Study Questions for Manifest Destiny

1)What was Manifest Destiny?
The idea that the United States was meant to extend its borders from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean

2) The Oregon Territory consisted of what area? Who claimed it?
Giant area that lay between the Pacific Ocean and the rocky Mountains north of California. Included all of what is now oreagon, Washington and Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming. Who claimed it? United States, Great Britain, Spain and Russia.

3) Who were the Mountain Men?
People who spent most of their time in the Rocky Mountians. Made their living by trapping Beaver and trade fur. Many had Native American wives and adopted the Native American Ways. They lived in buffalo-skin lodges and dressed in fringed buckskin pants, moccasins and beads.

4) Why was the Oregon Trail important?
It provided a passage for the settlers moving west. Start of the Great Migration.

5) Discuss the meaning behind the slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight"?
reffered to the line of latitude that Democrats believed should be the nation’s northern border in Oregon. Get/fight for Oregon.

6) James Polk made what promises to the American public during the election
of 1844 (list four - you might need to look up on the internet).
He supported American clams for sole ownership of Oregon.

7) Discuss how Texas became independent.
The U.S. Texasn banned together with volunteers and they fought and they liberated San Antonio.
March 2 1836 they declared their independence. They formed a Declaration of Independence. Santa Anna recognized their independence on March 14.
Extra: Their was more Americans in Texas then Mexicans who hadn’t adopted their ways so Mexico issued a Decree, which stopped more Americans from settling in Texas anymore.

8) Discuss the battles of The Alamo and San Jacinto.
Alamo was a small Texan force barricaded inside a nearby mission. They were low on gun powder and they had 180 men to their thousands but they stood their ground.
San Jacinto – Sam Houston marched his army to a camp of Mexican army. He captured some of the men including Santa Anna
Texas thinks very highly of itself and it did win the war of its independence from another country.

9) How long did it take the U.S. to annex Texas? Why?
It took about 9 years, because the United States had to agree to bring in a slave state. And because there would be an unbalance of slaves states.

10) How did the Mexican-American War start? Why did it start? Was it a "Just War"? American settlement in the southwest led to conflict with Mexico. Fulfilling manifest destiny, and possession would guarantee that the united States had a clear passage to the Pacific Ocean – an important consideration because the British still occupied part of Oregon.
Was it Just? No because they had no right to take it, Mexico declined their request so they took it by force.

11) What was the American response to the war?
The north didn’t like it, the democrats wanted it though.
First – American troops would drive Mexican forces out of the disputed border region in Texas and make the border secure.
Second – the United States would seize New Mexico and California
Third – American forces would take Mexico City, Capital of Mexico

12) List the major battles of the war.
Mexico city – ends the war
Monterrey
Santa Fe
Buena Vista
Bear Flag Revolt

13) What was the cost of the war?
The war cost the United States nearly $100 million to fight them and $25 million for their land, and Mexico lost half its territory.

14) Why was the California Gold Rush important?
The lure of gold and the promise of religious freedom drew many settlers westward.


PG 380 6-10, 13-15

6) That they would coexist.

7) He didn’t want an unbalance of slave and no slave states.

8) They would have access to the Pacific and we would be bordered by ocean and not another country.
9) We wanted their land and they didn’t agree to our buying.

10) They could charge whatever they wanted to the miners.

13) It gave us a lot more land, new Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Utah.

14) They didn’t like it.

15) We took over the southwest and with the Oregon Trail we coexisted.