Expansion & Ideology
What 19th-century belief encouraged Americans to see westward growth as part of a national mission?
Manifest Destiny
Why did large groups of families travel together when heading west?
→ Safety, shared labor, mutual support
What group held most of the economic and social power in Mexican-controlled California?
Rancheros
What made Texas an attractive place for incoming settlers from the United States?
Cheap land / tax exemptions / farming opportunities
Which president pushed strongly for U.S. territorial expansion in the 1840s?
James K. Polk
Give one reason why many Americans felt confident expanding into western lands during the early 1800s.
Belief in spreading democracy, confidence in new technology, desire for land, etc.
Name one challenge that travelers faced during long-distance migrations westward.
Sickness, harsh terrain, limited supplies, weather, etc.
After Mexico became independent, mission lands often shifted into private ownership. What is the name of this process?
Secularization
Give one requirement Mexico expected settlers to follow upon arriving in Texas.
Become Mexican citizens, convert to Catholicism, follow Mexican laws
What international compromise set the boundary between U.S. and British claims in the Northwest?
Agreed border at the 49th parallel
Which idea linked American expansion to moral and cultural “improvement” of the continent?
The belief that westward growth would spread American values
Which invention greatly increased the speed at which farmers could gather crops?
Mechanical reaper
What role did vaqueros play in the economy of the Mexican borderlands?
Skilled horsemen/cowboys who worked on ranches
Why did cultural differences between settlers and Mexican officials lead to tension?
Settlers brought U.S. customs/laws and often ignored Mexican traditions
What disagreement over geography increased tensions after the U.S. annexed Texas?
→ Dispute over the proper border—two different rivers claimed
This political process occurs when a nation officially incorporates new territory. What is it called?
Annexation
Why were new types of plows valuable to farmers moving into the Midwest?
They could break through tough prairie soil
Why were the northern territories of Mexico difficult for the central government to manage?
Far away, underpopulated, and threatened by conflict
Why did Mexican leaders grow increasingly suspicious of American settlers in Texas?
Fear of losing control or U.S. attempts to dominate the region
Critics of expansion argued that the push for new territory was connected to what major political issue of the time?
The expansion of slavery
When a nation signs away land to another through a formal agreement, what action is taking place?
Cession / To cede
Why did many Native American communities become more resistant to continued westward migration?
Settlers disrupted hunting grounds, buffalo routes, and natural resources
Which major commercial route linked American traders with New Mexico, boosting U.S. influence there?
Santa Fe Trail
What outcome followed the final major battle of the Texas struggle for independence?
Texas became an independent republic
Name one major region or territory the U.S. acquired from Mexico in the peace treaty that ended the conflict.
Examples: California, Utah, Nevada, parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming