Mexican-American War
What is "Manifest Destiny"
The belief held by many Americans in the 1840's that it was Americans "fate" to expand from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Which U.S. President centered his campaign on annexing Texas and promoting westward expansion?
James K. Polk (1844)
How did the forty-niners get their name?
1. The term "forty-niner" was given to the miners who rushed out to California during the "gold rush"
2. 1849
What led to the Industrial Revolution? (two causes)
1. Advancements in technology
2. Population growth
What were the two forms of transportation that sparked the transportation revolution?
1. Steamboat
2. Locomotive
What happened at the Battle Alamo?
1. ALL defenders of the Alamo were killed
2. Although unsuccessful, the bravery displayed by the Alamo defenders motivated the Texas to continue to fight for independence.
What role did Stephen F. Austin play in the settlement of Texas?
Stephen F. Austin was an empresario (land agent) who brought the first 300 American families to the province of Texas.
How did the discovery of gold impact the territory of California?
1. California's population grew from 700 Americans to over 100,000 Americans in 1849
2. California would be the first territory from the Mexican Cession to apply for statehood.
What was the first industry to use machines for manufacturing goods?
Textile Industry
Explain the successful system that helped enslaved people escape slavery and achieve their freedom?
The underground railroad was an organized group of secret meeting points, escape routes, and safe "stations"
What was Polk's reasoning behind declaring war on Mexico?
"Mexico has passed the boundary of the United States, has invaded our territory, and shed American blood upon the American soil"
What agreement did American settlers make with the Mexican government in order to colonize in the Province of Texas?
Americans promised to...
1. Become Mexican citizens
2. Practice Roman Catholicism
3. Obey Mexico's laws against slavery
In what year, following this major event, caused California to apply for statehood?
1850; following the California Gold Rush
What was the cotton gin? How did the cotton gin impact slavery?
1. A device that removed seeds from cotton fiber; 50x faster than a person
2. Increased the demand for cotton and created more cotton plantations which required more enslaved people to work on those plantations.
How did plantation owners ensure that enslaved people worked hard on their lands?
1. They hired overseers
2. People who supervised the field hands
What treaty ended the Mexican-American War?
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Why did Congress reject annexing Texas following the Texas Revolution?
1. Northern Congressmen didn't want to add a large slave territory to the Union.
2. The U.S. government didn't want to upset Mexican officials.
Who was America competing with in the Oregon territory? How did America acquire the territory?
1. Great Britain
2. The Oregon Treaty was signed splitting the territory in half.
How did Eli Whitney fix manufacturing issues?
1. Introduced the idea of standardized "interchangeable parts"
2. Made mass-production possible
What was the Fugitive Slave Act?
This law permitted slave owners to go claim their "lost property"
What land did the United States acquire following the Mexican-American War?
The Mexican Cession
Why did Mexican officials invite American settlers into the province of Texas?
1. They had very few settlers in Texas and were susceptible to Native attacks.
2. They wanted more settlers to harvest those lands.
How did economic conditions influence people’s decisions to go to California?
People were struggling financially on the East Coast - jobs were limited and paid very little. It was worth the risk for them to move west in search of Gold and prosperity.
How was the Rhode Island System different from the Lowell System?
1. Rhode Island System employed whole families.
2. Lowell System employed young unmarried women.
What benefits did the transportation revolution bring to trade and daily life?
1. Increased trade exponentially
2. Connected resources to markets