MANIFEST DESTINY WESTWARD EXPANSION WESTWARD EXPANSION

President Polk's claim that “American blood had been shed on American soil” referred to news of an armed clash between Mexican and American troops near 1. San Francisco 2. The Nueces River 3. Santa Fe 4. The Rio Grande 5. San Antonio Response Grid Countdown 10

Some people in Britain hoped for a British alliance with Texas because  the alliance would help to support the Monroe Doctrine.  this area would provide an excellent base from which to attack the United States.  Mexican efforts to attack the United States would be stopped.  the alliance would give abolitionists the opportunity to free slaves in TX. Response Grid Countdown 10

Arrange in chronological order the United States' acquisition of Oregon (OR), Texas (TX), and California (CA). 1. OR, TX, CA 2. CA, TX, OR 3. TX, OR, CA 4. TX, CA, OR 5. OR, CA, TX Response Grid Countdown 10

The Wilmot Proviso, introduced into Congress during the Mexican War, declared that 1. slavery would be banned from all territories Mexico ceded to the U.S. 2. the United States should annex all of Mexico. 3. slavery in the territories would be determined by popular sovereignty. 4. Mexican territory would not be annexed to the U.S. Response Grid Countdown 10

The Aroostook War was the result of  a short-lived insurrection in British Canada.  the offer of asylum to the crew of the Creole.  a fishing dispute between Britain and the U. S.  a dispute over the northern boundary of Maine. Response Grid Countdown 10

In the presidential election of 1844, the Whig candidate, Henry Clay, 1. opposed the annexation of Texas. 2. ignored the issue of the annexation of Texas. 3. called for the immediate annexation of Texas 4. favored both the annexation of Texas and the postponement of that annexation. Response Grid Countdown 10

Those people most opposed to President Polk's expansionist program were the 1. western Democrats. 2. antislavery forces. 3. Senate Democrats. 4. supporters of Nicholas P. Trist. 5. proslavery Whigs. Response Grid Countdown 10

Texans won their independence as a result of the victory over Mexican armies at the Battle of 1. Santa Anna 2. Goliad 3. the Alamo 4. the Rio Grande 5. San Jacinto Response Grid Countdown 10

Most Americans who migrated to the Oregon Country were attracted by the 1. expectation of fighting British troops. 2. rich and fertile soil of the area. 3. Potential profits in the fur trade 4. Discovery of gold in the Cascade Mountains Response Grid Countdown 10

 “Our claims are based on the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment in liberty….” John L. O’Sullivan  Manifest Destiny = The belief that the U.S. had a God-given right to extend its boundaries westward to the Pacific Ocean and spread democracy to the less fortunate.

How does this painting explain the attitude of Americans in the mid-1800s? Spirit of the Frontier/American Progress, 1872 by John Gast

“Go West, Young Man!” Horace Greeley, New York Tribune – 1845  Why did early settlers flood across the country during the mid-1800s? The California Gold Rush began in 1848 with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill on the California River. Settlers flocked to the Oregon Country in search of fertile land for farming. Ranchers moved into areas that buffalo previously inhabited and began raising cattle descended from Spanish herds.

RISKS OF MANIFEST DESTINY:  In the Great Plains? – INDIANS but …  U.S. more technologically advanced advanced  inter-tribal conflicts  In Texas? – MEXICO but …  politically unstable  lack of settlement  On the Pacific coast? – BRITISH but …  lack of desire to really fight

Webster- Ashburton Treaty  Aroostook “War” –12,000 miles in dispute (since Treaty of Paris, 1783)  Resolved by Lord Ashburton & Sec. of State Webster, 1842 in Webster-Ashburton Treaty: –U.S. retains 7,000 miles of disputed territory –BR get route from Halifax to Quebec  U.S. gets bonus … –BR surrendered area further west (MN) that contained Mesabi iron ore deposits

TEXAS - INDEPENDENCE FROM MEXICO STEPHEN AUSTIN got a grant from Mexico to bring 300 American settlers to Texas in 1823 …. with conditions: – they had to become Roman Catholic – they had to obey Mexican laws.. why a problem? – NO SLAVERY!

  GENERAL SANTA ANNA   MX Dictator by 1833; plans crackdown  Americans failed to become Catholic & broke Mexican law by bringing in slaves  By 1830, Americans outnumbered Mexicans in Texas by 10 to 1  MX cuts off any further immigration  GTT! Typical Texan?

