to answer the following questions . 325 . Do you know what the word cession means ?

What clues in the first paragraph can help you figure out what the word might Academic Vocabulary mean ?

Use those clues to write a definition of cession . Success in school is related to knowing academic . Look cession up in a dictionary . How does your definition compare he are used to the in school assignments and . In this chapter , you will learn . In your experience , what does the word assume usually mean . he mowing academic . Do you think that meaning is the one used in the second ) graph ?

If not , what do you think assume means in this case ?

elements ( 319 ) Look assume up in a dictionary . Does one of its meanings match the one you came up with ?

As you read , use context clues to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar words . by looking the words up in a dictionary . EXPANDING WEST 301 SECTION What You Will Learn . During the early , Americans moved west of the Rocky Mountains to settle and trade . The Mormons traveled west in search of religious freedom . The Big Idea The American West attracted a variety of settlers . Key Terms and People John Jacob Astor , 308 mountain men , 308 Oregon Trail , 309 Santa Fe Trail , 311 Mormons , 311 Brigham Young , 311 ! IE Describe the purpose , challenges , and economic incentives associated with westward expansion , including the concepts of Manifest Destiny ( the Lewis and Clark expedition , accounts of the removal of Indians , the Cherokees Trail of Tears , settlement of the Great Plains ) and the territorial acquisitions that spanned numerous decades . 308 CHAPTER 10 Trails to the West If YOU were there You live in Ohio in 1840 . A few months ago , you and your family heard stories about a wonderful land in the Northwest , with kling rivers and fertile valleys . You all decide to pull up stakes and head West . You travel to Independence , Missouri , planning to join a wagon train on the Oregon Trail . In Missouri , you surprised to find hundreds of other people planning to make the trip . What would you expect your journey West to be like ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND Many Americans inthe Era were restless , curious , and eagerto be on the move . The American West drew a variety of settlers . Some looked for wealth and adventure . Others , like this family on its way to the Northwest , dreamed of rich farmland and new homes . Americans Move West In the early , Americans pushed steadily westward , moving even beyond the territory of the United States . They traveled by canoe and , on horseback , and by wagon train . Some even walked much of the way . The rush to the West occurred , in part , because of a hat . The high hat , made of beaver fur , was popular in the United States and Europe . While acquiring fur for the hats , French , British , and American companies gradually killed off the beaver population in the East . Companies moved west in search of more beavers . Most of the Americans who traveled to the Rocky and the Northwest were fur traders and trappers . American merchant John Jacob Astor created one of the largest fur businesses , the American Fur Company . His company bought skins from western fur traders and trappers who became known as mountain men . These adventurers were some of the first to explore and map the Rocky Mountains and lands west of them . Mountain men lived lonely and often dangerous lives . They trapped animals on their own , far from towns and settlements . Mountain men such as Smith , Manuel Lisa , Jim Bridger , and Jim

Trails Leading West Trails , Distances , and Travel Times miles , months ' Santa Fe miles , months ' Mormon miles , months on Spanish 700 miles , week Oregon miles , month Fort or trading post Jim was an African American fur per and explorer of the West in the early . as Los . PACIFIC OCEAN . GEOGRAPHY SKILLS , INTERPRETING MAPS . Movement Which travel ?

Interaction What difficulties do you on the trails faced ?

survived many hardships during their search for wealth and adventure . To vive on the frontier , mountain men adopted Native American customs and clothing . In addition , they often married Native American women . The Indian wives of trappers often worked hard to contribute to their success . Pioneer William Ashley saw that frequently bringing furs out of the Rocky Mountains was expensive . He asked his traders to stay in the mountains and meet once a year to trade and socialize . This practice helped make the fur trade more profitable . The yearly meeting was known as the rendezvous . At the rendezvous , mountain men and Native American trappers sold their fur to agents . It was thus tant to bring as many furs as possible . One per described the people at a typical rendezvous in 1837 . He saw Americans , Canadian French , some Europeans , and , of nearly every tribe in the Rocky The rendezvous was with celebrating and storytelling . At the same time , the ing was also about conducting business . ern artist Alfred Jacob Miller described how trade was begun in the rendezvous camp . The Fur Company great tent is raised the Indians erect their picturesque beautiful white the accumulated collected furs of the hunting season are brought forth and the Company tent is a busy place . Jacob Miller , quoted in The Fur Trade of the American West , by David In 1811 , John Jacob Astor founded a trading post called Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River . Astoria was one of the American settlements in what became known as Oregon Country . American Indians pied the region , which was rich in forests , rivers , and wildlife . However , Britain , Russia , Spain , and the United States all claimed the land . The United States based its claim on EXPANDING WEST 309

