Important People in the Manifest Destiny Era |
|
 |
Lewis and Clark's expedition provided valuable maps, scientific information, and knowledge about the geography and Native American tribes of the western territories. Their journey encouraged further exploration and settlement, laying the groundwork for westward expansion across the continent. |
 |
Shawnee chief who organized Native resistance to U.S. expansion and tried to form a Native confederacy; symbol of Native opposition to Manifest Destiny. |
 |
As president and general, he led the push to remove Native Americans from the Southeast through the Indian Removal Act, facilitating southern expansion. |
 |
Sam Houston was a key figure in the Texas Revolution, and led Texan forces to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto. He Later became the first president of the Republic of Texas and supported its annexation into the U.S. |
 |
Polk was the 11th U.S. President (1845–1849) and a strong supporter of Manifest Destiny. He oversaw the annexation of Texas, the Oregon Territory settlement, and the Mexican-American War. |
 |
Brigham Young was the leader of the Mormon migration westward. He founded Salt Lake City and helped settle the Utah Territory. |
 |
Kit Carson was a frontiersman, scout, and soldier who guided expeditions and fought in conflicts during westward expansion, including the Navajo Wars.
|
 |
Henry Clay played a key role in shaping American expansion through his advocacy for economic development and national unity, though he opposed some aspects of Manifest Destiny. He supported infrastructure and trade growth but was cautious about territorial expansion, fearing it would lead to conflict and disunity, especially over slavery. |
 |
John C. Frémont played a key role in Manifest Destiny by leading multiple expeditions that mapped and explored the American West, providing vital information for settlers and expansion. His reports and maps encouraged migration to California and Oregon, and he later helped secure California for the United States during the Mexican-American War. |
 |
The Donner Party and the Forlorn Hope The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who set out in 1846 to migrate west to California but became trapped by snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Their journey was delayed by a difficult and untested shortcut, leading to severe hardship and loss of life during the harsh winter.
|