Vocabulary
To come to another country to live
What is immigrate?
This trailblazer was the first man to travel to and from California by land. He even traveled through the Mojave Desert on his way to Los Angles!
Who is Jedediah Strong Smith?
This sea route to California took 5-8 months and covered 17,000 miles. I hope they packed well for a rough, cold trip!
What is the Cape Horn Route?
This current U.S. state was at the center of a disagreement that would eventually lead to the Mexican-American War.
What is Texas?
This governor of Alta California fought to keep Southern California part of Mexico. He later fled to Mexico for safety as his brother led a successful recapturing of Los Angeles for Mexico.
Who is Pio Pico?
Someone who finds or makes a new path between places
Who is a trailblazer?
This trailblazer led settlers in the 1850's through the lowest pass in the Sierra Nevada, a pass that would later be named after him.
James Beckwourth
This shortcut involved sailing and land, as travelers had to travel by boat on the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean (with some treacherous jungle in the middle).
What is the Isthmus of Panama?
This belief that the land out west must be part of the U.S. and that the country should stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific was called this.
What is Manifest Destiny?
This is the year that American forces invaded Mexico and ended the war. Coincidentally, it was the same year gold was discovered!
What is 1848?
A group of covered wagons that traveled together over a long distance
What is a wagon train?
This mountain man, who was a trapper and a guide, helped John C. Fremont's group arrive safely to Fort Sutter in 1844, the future site of gold discovery.
Who is Kit Carson?
This route required a wagon trail, steep mountains, dry deserts, and some serious packing! Better hire a trailblazer to show you the way too.
What is The Overland Route?
This group of American settlers took matters in their hands and challenged Mexican authorities before U.S. troops arrived.
Who are the Bear Flaggers?
True or False: When the Treaty of Hidalgo was signed to end the war, California became a state.
What is false? (It became a territory).
They were trappers who acted as guides for people exploring the West
Who are mountain men?
This man organized a group in 1841 that would become the first to travel to California by wagon train.
Who is John Bidwell?
This unfortunate group of travelers got caught in the early snowfall for five months.
Who is the Donner Party?
This is the name of the city where Mariana Vallejo, a Californio who a key Mexican military and political leader, was captured by the American rebels.
What is Sonoma?
Californios became citizens after this treaty was signed by Mexico and the U.S.
What is the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo?
This is another name for the people who were in control - the Bear Flaggers challenged them before the Mexican-American War.
This former soldier was hired by the U.S to map and survey the land out west. He would arrive to present-day Sacramento on his fourth trip.
Who is John C. Fremont?
This route to California was complicated and required some real flexibility and stamina, but it was the shortest path.
What is the Isthmus of Panama?
This mapper and surveyor arrived with soldiers in Sonoma and was asked to lead the new California Republic. Reinforcements came later and the Bear Flag was soon replaced by the American flag.
Who is John C. Fremont?
True or false: The treaty that was signed guaranteed people got to keep ownership of their land and that promise was delivered.
What is false?