The Oregon Trail Many settlers moving to Oregon try and other western areas followed the Oregon Trail , which stretched from places such as , Missouri , or Council Bluffs , Iowa , west into Oregon Country . The trail lowed the Platte and Sweetwater Rivers over the Plains . After it crossed the Rocky Mountains , the trail forked . The northern branch led to the Willamette Valley in gon . The other branch went to California and became known as the California Trail . Traveling the trail challenged the strength and determination of pioneer families . The journey usually began after the rainy son ended in late spring and lasted about six months . The cost , about 600 for a family of four , was high at a time when a typical worker usually made about per day . Mormon Pioneers This Mormon family left Iowa in 1856 and took the Mormon Trail to Utah . The children walked miles on this long and difficult journey . How many family members can you see in this photo ?

the exploration of merchant captain Robert Gray , who had reached the mouth of the Columbia River in 1792 . Recognizing the huge economic value of the Northwest , the United States made treaties in which Spain and Russia gave up their claims to various areas . The United States also signed treaties with Britain allowing both countries to occupy Oregon Country , the Columbia River , and its surrounding lands . By the , the era of American fur trading in the Northwest was drawing to a close . The demand for beaver furs had fallen because fashions changed . Too much trapping had also greatly reduced the ber of beavers . Some mountain men gave up their work and moved back east . Their daring stories , however , along with the ties made by the government , inspired other Americans to move West . Lured by rich resources and a mild climate , poured into Oregon Country in the . These new settlers soon replaced the tain men on the frontier . 310 CHAPTER 10 Young families made up most groups of . They gathered in wagon trains for the trip . There could be as few as 10 wagons or as many as several dozen in a wagon train . The wagons were pulled by oxen , mules , or horses . Pioneers often walked to save their animals strength . They kept up a tiring pace , traveling from dawn until dusk . Settler Jesse Applegate recalled the advice he received from an experienced Oregon pioneer el , travel , TRAVEL . Nothing is good that causes a moment Some pioneers brought small herds of cattle with them on the trail . They faced severe hardships , including shortages of food , supplies , and water . Rough weather and geographic barriers , such as rivers and mountains , sometimes forced large numbers of pioneers to abandon their wagons . In the early days of the Oregon Trail , many Native Americans helped the pioneers , acting as guides and messengers . They also traded goods for food . Although newspapers ed Native American massacres of pioneers , few settlers died during Indian attacks . The settlers who arrived safely in gon and California found generally healthy

and pleasant climates . By 1845 some settlers occupied the Willamette Valley . The Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was another important path west . It led from Independence , to Santa Fe , New Mexico . It followed an ancient trading route used by Native Americans . American traders loaded their wagon trains with cloth and other goods to exchange for horses , mules , and silver from Mexican traders in Santa Fe . The long trip across blazing deserts and rough mountains was dangerous . But the lure of high encouraged traders to take to the trail . One trader reported a percent on his cargo . The government helped protect traders by sending troops to ensure that Native Americans were not a threat . Contrasting How were the Oregon and Santa Fe trails different ?

Mormons Travel West One large group of settlers traveled to the West in search of religious freedom . In 1830 a young man named Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Saints in western New York . The members of Joseph Smith church became known as Mormons . Smith told his followers that he had found and translated a set of golden lets containing religious teachings . The ings were called the Book of Mormon . Church membership grew rapidly . er , certain beliefs and practices caused Mormons to be persecuted . For example , beginning in the some Mormon men practiced practice in which one man is married to several women at the same time . This practice was outlawed by the church in 1890 . In the early Smith and his ing number of converts left New York . They formed new communities , in Ohio , then in Missouri , and in Illinois . All three communities eventually failed , and an mob murdered Smith in 1844 . Following Smith murder , Brigham Young became head of the Mormon Church . Young chose what is now Utah as the group new home , and thousands of took the Mormon Trail to the area near the Great Salt Lake , where they prospered . By 1860 there were about Mormons in Utah . Finding Main Ideas Why did Mormons move West ?

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW Some of the Americans to move West were fur ers and trappers . Settlers soon followed . In the next section you will learn about the Texas Revolution . Section Assessment min turn I KEYWORD . Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People a . Identify What was the Oregon Trail ?

Elaborate Would you have chosen to leave your home to travel West ?

Why ?

a . Identify Who are the Mormons ?

Summarize What difficulties led Mormons to move to Utah ?