The government of Mexico & the Americans who settled in Mexican-controlled Texas clashed over all of the following issues except 1. allegiance to Spain 2. slavery 3. immigration 4. local rights 5. Santa Anna raising an army to use against Texas Response Grid Countdown 10

Texans Seek Independence! Austin tries to negotiate; thrown in jail for 8 mos. for treason (letter urging TX to organize its own gov’t) 1835 – Santa Anna removes all local rights & begins raising army to suppress Texans Battle of Gonzales – 1835 Mexicans come to retrieve cannon given to Texas settlers to protect themselves from Indians Texans refuse & adopt “Come & Take It!” motto & are actually the attackers Texas declares independence, 1836 Elect Sam Houston as President

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

188 Americans at the ALAMO, a mission in San Antonio – trying to hold off Santa Anna & buy time for Houston to build forces Feb. 1836, Santa Anna’s 2,000 troops attacked – no reinforcements available Takes Santa Anna 2 weeks to win - loses 1,500 men   13 day siege – – Near end, Santa Anna has Alamo surrounded – – Travis draws “line in the sand…”   Mexicans kill all 187 Texans, including William Travis, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie

  Women and children were spared but were ordered to warn other Texans that the Mexican army could not be beaten. Siege of the Alamo

  Then, 400 Texans butchered at Goliad by firing squad after having thrown down their weapons   SAM HOUSTON follows up with victory at San Jacinto – – Surprise attack while Mexicans taking a “siesta” – – Battle lasted only 20 minutes but killing goes on for hours – – Captured Santa Anna & forced him to sign a treaty at sword point recognizing the independence of Texas   Texas thus became the “LONE STAR REPUBLIC” in l836 & sought admission to the U.S.   U.S. kept putting it off – for 9 years! Why?   TX begins establishing ties with the BR – why?   What reasons fueled BR interest in TX?

JOHN TYLER – “THE PRESIDENT WITHOUT A PARTY”  Log Campaign of 1840 – Tippecanoe & Tyler Too!”  Harrison died one month into office & Tyler succeeds to presidency  Tyler is NOT a Clay/Webster puppet as Harrison was expected to be  Vetoes Clay’s bank bill; Cabinet resigns  High protective tariff  Webster-Ashburton Treaty with BR  Calls for annexation of TX but Senate rejects treaty  Finally, 1844, annexes it by joint resolution – officially admitted in 1845

The Legacy The San Jacinto monument stands even higher than the Washington monument. Texas was prohibited from making the obelisk higher than the monument in D.C., so they added a star that made it bigger.

OREGON FEVER!   Jointly occupied –BR & US – – Also claimed over time by Russia – retreated in 1824/5 - And Spain - lost it in Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819   Extended from Pacific to Rockies and from AK to CA   Two primary reasons for OR fever:  BEAVER TRADE – “Mountain Men” – opened passageways west but also weakened and corrupted Indians – how?  FERTILE SOIL

Overland Trails West CICERO © 2010

Conestoga Wagon “Prairie Schooner”

  Reports from Christian missionaries sent back east praising the fertile soil!  OREGON TRAIL   Expensive, $600/family of 4   2000 miles   Left from MO   May to November   Traveled only 2 mi. in an hour   5,000 Americans in OR by 1846   “Overlanders”   The Donner Party

 By Oregon divided between Great Britain and U.S. at the 49th parallel  Why was President Polk willing to negotiate this boundary with Britain?

A Timeline of American Expansion  Revolutionary War (1776) Proclamation of 1763  Louisiana Purchase (1803) from France — $15 million  War of 1812 – designs on Canada and Florida  Monroe Doctrine (1823) Hands off the Western Hemisphere  Indian Removal Act (1830) Trail of Tears, 1838  Texas Revolution (1836) Annexation of Texas, 1847  Mexican War (1846) Polk used a border dispute to justify expansion  Mexican Cession (1848) California, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona,  Gadsden Purchase (1853) from Mexico — $10 million  Purchase of Alaska (1867) from Russia — $7.2 million  Hawaii Annexation, 1898

Dems --> James K. Polk “54º 40’, or Fight!” Good Jacksonian “Young Hickory” Opposed the B.U.S. Opposes high tariffs Favors westward expansion “Napoleon of the Stump”

Whigs --> Henry Clay “Who is James K. Polk?” Liberty Party --> James Birney Kept Clay from winning NY

“Texas Coming In”

Texas (the beast): I fear I cannot carry you into the Presidential Chair. Polk: Dear Texas, I knew you cannot—I wish I had rode some other horse but it is too late to repent.

1844 Election Results

“JAME S K. POLK” by They Might Be Giants In 1844, the Democrats were split The three nominees for the presidential candidate Were Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionist James Buchanan, a moderate Lewis Cass, a general and expansionist From Nashville came a dark horse riding up He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump!

Austere, severe, he held few people dear His oratory filled his foes with fear The factions soon agreed He's just the man we need To bring about victory Fulfill our Manifest Destiny And annex the land the Mexicans command And when the votes were cast the winner was Mister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump!

In four short years he met his every goal He seized the whole southwest from Mexico Made sure the tariffs fell And made the English sell the Oregon Territory He built an independent treasury Having done all this he sought no second term But precious few have mourned the passing of Mr. James K. Polk, our eleventh president, “Young Hickory,” Napoleon of the Stump!

1.Lower the tariff. 2.Resolve the Oregon boundary dispute. 3.Restore the independent treasury. 4.Acquire California & Texas. Goals of Polk’s Administration “The 4 Pillars of Polk” Our Greatest One-Term President?