The Impending Crisis Lead up to Civil War 1830-1860

American Progress, John Gast (1872)

Looking Westward Manifest Destiny: America destined –by God and history- to expand its boundaries over the entire continent and perhaps beyond. Fuelled by “Penny Press.” Henry Clay said territorial expansion would reopen slavery controversy.

Looking Westward Texas 1830: 7,000 Americans living in Texas (Mexico). Stephan F. Austin - land grants. Mid-1830s General Antonio López Santa Anna became dictator of Mexico (banned slavery). 1836 Texas declares independence.

Looking Westward Santa Anna led large Army into Texas Annihilated the Alamo mission in San Antonio. Battle of San Jacinto Sam Houston defeated Mexican army and took Santa Anna prisoner. Texas independence. Sam Houston president. Threw out any Mexican residents of Texas. Sent delegation to Washington DC to ask to join Union.

Alamo in the 1860s

Looking Westward Jackson said no to statehood - a new slave state would cause increased sectional tensions. England and France forged ties with the new republic – President Tyler asked Texas to reapply for statehood in 1844 - Northern senators defeated it.

Looking Westward Oregon Major political issue with Texas in 1840s. “Joint occupation” with Britain since 1818. Increased pressure on U.S. gov’t to take possession of Oregon territory. 1846 dispute with Britain resolved by President Polk – boundary with Canada set at 49th parallel.

Looking Westward Westward Migration Between 1840 and 1860 major movement west. Mostly families until 1850s when gold rush encouraged single men. Migrants usually met up with a wagon train leaving Iowa or Missouri. Traveled with hired guides. Oregon Trail – 2,000 miles long. Five to six month journey – disease, few Indian attacks.

Oregon Trail Map, 1843

A Section of the Oregon Trail Today as it Crosses Wyoming

Expansion and War The Southwest and California 1845 President John Taylor annexed Texas. Became state under Polk. Mexico/American relations fell apart - dispute over southern border. California and New Mexico also in dispute as Americans had migrated into those areas. General Zachary Taylor sent to protect Texas southern border – Polk told Americans in California that the U.S. would “respond sympathetically” to a revolt against Mexican authority.

Expansion and War The Mexican War Polk sent diplomats to buy disputed territory from the Mexicans – Mexicans said no. American troops crossed over the Nueces River (Mexican boundary) to the Rio Grande (U.S. boundary). May 13, 1846 Congress declared war with Mexico. Whigs said Polk had deliberately maneuvered the country into war.

Americans Occupy Mexico City, Lithograph, 1851

Expansion and War U.S. captured Santa Fe, New Mexico. Autumn of 1846 the U.S. conquered California. February 2, 1848 US took control of Mexico City. U.S and Mexico signed The Treaty of Hidalgo. Mexico ceded California, New Mexico, and agreed to Texas southern border. U.S. paid Mexico $15 million. Many expansionists called for annexation of Mexico, anti-slavery leaders charged that expansionists were conspiring to expand slavery into new realms.

Protest Henry David Thoreau – “Civil Disobedience” (1849)

The Sectional Debate Slavery and the Territories The Wilmot Proviso. Rep. David Wilmot: amendment to the appropriations bill for Mexico money - slavery must be prohibited in the new territories. Passed the House failed in the Senate. Southern said everyone should have equal rights in new territories including the right to hold slaves.

The Sectional Debate President Polk: extend Missouri Compromise line through the new territories. “Squatter sovereignty” or “popular sovereignty” - allow the people in each territory to decide the status of slavery within their state. Presidential campaign of 1848 Zachary Taylor - Whig Lewis Cass - Democrat Martin van Buren - Free-Soil Party Taylor won - Free-Soilers gained 10 seats in Congress. Signaled two party system was unable to contain passions over slavery (2 party system would collapse in 1850s).

The Sectional Debate Then. . . The California Gold Rush . . . A ’49er - 1850

San Francisco Harbor, 1851

The Sectional Debate Chinese migrants to America – fill labor shortage Native-Americans who were legally allowed to be arrested and assigned to “indentured” labor. San Francisco had a population of 1,000 before 1849 became the home of 50,000. Heterogeneous society with whites, free blacks, South Americans, Europeans, Chinese and slaves.

The Sectional Debate Rising Sectional Tensions President Zachary Taylor urged territories to apply for statehood. States. “Popular sovereignty”. California banned slavery - Congress to admit California as a free state. Balance between free and slave states would be upset (15/15). Moderate Southern leaders began to talk of secession.

The Sectional Debate The Compromise of 1850 Moderates and Unionists spent the winter of 1849-1850 trying to frame a compromise. Bill crafted by Henry Clay (“the Great Compromiser”) provided for: California to enter the Union as a free state; the formation of territorial gov’ts in the rest of the land acquired from Mexico without restrictions on slavery; the abolition of the slave trade, but not slavery itself, in the District of Columbia; and a new, more effective, fugitive slave law.

The Sectional Debate Debate lasted seven months. Main obstacle to compromise - President Zachary Taylor, died in July, 1850. Pres. Millard Fillmore of NY, persuaded the northern Whigs to support it. Sen. Stephan A Douglas (Illinois) said break up the “omnibus bill” and allow senators to vote for the bits they liked and against those they didn’t. Also connected votes to the sale of government bonds and construction of railroads. September, 1850 the bill passed. Millard Fillmore called it “a just settlement of the sectional problem.”

Henry Clay

Questions What was “Manifest Destiny”? Why have I included it as part of the lead up to Civil War? Describe the Oregon dispute with Britain. Explain how the annexation of Texas by the U.S. led to war with Mexico. What happened in California in 1848/49? How did that event lead to increased calls for the slavery question to be satisfied? Explain the Compromise of 1850.