Critical Thinking categorizing Copy the chart below . Identify different trails to the West , describe the people who traveled along each trail , and explain their motives for traveling west . Trails Travelers Motives . Describing Trails West As you read this section , note important topics that you might want to cover in your documentary film . In addition , write down ideas about how you might present information about each topic . For example , will you use a narrator to tell the life story of Joseph Smith , or will you have actors present it dramatically ?

EXPANDING WEST 311 SECTION What You Will Learn . Many American settlers moved to Texas after Mexico achieved independence from Spain . Texans revolted against Mexican rule and established an independent nation . The Big Idea In 1836 , Texas gained its independence from Mexico . Key Terms and People Father Miguel Hidalgo , 312 , 312 Stephen Austin , Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna , 313 Alamo , 314 Battle of San , 314 IE Discuss Mexican ments and their locations , cultural traditions , attitudes toward slavery , system , and economics . Describe the Texas War for Independence and the American War , including territorial settlements , the aftermath of the wars , and the effects the wars had on the lives of Americans , including Mexican . 312 CHAPTER 10 The Texas Revolution If YOU were there You are the father of a large farm family in Missouri . There is not enough land for everyone , so you looking for another nity . One day , a Mexican government official comes to town . He is looking for people to settle in Texas . The Mexican government is offering generous tracts of land to colonists . However , you have to become a citizen of Mexico and follow Mexican laws . Would you decide to move your family to Texas ?

Why ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND Spain controlled a vast amount tory in whatwould later American Southwest . The Spanish built missions and forts in Texas to establish control ofthat region . But the settlements were far apart , and conflicts with Native Americans Spanish settlers from moving to Texas . When Mexico became an independent republic , it actively looked for more settlers . American Settlers Move to Texas Mexico had a long , unprotected border that stretched from Texas to California . Mexico Spanish rulers worried constantly about attacks from neighbors . They also were concerned about threats from within Mexico . Their fears were justified . Mexicans moved to overthrow ish rule in the early . In September 1810 Father Miguel Hidalgo , a Mexican priest , led a rebellion of about poor Indians and , or people of Indian and Spanish try . They hoped that if Mexico became independent from the ish monarchy , their lives would improve . Hidalgo revolt failed , but the rebellion he started grew . In 1821 Mexico became independent . In 1824 it adopted a republican constitution that declared rights for all Mexicans . The new can government hired , or agents , to bring settlers to Texas . They paid the agents in land .

Settling Texas Stephen Austin , shown at left , and other settlers were received land from the Mexican government for the purpose of bringing settlers to Texas . Their holdings were guaranteed with a contract like the one below . Why do you think the Mexican government wanted to attract settlers to Texas ?

In 1822 one young agent , Stephen Austin , started a colony on the lower do River . The 300 families became known as the Old Three Hundred . Austin successful colony attracted other agents , and American settlers to the region . In exchange for free land , settlers had to obey Mexican laws . But some settlers often explicitly ignored these laws . For example , despite the ban on slavery , many brought slaves . Concerned that it was losing control to the growing American population , Mexico responded . In 1830 , it banned further ment by Americans . Angry about the new law , many Texans began to think of gaining independence from Mexico . Meanwhile , Mexico had come under the rule of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna . He soon suspended Mexico can constitution and turned his attention to the growing unrest in Texas . Finding Main Ideas settlers move to Texas ?

Texans Revolt against Mexico In October 1835 the Mexican army tried to remove a cannon from the town of les , Texas . Rebels stood next to the cannon . Their read , Come and take In the following battle , the rebels won . The Texas Revolution , also known as the Texas War for ACADEMIC Independence , had begun . explicit fully Texas Independence ' On March , 1836 , Texans declared their independence from Mexico . The new of Texas was born . Both the declaration and the constitution that shortly followed were modeled after the documents . The Texas constitution , however , made slavery legal . Delegates to the new Texas government chose politician David Burnet as president and Lorenzo de as vice president . Another revolutionary , Sam Houston , was named to head the Texas . Austin went to the United States to seek money and troops . EXPANDING WEST 313

