Chapter 7 Manifest Destiny By Neil Hammond

Spanish Territory 1820

American expansionists believed in the idea of Manifest Destiny. John L. O’Sullivan, a journalist, coined the phrase in 1845. Manifest Destiny was the belief that God favored U.S. expansion westward to the Pacific. Expansionists saw Mexican independence as an opportunity to take New Mexico, Texas, Oregon and California.

Expansionists could be found in the North and the South Expansionists could be found in the North and the South. The main effect of this expansion was a renewed sectional struggle over slavery. Expansionists did not care about Mexicans or Native Americans, whom they saw as inferiors to be pushed out of the way.

How did the revolution in Texas lead to war with Mexico? American expansionists sought new territory in the South and West, making conflict with Mexico seem inevitable. The flashpoint for conflict became Texas. The resulting war vastly increased the size of the United States.

American expansionists had their eyes on Texas American expansionists had their eyes on Texas. Only 4,000 Hispanic Tejanos lived there in 1821. Mexico sought to defend and to develop Texas by inviting settlers. They offered inexpensive land on three conditions. Settlers had to: accept Mexican citizenship. worship in the Catholic Church. follow the Mexican Constitution, which did not permit slavery.

American settlers arrived, but tensions grew as Americans ignored the Mexican government. Led by Stephen F. Austin, 30,000 Anglo-Texans outnumbered the Tejanos six-to-one by 1835. Many brought slaves and ignored the Church. In 1834, Antonio López de Santa Anna seized power in Mexico City, seeking greater centralized control. But Texans wanted more autonomy.

In 1835, Texans declared independence for the Lone Star Republic. Santa Anna personally led a siege of Texan forces at the Alamo in San Antonio. After twelve days, he stormed the mission and executed any surviving defenders, including Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett.

Several weeks later, Santa Anna took Goliad and again executed prisoners, in an attempt to frighten Texas into surrender. Instead, Santa Anna created a set of martyrs. “Remember the Alamo,” became the Texans’ rallying cry. Many Southerners were inspired to volunteer and joined the Texans.

Sam Houston led a counter-attack Sam Houston led a counter-attack. At the Battle of San Jacinto, Santa Anna was defeated and taken prisoner.

Fearing execution, Santa Anna signed a treaty expanding the Texas border to the Rio Grande and giving half of New Mexico to the Texans. The Mexican government refused to honor this treaty demanding a return to the original border at the Nueces River. Fighting would persist for ten years over the disputed borderlands.

The Mexican government refused to honor this treaty demanding a return to the original border at the Nueces River. Fighting would persist for ten years over the disputed borderlands.

Fearing a Mexican invasion, Texans signed treaties with Great Britain, France and the Netherlands. The US felt this threatened the Monroe Doctrine, and in 1845 Congress voted to annex Texas

In 1844, expansionist James K In 1844, expansionist James K. Polk was elected president on a promise to obtain both Oregon and Texas. In Congress, northern Democrats reluctantly agreed to annex Texas if all of Oregon was also added. Some Americans aggressively cried 54’40 or Fight! (claiming all of Oregon). Britain did not concede all of the territory. Rather then fight, Polk made a deal to split Oregon and extend the 49th parallel border with Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Northerners felt betrayed. Polk agreed because he thought war with Mexico was coming

The United States annexed Texas in 1845, leading to war with Mexico. President Polk claimed all land as far as the Rio Grande, tripling the previous size of Texas. General Zachary Taylor was sent to occupy these border lands. Mexico objected to the granting of statehood to Texas and saw statehood as an invasion of Mexican territory. The United States annexed Texas in 1845, leading to war with Mexico.

The Slidell Mission Hoping to get the land without going to war, Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico with an offer to buy California from Mexico, but Mexico refused

When Mexican patrols killed American soldiers, Congress declared war on Mexico. Southern Democrats favored war, while Northern Whigs felt that Polk deliberately provoked Mexico. The war was popular in the United States. Many Whigs dropped their opposition, fearing they would be labeled disloyal as the Federalists were for opposing the War of 1812.

The United States easily defeated Mexico. The U.S. had many advantages, including greater wealth and a better-equipped military. General Winfield Scott led an overwhelming campaign in Mexico from Veracruz to Chapultepec, forcing Santa Anna to abandon his capital Mexico City and the war.

Map of the Mexican– American War

Mexico had to sell a third of its territory to the United States (1 Mexico had to sell a third of its territory to the United States (1.2 million square miles). For $15 million, the U.S. obtained California and New Mexico. The Texas border was set at the Rio Grande River. Mexico was humiliated and remained bitter toward the United States for decades. As a result of the loss, Mexico was forced to sign the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

In 1853, the United States made the Gadsden Purchase. Territory in southern Arizona and New Mexico was purchased from Mexico as a potential route for a transcontinental railroad. The lands obtained from Mexico increased the area of the United States by a third. The land formed New Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and half of Colorado. In 1853, the United States made the Gadsden Purchase.

Purchase of the Mexican Cession caused a debate over the expansion of slavery. In 1846, the Wilmot Proviso suggested a ban on slavery in the territories obtained from Mexico. The Proviso passed in the House, but failed in the Senate. Both Whigs and Democrats voted along sectional lines. The Proviso brought the issue of slavery before Congress, which for decades tried avoid the topic.

In 1848, gold was found at Sutter’s Mill on the American River near Sacramento, California. The resulting California Gold Rush brought a mass-migration of 80,000 fortune hunters west. They were called forty-niners. Half traveled overland; the rest either sailed around South America or to Panama, where they crossed the isthmus and caught ships up the coast.

The discovery of gold led to a flood of people going to California The discovery of gold led to a flood of people going to California. Very quickly, California had enough people to become a state. When California asked to become a state in 1850, it caused a crisis (like the one in 1820 when Missouri wanted to become a state).