Manifest Destiny & the American West

Manifest Destiny

An Incentive to Move Settlers could work a plot for 5 yrs & then get the land for free Could also pay $1.25 an acre and own it after six months Sad truth was that very few farmers could afford either method

New Territories Mexico controlled all of present-day Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, as well as parts of Colorado and Wyoming British had Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and parts of the Dakotas

Texas Government FIVE PROBLEMS Protestantism vs. Catholicism American desire for slavery Texas was attached to Coahuila Heavy tax on U.S. imports Mexico outlawed new immigration * All of these events combined to produce tension before we get to the Alamo

Remember the Alamo Originally named Misión San Antonio de Valero, soldiers referred to the old mission as the Alamo (the Spanish word for "cottonwood") On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna caught the Texians by surprise Held out for 13 days until March 6, 1836 20 women and children were spared, as was Joe, Travis’ slave

Texas Revolution Texan constitutional convention formally adopted a Declaration of Independence on March 2, 1836 On April 21, Houston attacked Santa Anna’s troops & captured the General the following day

Presidential Election of 1844 Mexico had never recognized Texan independence If the 1820 Missouri Compromise held, western territories would be slave states James K. Polk defeated Henry Clay by linking Texas, the tariff, Oregon, and California

Polk’s Wishlist 2) OREGON – Negotiated an 1846 treaty for ½ of Oregon, avoiding war with Britain 4) CALIFORNIA – Mexico refuses to sell us the territory…UH-OH! 3) THE TARIFF – Wanting to maximize revenue, Polk lowered the tariff which made the South happy 1) TEXAS – Annexation passed thru Congress because Mexico “surrendered” for $18 million

Mexican War of 1846-1848 The crux of why Mexico would object to our troops is a dispute over where the border was…the U.S. claimed it was the Rio Grande, while the Mexicans claimed it was 150 miles north at the Nueces River

Winning the Mexican War Mexico simply did not have the resources to fight a war with the U.S. Problem was they might surrender their whole country War with Mexico cost 13,000 American lives, 50,000 Mexican lives, and $97 million