FOCUS ON READING Use this section to summarize the events of the battle at the Alamo . I ) Battle at the Alamo The Texans actions angered Santa Anna . He began assembling a force of thousands to stop the rebellion . A hastily created anny of Texas had been clashing with Mexican troops for months . Under Colonel Jim Travis , a small force took the town of San Antonio . It then occupied the Alamo , an abandoned mission near San Antonio that became an important battle site in the Texas Revolution . Volunteers from the United States , including frontiersman Davy Crockett and Colonel Jim Bowie , joined the Alamo defense . The rebels , numbering fewer than 200 , hoped to stall the huge Mexican force while a larger Texas army assembled . For almost two weeks , from February 23 to March , 1836 , the Texans held out . Travis managed to get a sage to other Texans through enemy lines I call on you in the name of Liberty , of , and everything dear to the American character , to come to our aid with all dispatch speed on Travis , from a letter written at the Alamo , 1836 Texas Before dawn on March , the Mexican army attacked . Despite heavy losses , the army overcame the Texans . All the ers of the Alamo were killed , though some civilians survived . Following a later battle , at , Santa Anna ordered the execution of 350 prisoners who had surrendered . Texans were enraged by the massacres . Battle of San Santa Anna now chased the untrained forces of Sam Houston . Outnumbered , the Texans east . Finally , they reorganized at the San River , near Galveston Bay . There , the Texans took a stand . Santa Anna was of victory , but he was careless in choosing the site for his camp . On the afternoon of April 21 , 1836 , while Mexican troops were resting , ton forces swarmed the camp , shouting , Remember the Alamo ! Remember The ended swiftly . Santa army was destroyed . In the Battle of San , the Texans captured Santa Anna and forced him to sign a treaty giving Texas its independence . 314 DISPUTED TERRITORY Mexican army ) Mexican victory Texan army Texan victory 50 100 Miles 50 100 Kilometers Claimed by , Texas , UNITED STATES LOUISIANA ( 1812 )

An Independent Nation Sam Houston was the hero of the new independent nation of Texas . The republic created a new town named Houston and made it the capital . Voters elected Sam ton as president . Stephen Austin became secretary of state . To increase the population , Texas offered land grants . American settlers came from nearby southern states , often bringing slaves with them to help grow and harvest cotton . Most Texans hoped that the United States would annex , or take control of , Texas , ing it a state . The Congress also wanted to annex Texas . But President Andrew son refused . He was concemed that ting Texas as a slave state would upset the fragile balance of free and slave states . The president also did not want to have a war with Mexico over Texas . Finally , Jackson did recognize Texas as an independent nation . France did so in 1839 . Britain , which wanted to halt sion , recognized Texas in 1840 . The Mexican government , however , did not recognize Santa Anna forced over of Texas . In 1837 the republic organized the Texas Rangers to guard its long frontier from Mexican and Native American attacks . Finally , in 1844 Texas and Mexico signed a peace treaty . Finding Main Ideas What issues did the new nation of Texas face ?

SUMMARY AND PREVIEW American in Texas challenged the Mexican and won their independence . In the next section you will learn about the war between Mexico and the United States . online vi KEYWORD Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People , a . Identify What role did Stephen Austin play in the settlement of Texas ?

Make Why did Mexican officials want to bring more settlers to Texas ?

Evaluate Do you think Mexico requirements for foreign immigrants were reasonable or unreasonable ?

Explain . a . Describe What were the important battles in the War for Texas Independence ?

Why was each important ?

Make Why did Texas offer land grams to settlers ?

Predict What problems might the Republic of Texas face ?

Critical Thinking . Sequencing Copy the time line below . Use it to list tant events of the Texas Revolution . March 1836 . Explaining the Texas Revolution As you read this tion , make note of the most important players and events in the story of how Texas gained independence from Mexico . Consider also how you will present information about these people and events to your film audience . What words , images , and sounds will make the story of the revolution come alive for them ?

On March , 1836 , Texans fought and lost the Battle of the Alamo . A rallying cry for the Texans at the Battle of San was Remember the Alamo ! The single star of the flag represents the Republic of Texas , also called the Lone Star Republic . Why do you think Remember the Alamo ! was a rallying cry for Texas troops at San ?

EXPANDING WEST 315 What You Will Learn . believed that the nation had a manifest destiny to claim new lands in the West . As a result ofthe American War , the United States added territory in the Southwest . American settlement in the Mexican Cession produced conflict and a blending of cultures . The Big Idea The ideals of manifest destiny and the outcome of the American War led to sion to the Pacific Ocean . Key Terms and People manifest destiny , 316 James Polk , 317 , 319 , 319 Bear Flag Revolt , 320 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , 323 Purchase , 323 ! IE Describe the Texas Independence and the War , including territorial settlements , the aftermath of the wars , and the effects the wars had on the lives of Americans , ing Mexican . 316 CHAPTER 10 The American War If YOU were there Your family are , Spanish settlers who have lived in California for many years . You raise horses on your ranch . So far , you have gotten along with American settlers . But it has become clear that the American government wants to take over California . You hear that fighting has already started between American and Mexican troops . How might life change under American rule ?

