JAMES K. POLK; EXPANSIONIST PRESIDENT OBJ: TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES THAT LED TO RE-OPENING THE SLAVERY QUESTION TYLER: NO PARTY CLAY: WHIGS VAN BUREN: DEMOCRATS POLK: DEMS’ DARK HORSE 54°40’ OR FIGHT / RE-OCCUPY OREGON & RE-ANNEX TEXAS OREGON, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA; OH, MY! LIBERTY PARTY IMPACT – NY VOTES TYLER USED JOINT RESOLUTION TO ANNEX TX (WISCONSIN ‘48)

POLK ADMINISTRATION FOREIGN POLICY ENGLAND: DROP 54°40’ TO AVOID WAR OREGON U.S. TERRITORY 1846 MEXICO: CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COME SLIDELL MISSION: BUY CA& NM & TX BORDER AT RIO GRANDE Z. TAYLOR & TROOPS TO DISPUTED TERRITORY “AMERICAN BLOOD HAS BEEN SHED ON AMERICAN SOIL” WAR DECLARATION CAUSES: ANNEXATION OF TX, BORDER DISPUTE, & CALIFORNIA

TREATY OF GUADELOUPE HIDALGO OUTCOME NEVER IN DOUBT WAR FATIGUE AMONG AMERICANS FREMONT IN MONTEREY, SCOTT TO MEXICO CITY & TAYLOR TO SONORA TREATY NEGOTIATIONS POST VERACRUZ TRIST TO MEXICO CITY, CONFUSION, IGNORED POLK TO GET TREATY FEBRUARY 1848: RIO GRANDE BORDER, CEDE N.M. & CA TO U.S., U.S. PAY DEBT TO MX, POLK FIRED TRIST FOR INSUBORDINATION POLK WANTED MORE TREATY ACCEPTED 38-14; POLK’S DESIRE FOR MORE TERRITORY UNSUPPORTED BY WHIGS RESULTS: SEA TO SHINING SEA, U.S. FORMIDABLE POWER, TURNING POINT IN U.S. – LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS FROM FRIENDLY TO BULLY

EXPANSION AT THE EXPENSE OF DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY POLK & DEMOCRATS IGNORED DOMESTIC CRISIS THAT EXPANSION PROVOKED N. WHIGS: WAR IMMORAL, CONSCIENCE WHIGS N. DEMS: UPSET W/ POLK & ORE., FEARED EXPANSION OF SLAVERY “SLAVERY INSTITUTION OF ARISTO- CRATS…DANGER TO THE MASSES..THREATENS GENERAL & = DISTRIBUTION OF OUR LANDS INTO FARMS” JCC: ‘OURS IS A GOV’T OF THE WHITE MAN’ WHIGS WON ‘46 ELECTION, CONGRESS 1846 WILMOT PROVISO: DURING WAR DEBATE “NO SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES” CALHOUN MEMORANDUM: CONGRESS NO AUTHORITY, PROPERTY CAN GO ANYWHERE SOLUTION (?): EXTEND 36°30’ OR POPULAR (SQUATTER) SOVEREIGNTY – L. CASS

ELECTION 1848 & PROVIDENCE SHINED AGAIN WHIGS: Z. TAYLOR, WAR HERO DEMS: L. CASS, POP. SOV. FREE SOIL: VAN BUREN - COMBO LIBERTY & ‘BARNBURNERS’ V.B. DEMS – WILMOT SLAVERY CHANGED DYNAMICS OF NATIONAL POLITICS: FREE SOILERS DENY CASS VICTORY GOLD IN CALIFORNIA ANGLOS FLOOD CALIFORNIA, WANT IN, WHAT TO DO ABOUT BALANCE IN CONGRESS? CLAY’S LAST CONTRIBUTION OMNIBUS BILL/COMPROMISE 1850 *CA FREE, *ASSUME TX DEBT, *FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW, *NO SLAVE TRADE IN D.C., N.M. POP SOV TAYLOR OPPOSED, DIED, FILLMORE SIGNED