Western Migration and Expansion

  • Proclamation of 1763

    Proclamation of 1763
    After the British had won the French and Indian war they began losing power over the colonist. They then decided to come up with the Proclamation of 1763 which then enabled them to limit them to living east of the Appalachians. This sparked rebellion and a few of the colonists proceeded to immediately move westward becoming more independent and individualized.
  • Northwest Territory

    Northwest Territory
    What came to be known as the old northwest were the states of Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, MIchigan, and Wisconsin. It all started when the continental congress realized they could generate income from selling the western lands. When congress passed the Land Ordinance of 1785, the delegates outlined a plan for surveying the territories into townships that were subdivided into lots. There was a specific lot that was reserved for the public schooling system. The Land Ordinance set a precedent for Ame
  • The Louisiana Purchase

    The Louisiana Purchase
    In 1803 Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the United States government. Many people were happy about the purchase because it allowed further westward expansion. Others weren’t happy and attacked Jefferson for undermining the Constitution, which did not mention the purchase of territory. They viewed the new land as a threat to their future and some feared it would dilute their their New England based political power.
  • West and East Florida

    West and East Florida
    The United States was beginning to divide into three sections; north, south and west. Northerners were against the tariff because they felt it would hurt they’re new manufacturing businesses and they feared it would affect their shipping trade. Eastern manufacturers favored the high tariffs. The tariffs helped them defend themselves from foreign competitors. Westerns were about fifty fifty with their thoughts. The Southwest favored low duties just like the southerners while the Northwest favored
  • Red River Basin

    Red River Basin
    Some issues had arisen regarding the treaty made to settle the war of 1812 so the United States signed the Convention of 1818 with Great Britain. This new treaty showed the northern border of the Louisiana territory and stated that the United States and Great Britain would share the Oregon Territory. The United States gained the modern states of Minnesota and North Dakota which at the time was called the Red River Basin
  • Hawaii

    Hawaii
    Americans acquired a “foothold” on Hawaii as a result of the sugar trade. In 1890 congress approved the Mckinley Tariff putting a raise on the rates to import sugar. This eventually caused a depression throughout the islands of Hawaii. The white American sugar growers knew that if Hawaii was annexed to the United States the tariff would be lifted and the islands would be fine but at the time there was a queen of hawaii, Queen Liliuokalani who thought otherwise. In 1893 the planters planned to at
  • Oregon Territory

    Oregon Territory
    Americans thought it was their right and duty to travel and bring themselves out to Oregon. Since 1818 the United States and Great Britain shared the area that they also partially shared with the Indians. Oregon looked promising for eastern farmers during the depression. When the American Society for encouraging the settlement of the Oregon Country was formed by Hall j. Kelly it created interest in the region. In the spring people formed waggon trains and made their way to Oregon. Young farm fa
  • Mexican Cesation

    Mexican Cesation
    The present president, James K. Polk, wanted to gain land near the Oregon territory and in modern day New Mexico and California territories.Right after the Texas Annexation Mexico separated themselves from the United States. Polk offered the Mexicans over 30 million dollars for the California and New Mexico territories. The Mexicans then said no and Polk had his troops get ready. On may ninth news had reached washington that the mexicans had attacked the Americans. congress responded with a decl
  • Webster-Ashburton Treaty

    Webster-Ashburton Treaty
    Around 1842 Great Britain was having a few foreign policy problems. Some of these problems included the suppression of the international slave trade, the northeast borders of the United States, and the involvement of American citizens in the Canadian rebellion of 1837. This treaty solved all of the frictions in an anglo-american way.
  • Texas Annexation

    Texas Annexation
    Greatest territorial expansion in the United States to date. This treaty, a negotiation of the Oregon Territory with Great Britain, and the conclusion of the Mexican American War, caused the making of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
  • Gatsden Purchase

    Gatsden Purchase
    The Gatdsden Purchase was the last thing added to the United States.It is made up of present day southern Arizona and southwestern new mexico. The purchase included lands south of the Gila River and west of the Rio Grande. Mainly wanted to help form the transcontinental railroad that would run in the lower south. This would help expand trade opportunities. In the end the territory was bought for ten million dollars but Mexico “balked” at any large scale sale of land.
  • Alaska

    Alaska
    In 1866 Russia offered to sell the United States Alaska. America paid Russia 7.2 million for alaska. The United States gained almost 600,000 square miles. It took until 1896 for people to realize that Alaska was valuable.