BUILDING BACKGROUND Mexican independence setthe stage for conflict and change in the West and Southwest . Atthe same time , American settlers continued to move westward , settling in the Mexican territories ofTexas and California . American ambitions led to clashes with Mexico and the people who already lived in Mexico territories . Manifest Destiny We have it in our power to start the world over again . Paine , from his pamphlet Common Sense ) Americans had always believed they could build a new , better society founded on democratic principles . In 1839 writer John Sullivan noted , We are the nation of human progress , and who will , what can , set limits to our onward march ?

Actually , there was one limit land . By the 18405 the United States had a booming economy and population . Barely 70 years old , the nation already needed more room for farms , ranches , and families . Americans looked West to what they saw as a vast wilderness , ready to be taken . Some people believed it was America manifest destiny , or obvious fate , to settle land all the way to the Pacific Ocean in order to spread democracy . Sullivan coined the term in 1845 . He wrote that it was America manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole continent which Providence God has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty .

Manifest Destiny John Gast painting American Progress shows the spirit of manifest destiny leading settlers westward . What in this painting shows how settlers traveled west ?

River is in the background as settlers push farther west . The woman represents America , moving west and bringing sunlight , settlers , and telegraph wires to the new lands . Native Americans and buffalo are pushed away by the approaching settlers . In the , manifest destiny was tied up with the slavery issue . If ica gained new territory , would slavery be allowed there ?

Presidents had to face the issue . Among them was John Tyler , a Whig who wanted to increase the power of the southern slave states by ing Texas . His fellow disagreed . In 1844 , the Whig Party passed up Tyler and chose Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky as its presidential candidate . At first ing annexation , Clay changed his mind due to pressure from southern politicians . The Democratic Party chose former Tennessee governor James Polk to oppose Clay . Both candidates strongly favored acquiring Texas and Oregon , but Polk was perceived as the expansionist candidate . Southerners feared the loss of Texas , a possible new slave state . Others worried that Texas might become an ally of Britain . These concerns helped Polk narrowly defeat Clay . Acquiring New Territory President Polk quickly set out to his campaign promise to annex Oregon and Texas . By the 18205 , Russia and Spain had given up their claims to Oregon Country . Britain and the United States had agreed to occupy the territory together . As more Americans settled there , they began to ask that Oregon become part of the United States . Polk wanted to protect these settlers interests . Some politicians noted that Oregon Country would provide a port for the growing trade with China . Meanwhile , Britain and the United States disagreed over how to draw the United Canadian border . American cried , forty or fight ! This slogan referred to north latitude , the line to which Americans wanted their northern territory to extend . Neither side really wanted a war , though . In 1846 Great Britain and the United States signed a treaty that gave the United States all Oregon land south of the lel . This treaty drew the border that still exists today . Oregon became an organized tory in February 1848 . Texas carne next . By March 1845 , Congress had approved annexation and EXPANDING WEST 311

needed only the support of the Republic of Texas . Americans continued to pour into Texas . Texas politicians hoped that ing the United States would help solve the republic and military problems . The Texas Congress approved annexation in June 1845 . Texas became part of the United States in December . This action angered the Mexican government , which considered Texas to be a stolen California under Mexico Although the annexation of Texas angered Mexico , it still had settlements in other areas of the Southwest to govern . New Mexico was the oldest settled area , with its capital at Santa Fe . Mexico also controlled Arizona , Nevada , and California . During early Spanish rule , the mission system had dominated much of the day Southwest . Over time , it had become less important there , especially in New , where settlers lived in small villages . In Ranch Life Spanish and Mexican vaqueros , or cowboys , were expert . They used their horses to herd cattle on the ranches of the Spanish Southwest . Leather chaps California , however , missions remained the focus of everyday life . Missions under later Spanish rule carried out huge farming and ranching operations using the labor of Native Americans . Some of the Indians came to the missions . Others were brought by force . Usually , they were not allowed to leave the mission once they had arrived . They had to adopt the clothing , food , and religion of the Spanish priests . Missions often sold their goods to local , or towns , that arose near the and . One wealthy California settler , Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo , the early days . We were the pioneers of the coast , building towns and missions while General George Washington was carrying on the war of the Guadalupe , quoted in Eyewitnesses and Others After winning independence from Spain in 1821 , Mexico began to change old Spanish Vaqueros were known for their specially designed hats . protected riders from , Saddles like these were highly prized by vaqueros . CHAPTER 10 dust and scrapes . ANALYSIS ( ANALYZING What features of the are shown in this painting ?

