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| | In the end, Tyler was the first president to attempt to annex Texas. Unfortunately, he ruined his chances by declaring that slavery would be good for Texas. When the treaty came to the Senate, it did not pass. | | In the end, Tyler was the first president to attempt to annex Texas. Unfortunately, he ruined his chances by declaring that slavery would be good for Texas. When the treaty came to the Senate, it did not pass. |
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| − | ==Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion== | + | ==1840s: Social Movements, Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion== |
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| − | Manifest Destiny was the concept that westward expansion was part of God's plan for the United States to spread out over the continent. They believed that exploration and expansion was a mission from God.
| + | The 1840s was a decade of expansion and social change for the growing United States. Counting California, which joined the Union in 1850, five new states were added to the United States: Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin and California. This included the two largest states in area in the continental United States (California and Texas), and what are now three of the four largest in population (California, Texas and Florida). The nation as we know it today was taking shape. |
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| − | Settlers began to move westward in large groups, traveling on the Oregon Trail. This trail stretched for 2000 miles and many settlers spent six months traveling along it.
| + | A widespread belief in "Manifest Destiny" was driving this growth. Manifest Destiny was the concept that westward expansion was part of God's plan for the United States to spread out over the continent. They believed that exploration and expansion was a mission from God. |
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| − | Missionaries came too and sought to minister to the Indians in the region. | + | Settlers began to move westward in large groups, traveling on the Oregon Trail. This trail stretched for 2000 miles and many settlers spent six months traveling along it. Missionaries traveled in order to minister to the Indians far and wide. Others went westward in a search for gold, and the "gold rush" that began in 1848 and hit a fever pitch in 1849 attracted many to California (the football team the "San Francisco 49ers" is named after those settlers). |
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| − | The British still controlled about half of the territory in Oregon. In 1846 the Oregon Treaty settled the disputes between America and Britain, giving most of Oregon to the United States.
| + | Half of the Oregon territory, which included the current states of Oregon and Washington, was controlled by the British. In 1846 the Oregon Treaty settled the disputes between America and Britain, giving most of Oregon to the United States. |
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| − | California also attracted many settlers during the 1830s.
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| | ==James K. Polk and War with Mexico== | | ==James K. Polk and War with Mexico== |