Notes Intro. Activity 2 – Westward Expansion – Know for Quizzes!

Louisiana Purchase:

  • Obtained by President Thomas Jefferson 1803
  • Napoleon Bonaparte of France needed money for wars to come in Europe
  • Napoleon believed he could not defend the territory from invaders
  • Jefferson wanted New Orleans for $10 million
  • Napoleon counter-offered 15 million for the entire territory

From Great Britain -War of 1812:

  • Britain and USA go to war over a few factors

British were impressing/kidnapping our sailors into their navy

Britain was preventing us from trading with France – blockading some U.S. ports

Breaks U.S. neutrality rights

Boundary disputes existed over frontier regions in Northern Maine

  • War takes place from 1812 – 1815
  • Treaty of Ghent 1814 ends the war - does not address pre-war issues but brings peace

Brit. and U.S. agree to discuss border issues in near future

  • U.S. gets some territory at the northern tip of Maine

Spanish Cession – Florida:

  • Americans had grown angry with the Spanish government

Fugitive slaves were escaping into Florida

Native American tribes – the Seminoles were crossing into Georgia and raiding villages

  • Andrew Jackson was ordered to capture escaped slaves and subdue the Seminoles
  • He nearly starts a war
  • SpaincedesFlorida to USA in 3 parts given in 1810, 1813, and 1819
  • Spanish Cession of Florida is cemented via Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819
  • cost … $5 million

TexasTerritory:

  • Mexico had declared its independence from Spain in 1821
  • Mexico sought people to settle its frontier regions to the North
  • Settlers need only to obey the laws of Mexico
  • Austin family and others from USA agree and start to settle
  • In short time settlers begin to break laws and their agreement and tensions grow
  • Rebellion erupts and Texicans/Texians eventually win - Mexico’s Gen. Santa Anna was ruthless!
  • Texas is declared its own LoneStarRepublic in 1836 by Treaty of San Jacinto
  • 1845 Texas is annexed by the USA

OregonTerritory:

  • 4 nations had claimed the N. West as its possession
  • 2 nations give up their claims
  • 1845 Pres. Polk runs for election – Campaign slogan promises to get all of the OregonTerritory
  • 1846 Polk compromises and takes all lands south of N. 49 degrees latitude

Mexican Cession:

  • After war with Mexico 1846 – 1848
  • 1848 Treaty ofGuadalupe – Hidalgo ends the war

USA gets all Mexican territories – West and North of Texas - the “southwest”

Border dispute will be fixed to extend along the Rio GrandeRiver

Price: $15Million

Gadsden Purchase:

  • Early 1850s a boundary dispute with Mexico raises problems
  • USA wants region along Mexico/Arizona border

The land was more flat – easier route for building a southern railroad to California

  • 1853 USA purchases the land from Mexico for $10 million
  • James Gadsden worked out the deal

AlaskaTerritory:

  • Was originally claimed and settled by Russia in 1750’s
  • Sec. of State Seward wanted to expand territory and power of USA
  • Considered a frozen wasteland by Americans who called it – Seward’s Ice Box or Seward’s Folly
  • 1867 it was purchased from Russia for $7.2 million

Hawaiian Islands:

  • Claimed first by Britain but never really settled
  • Christian missionaries - British, German and in 1820’s American missionaries arrived
  • By 1840’s Americans had begun building plantations – slowly gaining power
  • 1887 king of Hawaii forced to adopt a new constitution – giving planters more powers in gov’t
  • 1893 planters rebel against Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani
  • 1898 USA Congress – annexes it

Panama:

  • Pres. Theodore Roosevelt wanted to make a “2 Ocean Navy”
  • South America is too big to go around – needs a short-cut
  • USA offers Colombia money for land and to build a canal in Panama – Colombia refuses!
  • USA insights people of Panama to fight for independence from Colombia
  • 1903 Panamanians win – agree to let USA build canal
  • USA agrees to build/run the canal and surrounding Canal Zone for indefinite period

Spanish American War:

  • 1896-97 Spain was having problems keeping order in Cuba
  • Rebellions were springing up
  • American journalists “dig” up evidence of atrocities taking place
  • American public is pushed towards war – in favor of Cuban independence
  • U.S. battleship sinks – war erupts!
  • 1898 USA by treaty gets Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Philippines, Guam

Palmyra, and Wake Island 1899, Samoa 1900

  • USA will then fight against the people of the Philippines to control those

Islands for a few years of bloody fighting

1817 Rush – Bagot Treaty

  • Acting Sec. State Richard Rush and British Min. Bagot wrap up unfinished issues

after war of 1812

  • Both nations agree to “demilitarize” the Great Lakes – limit military ships to 4

Helps smooth relations between the two nations

Helps open up the Great Lakes for commerce between the 2 nations

From Great Britain – 1818 RedRiver Basin

  • Via Convention of 1818 USA and Britain agree
  • USA would get region of land West of Lake Superior

Lands would make up the RedRiver Basin – area draining into the Red River

Est. a border with Canada west of Great Lakes to Rockies at N. 49 degrees

Includes lands in parts of Minnesota, North and South Dakota

1842 Webster AshburtonTreaty – USA gets territory at northern tip of Maine

MidwayIsland was obtained in 1867 as well!