policies toward California and Texas . In 1833 , for example , Mexico ended the sion system in California . Mission lands were broken up , and huge grants were given to some of the wealthiest California settlers , including Vallejo . They created vast , or ranches , with tens of thousands of acres of land . Vaqueros , or cowboys , managed the large herds of cattle and sheep . were so valuable that they were called California Hides were traded for household items and luxury goods with ship captains from the eastern United States . Some settlers also made wine and grew citrus fruits . Although they had been freed from the missions , for most California Indians the elements of life changed very little . They continued to herd animals and do much of the hard physical labor on ranches and farms . Some , however , ran away into the or to the nearby towns of San Diego and Los Angeles . The Because of the great distance between California and the center of Mexico ment , by the early California had only around colonists . These colonists , called , felt little connection to their faraway government . developed a lasting reputation for hospitality and skilled horse riding . In Two Years Before the Most , American novelist ard Dana wrote about his ters with culture . He described , for example , what happened after a served a feast to Dana and a friend . We took out some money and asked him how much we were to pay . He shook his head and crossed himself , saying that it was the Lord gave it to Henry Dana Two Years Before the Most In addition to traders and travelers , a small number of settlers also arrived from the United States . They were called by the . Although there were few BIOGRAPHY Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was born to an influential family in Monterey . He joined the Mexican army shortly after Mexico independence from Spain . He was soon put in charge of Mexico efforts to increase settlement in northern California . Vallejo eventually became the richest man in California , owning enormous amounts of land and livestock . He welcomed American rule of California , believing it would result in for . Vallejo served at the state constitutional convention as well as in the first state senate . Analyzing Why did Vallejo encourage American rule of California ?

Anglo settlers in California , their calls for independence increased tensions between Mexico and the United States . Drawing inferences How did manifest destiny affect Spanish and Mexican rule in California ! ACADEMIC elements the basic parts of an surroundings War Diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States became increasingly strained . involvement in California and Texas to this tension . Breaks Out Mexico had long insisted that its ern border lay along the River . The United States said the border was farther south , along the Rio Grande . In June 1845 President Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to lead an army into the disputed region . Polk sent to Mexico City to try to settle the border dispute . EXPANDING WEST 319

came with an offer to buy New Mexico and California for 30 million . Mexican refused to speak to him . In March 1846 , General Taylor led his troops to the Rio Grande . He camped across from Mexican forces stationed near the town of , Mexico . In April , the Mexican commander told Taylor to withdraw from Mexican territory . Taylor refused . The two sides clashed , and several soldiers were killed . President Polk delivered the news to Congress . Mexico has passed the boundary ofthe United States , has invaded , and shed American blood upon the American soil The two nations are now at , from his address to , Polk war message was persuasive . Two days later , Congress declared war on Mexico . War Begins At the beginning of the war with Mexico , the Army had better weapons and ment . Yet it was greatly outnumbered and poorly prepared . The government put out a call for volunteers . About responded . Many were young men who thought the war would be a grand adventure in a foreign land . On the home front , many Americans supported the war . However , many thought the war was and able . Northern abolitionists also opposed the . They feared the spread of slavery into southwestern lands . While Americans debated the war , ing proceeded . General Taylor soldiers won battles south of the River . Taylor then crossed the Rio Grande and occupied , Mexico . While Taylor waited for more men , Polk ordered General Stephen to attack New Mexico . On August 18 , 1846 , took Santa Fe , the capital city , without a . He claimed the entire ince of New Mexico for the United States and marched west to California , where another with Mexico was already under way . 320 CHAPTER 10 The Bear Flag Revolt In 1846 , only about 500 Americans lived in the huge province of California , in contrast to about . Yet , in the spirit of manifest destiny , a small group of American settlers seized the town of Sonoma , north of San Francisco , on June 14 . Hostilities began between the two sides when the Americans took some horses that were intended for the Mexican militia . In what became known as the Bear Flag Revolt , the Americans declared California to be an independent nation . Above the town , the rebels hoisted a hastily made of a grizzly bear facing a red star . laughed at the made bear , thinking it looked more like a pig than a John , a Army captain , was leading a mapping expedition across the Sierra Nevada when he heard of the possible war with Mexico . went to Sonoma and quickly joined the American settlers in their revolt against the . Because war had already broken out between the United States and Mexico , actions were seen as beneficial to the American cause in the region . His stated goal , however , was Californian independence , not to annex California to the United States . During the revolt , several important were taken prisoner , including Mariano Vallejo . Vallejo and his brother were held at an lo settlement for two months without any formal charges being brought against them . Long after his release , Vallejo wrote a history of California that included an account of his time as a bear prisoner . But the bear was quick to fall . In July , naval forces came ashore in California and raised the stars and stripes . army arrived from the East . The towns of San Diego , Los Angeles , and San Francisco fell rapidly . In August , Navy Commodore Robert ton claimed California for the United States . Some continued to resist until early 1847 , when they surrendered .

