United States History Student Edition
The Santa Fe Trail The 900-mile (1,448-km) Santa Fe Trail was the main “highway” between Missouri and New Mexico.
GEOGRAPHY CONNECTION 1. Exploring Regions Through which present- day states does the Santa Fe Trail pass? 2. Exploring Place Why do you think Independence, Missouri, is the starting point for the trail?
110°W
105°W
40°N
90°W
100°W
N
Kansas
95°W
Colorado
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i
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s
M i
R .
S a l i n e R .
Independence
W
Ft. Lyon
E
Ft. Zarah
Bent’s Fort
Ft. Dodge
Council Grove
Missouri
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Ft. Larned
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a
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A
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Lower Spring
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Willow Bar
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Santa Fe
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R
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M
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Ft. Union
Arkansas
a
Oklahoma
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A
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35°N
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n d e
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New Mexico
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G r a
R
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Texas
R
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R i o
P e c o
0
200 miles
The Santa Fe Trail Present-day state borders
200 kilometers
0
Albers Equal-Area projection
Texas Joins the Union In the United States, the annexation of Texas remained a point of debate. Many Texans wanted to join the United States. American Southerners favored Texas annexation, but Northerners opposed admitting another slave state to the Union. President Martin Van Buren put off the question of annexing Texas. He did not want to inflame the slavery issue or trigger a war with Mexico. John Tyler, a Virginian who became president in 1841, supported Texas annexation.
The Senate remained divided over the slavery issue and failed to ratify the annexation treaty. The situation changed with the 1844 presidential campaign. Manifest Destiny was a popular idea at the time. The South still wanted Texas, but now the North favored gaining all of Oregon. Democratic candidate James K. Polk supported both actions, and former President Jackson supported Polk. After Polk won, Congress passed a resolution to annex Texas. In 1845, Texas joined the Union.
trigger to cause to start, set off
Texans celebrate as Texas becomes the 28th state in December 1845.
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