Global+Studies

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toc = __Global Studies__ =

= = = = = __Ancient Egypt Project__ =



= __Westward Expansion/Steamboat__ =

Mexican American War
The Texas Rebellion was a war between Mexico and Texas. Mexico was a new country and had just defeated Spain in their revolutionary war. Mexico invited American citizens to come live in Texas, to improve their relations with America, and expand their nation. The Americans soon came flooding. The Americans were asked to become Mexican citizens and become a part of Mexican culture. The Americans weren't doing quite what the Mexicans expected them to do. They were still using American products, and although they were Mexican citizens, they weren't acting like Mexicans. Mexico soon raised the priced of imports from America. The Texans didn't like that. The Texan Army met the Mexican Army for the first time, October 2, 1853, with the Battle of Gonzales. The Mexican Army needed all the cannons in the Mexican governments possession. The Mexicans were at war with another country so they needed weapons. They had given a small cannon to the town of Gonzales, to protect their city. When the Mexicans arrived to retrieve the cannon, the Texans stalled them. They started sending out requests for more Texans to come and fight. Soon the Texans had over 140 Texans to fight the Mexicans. The Mexicans opened fire October 2. A few hours later the Mexican soldiers withdrew. The war between Texas and Mexico raged on for about a year. When it ended Texas had won. In 1845 Texas was annexed into the United States.

The Mexican American War started in 1846 following the Texas Rebellion. The Americans were fighting to gain land in the west. Most of the war took place on the U.S.-Mexico border. It was a two year long war and resulted in a victory for the U.S. The U.S. forced the dictator of Mexico, Santa Anna, to sign a paper ceding half of their country to the United States. To do that they had to fight long and gruesome battles and eventually had to take over the capitol of Mexico, Mexico City. After the cession the americans payed the Mexicans $15 million dollars, so they didn't loose face and look like the bad guys.

Steamboat
The first steamboat was invented around 1821 by Robert Fulton. The steamboat was widely used until 1860's when the gas turbine was invented. The steamboat was a powerful and efficient way of transportation. It was fast and comfortable, thats what made it so popular. The steamboat was widely used on the Mississippi river. The steamboat was a powerful tool of transportation and really made traveling fast and easy.

The shallow bottom of the boat made for a stable, fast ride. The wheel on the back or side of the steamboat was used for moving the boat. The wheel would act as a paddle and propelled the boat forward. The wheel and shallow bottom were good for going against a strong current, the shallow bottom created less drag, and the wheel provided a strong push.

Weapons and Inventions
The Inventions in the 1800's were very revolutionary. Some weapons used in America were: Flintlock, Muskets, Percussion Cap Muskets, Colt Revolvers and many others, the ones listed are the most commonly used. Some of the major inventions were: 1829 American, W.A. Burt creates the first typewriter, Coca Cola - 1886 USA by John Pemberton, 1846 The Sewing Machine was patented and Improved. I think that these are three of the most lasting inventions that were invented in the 1800s.

Westward Expansion
In the 1800 John L. O'Sullivan came up with the concept of manifest destiny. We thought that it was our right and duty to expand to the west. When we were a new nation we were only 13 colonies and occupied the east coast. We started with the northwest territory.

The proclamation line kept the Americans from spreading to the west. The Royal Proclamation allowed us to spread to the west and we took the north west territory. We then bought the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. We bought it from France.

Next was the British Cession in 1818. The British Cession was a small territory next to the Lake of the Woods (49th parallel) in modern day Canada. We bought it from England for $200,000. It was also known as The Treaty of 1818.

After that was the Transfer of Florida. We purchased Florida from Spain. We bought it through the Adams Onis Treaty. It was a treaty between US and Spain in 1819 that gave Florida to the US. We paid $5 million and our land west of the Mississippi river.

Next was then the Annexation of Texas. The Texans had rebelled against Mexico and won. Soon after we added them as a part of the U.S. in 1845.

The Oregon Treaty in 1846, marked the boundary at the forty-ninth Parallel of North Latitude to the the channel that separates the continent from Vancouver's Islands. It gave us the upper left corner of the current United States.

The Mexican Cession was in 1848. We got the Mexican cession after the Mexican American war. We captured Mexico City and forced the Mexicans to sign a document giving the territory to the United States. We payed them $10 million dollars to look like the good guys.

The Gadsden Purchase was in 1853. It gave the United States 29,670 square miles of land. We acquired part of Arizona and New Mexico. We purchased the land from Mexico for $15,000,000 dollars.

Quiz
Your Name: Mason Mohn Initial here indicating you understand the above instructions → MM (If not, ask me!)

Questions for the Steamboat

1. Who is credited with inventing the Steamboat? Answer → Robert Fulton

2. Which river immortalized or made famous steamboat navigation? Answer →Mississippi

3. What are two purposes for the DESIGN of the shallow bottomed steamboat as well as the wheel? Answer → For speed and stability.

Questions about early 1800s Inventions

5. What are THREE major inventions of the time period?

1. Gas Mask 2. Washing Machine 3. Ring Doughnut

6. What very popular, major form of transportation was widely introduced in the US in the early 1800s? Answer → Steam Boat

7. What are two weapons credited with being invented between 1800-1850? Answer → Colt Revolver, Flintlock Rifle

Questions about Westward Expansion

8. Which country sold us Louisiana? Answer → France

9. Which country did we have a dispute with over the Oregon Territory? Answer → Great Britain

10. What is “Manifest Destiny”? Answer → The theory that we were meant to expand to the West.

11. What were the names of the two most widely used overland trail routes out West? 1. Santa Fe Trail 2. Oregon Trail

12. Which territory (and future state) attracted tons of settlers in the famous year of 1849? Why? Answer → California, because the Republic of California had rebelled against Mexico and became its own republic.

13. What are at least 4 territories (and future states) acquired via the “Mexican Cession”? 1. Nevada 2. California 3. Wyoming 4. Oregon

Questions from the Mexican-American War

14. What independence movement was the precursor (happened before) the Mexican-American War? Answer → Texas Rebellion

15. What river did the Americans claim was the border between the US and Mexico? Answer → Rio Grande

17. Who was the American president during the Mexican-American War? Answer →James K. Polk

18. Who was the Mexican dictator? Answer → Santa Anna

19. What treaty ended the war? Answer → Guadalupe Hidalgo

20. What city was captured forcing Mexico to surrender? What general was widely famous for this victory? Answer → Mexico City, Winfield Scott


 * Current Events Discussion**

Every other Friday we have a current events discussion. We all find stories in the news that we think are interesting and then send them to Mr. Wilson who displays them on the projector. Then we talk about what happened in the article. Every story is placed on a digital map, so we can keep track of all the stories we've talked about.

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