) Map I War , The Bear Flag Revolt American settlers took over Sonoma , the regional quarters of the Mexican army . They captured Mexican general Mariano Vallejo OREGON and declared California a new country the California Republic . Bear Flag Revolt , June 1846 Fon UNORGANIZED San 33 at TERRITORY Fon Leavenworth ii Francisco ' Monterey 60 CA . a San Gabriel . Los Angeles San , 1846 DISPUTED TERRITORY Gila Rive , 90 I Resaca de la Palma , eV . May 1345 . 1345 30008 Vista . Gulf of End of the War Feb 1847 Mexico . I , fE , General Scott ic American forces I landed at , and defeated troops Amman in the Mexican ' Meme mes tress there . He then ?

Mexican marched inland . Mexico City , Fort 20 ' toward Mexico City . Scott capture of the Mexican capital led to as state boundaries ' 1847 Gordo , the end of the war . Ap ?

100 200 Kilometers i GEOGRAPHY A Map ( INTERPRETING MAPS KEYWORD 558 . Location What Mexican city did Scott forces attack in March 1847 ?

I . Movement Which commander led forces from Santa Fe to San Diego ?

War End In Mexico General Taylor got the he needed . He drove his forces deep into enemy lands . Santa Anna , thrown from after losing Texas , returned to power in Mexico in September 1846 . ly , he came after Taylor . The two armies clashed at Buena Vista in February 1847 . After a close battle with heavy casualties on both sides , the Mexican Army retreated . The next morning , the cry went up The enemy has ! The is ours ! Taylor success made him a war hero back home . The general popularity troubled ident Polk , and when Taylor progress stalled , Polk gave the command to General Scott . A beloved leader , he was known by his troops as Fuss and Feathers because of his strict military discipline . Scott sailed to the port of , the strongest fortress in Mexico . On March 29 , after an artillery attack , fell . 322 CHAPTER 10 American soldier Scott moved on to the goal , Mexico City , the capital . Taking a route similar to one lowed by Spanish conquistador Hernan in 1519 , the Americans pushed 200 or so miles inland . Santa Anna tried to stop the forces at Gordo in , but failed . By August 1847 , troops were at the edge of Mexico City . After a truce failed , Scott ordered a sive attack on Mexico City . Mexican soldiers and civilians fought battles in and around the capital . At a military school atop the steep , hill of , young Mexican cadets bravely defended their less position . At least one soldier jumped to his death rather than surrender to the invading forces . Finally , on September 14 , 184 , Mexico City fell . Santa Anna soon the country . Sequencing In chronological order , key War .

Battle of Buena Vista After the Battle of Buena Vista , the American army gained control of northern Mexico . At the beginning of the battle , Mexican forces outnumbered the Americans . But the Mexicans suffered more than twice as many casualties . Why was the Battle of Buena Vista a tuming point in the Me a ' war ?

Mexican soldier American Settlement in the Mexican Cession The war ended after Scott took Mexico City . In February 1848 , the United States and signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , which ended the war and forced Mexico to turn over much of its northern to the United States . Known as the ican Cession , this land included the day states of California , Nevada , and Utah . In addition , it included most of Arizona and New Mexico and parts of Colorado and Wyoming . The United States also won the area claimed by Texas north of the Rio Grande . The can Cession totaled more than square miles and increased the size of the United States by almost 25 percent . Agreements and Payments In exchange for this vast territory , the United States agreed to pay Mexico 15 million . In addition , the United States assumed claims of more than million held by American against the Mexican government . The treaty also addressed the status of Mexicans in the Mexican Cession . The treaty provided that they would be protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty and property , and secured in the free exercise of their The Senate passed the treaty in March 1848 . After the war with Mexico , some cans wanted to guarantee that any ern railroad to California would be built completely on American soil . James den , minister to Mexico , negotiated an important agreement with Mexico in December 1853 . Under the terms of the Purchase , the government paid Mexico 10 million . In exchange , the United States received the southern parts of what are now Arizona and New Mexico . With this purchase , the existing boundary with Mexico was . Surge of American Settlers After the War , a of Americans moved to the Southwest . American newcomers struggled against longtime residents to control the land and other valuable resources , such as water and minerals . Most Mexicans , Mexican Americans , and Native Americans faced legal , economic , and social tion . As a result , they found it to protect their rights . The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ised to protect Mexican American residents property rights . Yet differences between can and land laws led to great confusion . The government often made Mexican American landowners go to court to prove that they had titles to their land . Landowners had to pay their own travel costs as well as those of witnesses and interpreters . They also had to pay attorneys and interpreters fees . These legal battles often bankrupted owners . New settlers also tended to ignore Mexican legal concepts , such as community property or community water rights . EXPANDING WEST 323

