Unit 3: The New Republic and Antebellum America (1789-1850) Looking Westward: Fulfilling Manifest Destiny

I can discuss the reasons that motivated Americans to move west in the mid 1800s and analyze the causes and effects of the Mexican War and California gold rush on the United States.

Americans Seek New Lands By 1830, the U.S. had acquired Louisiana (1803) from France and Florida (1819) from Spain and had removed the Native Americans of the Southeast. We also jointly occupied the Oregon Territory with Great Britain. Expansionists – Americans who wanted to add more territory, were looking toward Mexico and Oregon for new possibilities.

Manifest Destiny The idea or belief that the U.S. had a God-given right to control North America from ocean to ocean. It would be fulfilled at the expense of Native Americans and Mexican citizens.

American Progress by John Gast (1872) How does this painting convey the idea of “Manifest Destiny”? What cultural differences are apparent between the figures? According to the painter, is “American Progress” a positive or negative? Why?

Westward Bound! Mountain men went into the Rocky Mts. in search of animal pelts. Oregon Trail – Marcus and Narcissa Whitman established a mission in the Walla Walla Valley; this paved the way for families heading to the Williamette Valley of Oregon and Washington. Between 1840-1860 about 260,000 Americans crossed the Great Plains and Rockies. They faced many hardships (Indians, disease, starvation) along the way and some got lost.

Gone to Texas! 1820s – Americans began to settle in Texas because land grants were cheap. They had to agree to become Mexican citizens. By 1835 there were about 30,000 Anglo-Texans living in Texas. They outnumbered Mexicans 6-1. Why will this relationship go bad???

The Texas Revolt of 1836 1835 – Texans rebelled against General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s authority and seized garrisons at Goliad and San Antonio. “Remember the Alamo!” – March 1836, after 12 days of siege, Mexican troops seized the mission and all survivors were executed. 200 Texans were killed in all. Battle of San Jacinto (1836) – Sam Houston and America forces routed Santa Anna’s army. Santa Anna signed a treaty recognizing Texas independence, but Mex. Gov’t refused to accept it. An undeclared border war raged for 10 yrs. Between Mexico and Texas. President Jackson wanted annexation, but he was blocked by Northern congressman. Why?

President James K. Polk fulfills Manifest Destiny (1845-1849) 1844 – James K. Polk (D-TN) elected President. He vowed to fulfill Manifest Destiny by taking Oregon from Britain. In a compromise, he agrees to divide the territory at the 49th parallel of latitude. The U.S. received the future states of Washington and Oregon.

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) Before Polk took office, Congress narrowly voted to annex TX and it entered U.S. as a slave state. Mexico refused to accept it. General Zachary Taylor was sent into the borderland between the rivers. Dec. 1846, U.S. troops clashed with Mexican forces and 11 Americans were killed. Polk said, Mexico “invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.” Congress declared war.

Winning the War By September 1847, the U.S. had seized New Mexico and California and General Winfield Scott had captured Mexico City. Mexican forces fought bravely, but were no match for U.S. weaponry and strength. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848) gave the U.S. the American S.W. from the Rio Grande to CA – 1.2 million sq. miles of new territory – for $20 million. 1853 – Gadsden Purchase - $10 M to Mexico for Southern Arizona as some in Congress wanted to build a Southern R.R. from New Orleans to California.

The California Gold Rush of 1849 1848 – Gold found near Sacramento; over 80,000 Americans go to California in 1849 – “Gold Rush” Placer mining (panning in the water) soon gave way to large-scale industrial mining by companies – very few miners got wealthy Miners came from Europe, Mexico, and even China; white miners dominated them with a “foreign miners” tax.