Americans Move West
Fur trappers opened new routes to California because...
They wanted to find new areas that had fur animals to trap
Using the map on page 202, from Fort Hall, most settlers used this trail to get to California.
The California Trail
What was Manifest Destiny?
The idea that the United States should stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. This idea inspired many pioneers to travel to California.
California became a part of the United states because of this Treaty.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
How do you know if writing is fact?
You can find the same information in anther trusted source.
Who was Jedediah Strong Smith?
The trailblazer that led the first group of Ameircans overland into California.
Who was John C. Fremont?
A member of the US military who helped the California rebels and helped establish the Bear Flag Revolt.
What are words that help you identify that something is an opinion?
Words such as "I think, I believe, or in my opinion"
What is fiction?
Writing that is made-up.
How did settlers travel to CA before there were overland routes?
By ship
What was the Donner Party?
A group of people who traveled to CA but got stuck in the Sierra Nevada during the winter. Many of them starved.
How long did the Bear Flag Republic last? Why was it such a short time?
Because American warships landed in Monterey and made the Bear Flaggers part of the United States.
Where did the Bear Flag Revolt take place?
Sonoma
What are documentary sources?
Sources produced at the time an event takes place, often by a person who actually experiences the event.
Why do prices for goods rise when the supply of the goods is low?
When goods are hard to find, they become more valuable, and people will pay higher prices for them.
What are the 2 natural barriers that settlers could have to cross to get to California that make the journey difficult.
The Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert
What event took place at the Dominguez Rancho?
A battle won by the Californios.
What are some reasons Mexico lost control of California?
The Mexican government was weak, as was the economy of Alta California; rancho owners had bought more property and gained much power; the Mexican government could not afford to pay its soldiers in Alta California.
What are some examples of documentary sources?
Films, photographs, audio recordings, letters, diaries, maps, artwork or quotes from historical newspaper articles.
Where was the capital of Mexican California?
Monterey
What were some of the challenges faced by settlers traveling overland to California?
A long, difficult trip by wagon train, poorly mapped or unproved trails, large deserts, Sierra Nevada, hunger, extreme weather, or winter weather if they were too late in crossing the Sierra Nevada?
What is an opinion?
A statement that tells what a person believes or thinks is called this.
What are more reasons why Mexico lost control of California?
The capital of Mexico was far away; Mexico could not stop American settlers from moving into Alta, California; the idea of the Manifest Destiny
What are facts?
True statements that often include dates, numbers, or other information and can be proven.