Manifest Destiny Mania

What was the New Mexico territory originally comprised of?

• The states of New Mexico and Arizona only

• The states of New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming

• The states of Texas and California

• Only the state of New Mexico

When did the Spanish found the settlement of Santa Fe?

• In the late 1500s

• In 1610

• In 1821

• In 1800s

Who was the first American trader to reach Santa Fe, which marked the beginning of the Santa Fe Trail?

• Spanish conquistadors

• William Becknell

• Spanish missionaries

• Mexican government officials

What was the primary reason the new Mexican government welcomed American traders?

• To establish a military alliance

• To convert Americans to Spanish culture

• To boost the economy

• To create a barrier against European powers

What did some Americans begin to believe as trade with New Mexico increased and Americans settled in the area?

• That New Mexico should be an independent country

• That acquiring New Mexico was part of American Manifest Destiny

• That New Mexico should be returned to Spain

• That New Mexico should be a Spanish colony

Who were the Spanish explorers mentioned in the text that settled California in the 1700s?

• Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro

• Christopher Columbus and Vasco Núñez de Balboa

• Gaspar de Portolá and Father Junípero Serra

• Francisco Vásquez de Coronado and Juan Ponce de León

What was the main aim of the missions established by the Spanish in California?

• To find gold and other precious metals

• To convert Native Americans to Christianity and teach them the Spanish way of life

• To establish trade routes with Asia

• To create a military stronghold against other European powers

What term is used to describe the large farms and cattle-ranching establishments that were part of the Spanish missions as described by Jedediah Smith?

• Haciendas

• Plantations

• Ranchos

• Estates

Which nation did California become a part of after Mexico won independence from Spain in 1821?

• The United States

• Spain

• Mexico

• France

What was President James K. Polk's intention regarding the California and New Mexico territories?

• To purchase them peacefully from Mexico

• To annex them without any conflict

• To gain them through war if Mexico refused to sell

• To establish a joint governance with Mexico