The westward expansion was basically the west side of America (in the 1800s) expanding, separating, and gaining more land. It started in the 1800's, and it started out with a newspaper. John O' Sullivan, a newspaperman, stated that it was America's "manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent". Which meant that it was America's manifest destiny (meaning obvious fate) to expand the land and own more for the country.
That first sparked the "Louisiana Purchase". The U.S. First wanted Port City of New Orleans (near the mouth of Mississippi). But there were thousands of farmers settling the land. They needed that area to load crops onto ships for Europe, or for other cities on the East Coast. The farmers depended on being able to move their crops freely along this route. Louisiana was then given to Spain after the French/Indian War. Then in 1800, French ruler Napolean Bonarte convinced Spain to return Louisiana to France. He had plans for Louisiana, those including hoping to settle territory with thousands of French farmers. Those farmers would raise food for slaves who had wasted on France’s sugar plantations in the Caribbean. The plans for it alarmed the frontier farmers. If Napolean closed the port, farmers would have no way to get the crops to the market.
President Thomas Jefferson understood these food concerns with the farmers. So in 1803, he sent a James Monroe to France with an offer to buy New Orleans for 7.5 million. Years later, a slave named Toussaint L’Ouverture led a slave rebellion in Haiti. Former slaves then defeated the French troops who tried to take back the colony. Napolean no longer needed Louisiana. France and Britain were nearly at war, so Napolean knew that he might lose Louisiana to the British. So James Monroe signed a treaty giving Louisiana to the United States in April 30th, 1803 in exchange for 15 million.
Most people thought that the Louisiana Purchase looked like the greatest land deal in history. The new territory could double the country’s size. Others thought that it was hard to govern such a large country. Politicians in the East Side, thought they would lose power. People thought that it was too much land, but they had too little money now. People accused Thomas Jefferson of “tearing the Constitution into tatters”, and there was an argument that the purchase was unconstitutional. Late 1803, the senate voted to approve the plan of the Louisiana Purchase treaty. The farmers were delighted.
In 1800, Florida already had a diverse population of Seminole Indians, Spanish colonists, English traders, and runaway slaves. In 1804, Jefferson sent two diplomats to buy Florida, but Spain denied. Many Americans in the South East wanted to take over Florida.
Having runaway slaves angered slave owners (particularly in Georgia). Slaves would run away to Florida, and usually got accepted and welcomed by the Seminole Indians that lived there. Georgia was upset about the Seminole raids. And over the years, Spain’s control of Florida weakened, the Spanish government couldn’t do anything.
In 1818, James Monroe sent Andrew Jackson to Georgia with orders to end raids. They sent 1700 troops. Over the few weeks, they captured every military post in the colony. They also arrested and executed two British subjects. Spain then demanded for them to go back to Washington and be punished for the illegal invasion. In 1819, the Spanish government agreed to yield Florida to the United States.
Most new immigrants showed little respect for Mexican culture, and usually had no intentions of becoming citizens there. So the Mexican government closed Texas to immigrants. The government sent troops to Texas to enforce the immigration laws. Americans resented the actions, calling for a revolution. A William Travis and a Stephen Austin led this. Moses Austin (banker and businessman) dreamed of starting an American colony someday. When Moses died in 1821, his son Stephen took over. They asked to reopen Texas to immigration and make it a separate Mexican state. In 1833, Austin traveled to Mexico and presented the Texan’s demands to the new head of the Mexican Governor, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (who was a power hungry dictator). Santa Anna tossed him in jail without bargaining with him. After Austin was released in 1835, Texas got mad. Santa Anna had 6,000 troops over.
In February of 1836, part of the army had already gotten to San Antonio. About 180 Texans defended the town, the Texans took over the Alamo (an old mission). They sent messengers to other towns in Texas. For reinforcements and not abandoning the Alamo, unfortunately, none came. By March 6th,, an order came from Santa Anna to storm the fort. Every Alamo defender was dead. Sam Houston (commander of Texas army) understood the Texans’ rage. Their only hope was to retreat. On April, Santa Anna caught up with Houston. Santa Anna expected the Texans to attack at dawn, and the general kept troops awake at night. When no attack came, the Mexicans relaxed, and Santa Anna took a nap. The Houston troops staged a surprise attack, and finally won independence.
Most Texans were Americans who wanted Texas to be part of the United States. But Texas remained independent for about 10 years. The 1844 presidential campaign was influenced by question whether to expand the United States, or not. Texas was finally then admitted as the 28th state.
In 1819, Oregon was claimed by four different nations, Russia, Spain, Great Britain, and by the United States. Although, Russia dropped out, as well as Spain, over the years. There were very many main reasons why so many nations claimed Oregon. The fertile soil and the towering forests there attracted many settlers. The weather was always sunny, there were unknown diseases, thick trees, and free farms, as well. In 1843, a thousand pioneers headed for Oregon. A year later about twice as many came. Then the United States annexed all of Oregon.
There was a war that broke out in Texas when America decided that they wanted Texas they came to Mexico. America and Texas could not decide on a border for Mexico. Mexico wanted the border of Texas to be at the Nueces River about hundred and fifty miles away from the northwest of Rio Grande. On April 25, 1846, Mexican troops had killed 16 Americans. Two days after that, the congress had declared war on Mexico. A couple of months later, a general by the name of Stephen Kearny led an army to New Mexico. Their mission was to occupy it and then continue to California. In 1848, the United States and Mexico signed a treaty that agreed that America got Texas and a big region known as Mexican Cession which had the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
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