Mexican Americans Today Today Mexican Americans are about percent of the population . More than 20 million Mexican Americans live in all 50 states . Many who live in the West are descended from people who lived there long before the region became part of the United States . PACIFIC OCEAN rue IMPACT TODAY 114 White settlers also battled with American Indians over property rights . In some areas , for example , new white settlers soon numbered southwestern Native Americans . The Anglo settlers often tried to take trol of valuable water resources and grazing Mexican American A A Population , 2000 OCEAN I ' I I 150 300 Miles 300 Kilometers GEOGRAPHY SKILLS Region In what region does the largest percentage of Mexican Americans live ?

INTERPRETING MAPS Names of as San Antonio , San Diego , and Santa Hispanic heritage . Other , such as and , are derived from Native can words . Communities throughout the Southwest regularly celebrated both Mexican lands . In addition , settlers rarely respected and American holidays . Indian holy places . Native American peoples Mexican and Native American an la de such as the Navajo and the Apache tried to ledge and traditions also shaped many local are still popular protect their land and livestock from the economies . Mexican Americans taught ' Indians and settlers alike attacked one Anglo settlers about mining in the DU WES . another to protect their interests . Cultural Encounters Despite , different cultures shaped one another in the Southwest . In settlements with large Mexican populations , laws were often printed in both English and Spanish . 324 CHAPTER 10 . Many ranching communities were first started by Mexican settlers . In addition , Mexican Americans introduced new types of saddles and other equipment to can ranchers . Adobe , developed by the Indians , was adopted from the Pueblo people by the Spanish . It is still commonly

used by American residents in New Mexico , Arizona , and California . Trade also changed the Southwest . For example , the Navajo created handwoven woolen blankets to sell to Americans . cans in turn brought manufactured goods and money to the Southwest . Due to exchanges like these , the economies of many Mexican American and Native American ties in the Southwest began to change . Water Rights In the East laws commonly required owners whose land bordered streams or ers to maintain a free of water . These to direct scarce water to fields . This need with the accepted eastern tradition of equal access to water . Brigham Young established a strict code regulating water rights for the Mormon munity . In any dispute over water use , the good of the community would outweigh the interests of individuals . Young approach stood as an example for modern water laws throughout the West . Summarizing What were some of the early important agreements between the United States and Mexico , and why were they significant ?

restrictions generally prevented ers from constructing dams because doing so would infringe upon the water rights of neighbors downstream . In the typically dry climate of the West , agriculture was not possible out irrigation . Dams and canals were required SUMMARY AND PREVIEW America ward expansion continued rapidly after the War . In the next section you will learn about the California gold rush . UM Online Quiz KEYWORD . Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People Em a . Define What was manifest destiny ?

Make inferences Why was westward expansion such an important issue in the election of 1844 ?

Evaluate Do you think California benefited from Mexican independence ?

Why or why not ?

a . Recall Why did the United States declare war on Mexico ?

Summarize What was General strategy for winning the war with Mexico ?

Elaborate Would you have sided with those who opposed the war with Mexico or with those who supported it ?

Why ?

a . Describe What conflicts did American settlers , Native Americans , and Mexican Americans in the Mexican Cession experience ?

Draw Conclusions Why were water rights so important in the American Southwest ?

Evaluate In your opinion , what was the most important effect of the annexation of the Mexican Cession ?

Critical Thinking Identifying Cause and Effect Copy the graphic organizer below onto your own sheet of paper . Use it to identify the causes and effects of the War . FOCUS ON WRITING I . Explaining the War How will you convey ideas , such as manifest destiny , in a film ?

How will you explain to your audience the War role in expansion of the United States ?

Consider these questions as you read this section . Ca uses Effects EXPANDING WEST 325