Westward Expansion

Worcester Vs. Georgia 1832

Worcester was living on the land of the Cherokee Nation in Georgia. The law at the time said white individuals were required to have a license from Georgia to live on that land. Worcester did not have a liscense, and was charged, but Georgia said it would pardon all charges if Worcester moved out of the Cherokee land imediately.

Worcester refused and appealed to the supreme court. He argued that Georgia had no right to authority over individuals in the Cherokee Nation because

-the Cherokee Nation was its own territory

-the enforcement of Georgia's law would deprive the Cherokee Nation of its freedom

Ruling- 5-1 decision for Worcester

Jackson vs. Native Americans 1814-1830

From 1814-1824, Jackson negotiated multiple treaties with different Indian tribes that gave the US control of some land in Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina, in exchange for western lands. The Indians agreed to these treaties in hopes of protecting their other land, and in hopes of not getting harassed later on. The Creeks, Cherokee, and Chicasaw migrated west, but this movement was voluntary, so very few Indians actually moved.

In 1830, Jackson put out the Indian Removal Act. It gave the government power to exchange Indian land east of the Mississippi for land in the west, near Oklahoma. This land became known as the Indian Territory.

The Trail of Tears 1831-1850

The Trail of Tears was a trip the Cherokee were forced to make. It was 800 miles long, and during the march, the Cherokee suffered from hunger, disease, and bad weather. About a quarter of the Cherokee that made the trip died on the way. They were forced from Georgia to the Indian territory. (Oklahoma)

 America's Role in the Beginning:

•American settlers in Texas (Texians) did not get along with the native Mexicans (Tejanos)

•Causes for revolution:

 -American settlers would not speak Spanish

 -Mexican government opposed slavery

 -different religions

 -conflicting political views

 -Texians believed Texas belonged to the United States

 Significance of the Alamo:

•Battle lasted February 23 through March 6, 1836

•The battle was really important because there was only 180 Americans fighting against                   6,000 Mexicans

•The Americans lost badly

•Mexican forces lost almost 600 men

• American Leaders: William Travis, Jim Bowie, David Crocket

•Mexican Leaders: General Santa Anna

How Texas Gained Independence:

•American Texans remembered how they were defeated in the Battle of the Alamo

•This caused them to fight harder

•The Texians won the Battle of Jacinto, the last battle of the Texas Revolution, and won independence for Texas

•Battle of Jacinto on April 21, 1836

Who was involved in this war?

Mexico and America were involved.

What were the primary causes of the war?

The primary causes of this war was manifest destiny, westward expansion, economics, amd slavery. Manifest destiny was a widely held belief in the United States that its settlers were destined to expand across North America.

What were the outcomes of this war?

American citizens in the west gained more slave states which gave them more political power.