Americans believed it was ordained that they expand westward for land, resources, and new opportunities. However, this movement displaced Native American groups like the Sauk, who were forced off their lands after conflicts like the Black Hawk War and relocated beyond the Mississippi River. Treaties like Fort Laramie attempted to establish boundaries but were repeatedly violated by westward-bound American settlers. Trails like the Santa Fe, Oregon, and Mormon trails helped facilitate westward migration for trade, farming, and religious freedom, leading the U.S. to eventually annex the Oregon Territory up to the Puget Sound.

1. Moving West

2.  The
belief that God has ordained that Americans
should expand west

3.  Main
draw – land
 Owning land was an important first step
toward prosperity

Land was a measure of wealth because the
resources on the land can be used for production
 Other


Reasons
Expanding markets
Fresh start – economic trouble

4. Black Hawk War
 Facing famine and hostile
Sioux, the Sauk and Fox tribes
sought land to get in a corn
crop
 The
Illinois militia chased them into Wisconsin
territory and inflicted a gruesome massacre on
of women and children
 This war will be best known for two native
Kentuckians who will be opponents later: Lt.
Jefferson Davis and Capt. Abraham Lincoln

5. Black Hawk War



Due to continued pressure
from the US to move west,
the Sauk, led by Black Hawk,
led a rebellion against the
US
Fought over rights to land –
Native Americans lose and
are forcibly removed to land
WEST of Mississippi River
continued pattern of Native
American groups being
pushed farther west by
white settlers

6. Treaty of Fort Laramie
 Increasing westward settlement led to more
conflict
 To respond settlers’ fears, US agreed with
several tribes “to maintain good faith and
friendship in all their mutual intercourse, and
to make an effective and lasting peace.”
 These tribes were given control of lands of the
north central plains
 US would be allowed to build forts and roads
and make annual payments
 The US Government continually violated the
treaty

7. Treaty of Fort Laramie
 Agreement
between the US Government and several
Midwestern tribes who guaranteed not to attack
white settlers moving West
 US Government agreed
to honor boundaries
 US Government
repeatedly violated it’s
side of the agreement

8.  Aside
from settlers two other groups moved
across the west

traders and missionaries

9.  Santa


Fe Trail
From Independence, Missouri to Santa Fe, New
Mexico
Traders took cloth, guns, knives and returned
with gold, silver and furs
 Oregon



Trail
From Independence, MO to Portland, OR
Methods of travel: 1) prairie schooners or 2)
walking
Why Oregon? – plenty of rain and fertile soil

10.  Mormon





Trail
moving west to escape religious persecution
Practice that caused so much controversy –
polygamy or
(the practice of having more than one wife)
Led west by Brigham Young
Eventually settled in an area they called Salt
Lake City

11. Oregon Territory
 The U.S. and Britain had been
sharing the Oregon Territory.
 President Polk used the slogan
“Fifty-four Forty or Fight” to
gain support for annexing
(adding) the Oregon Territory
 Britain eventually agreed and the US Boundary
extended all the way to the Puget Sound
 The US’s northern boundary with Canada is now
established