Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy

President Tyler  -Harrison died after 4 weeks in office so Tyler became president  -Tyler was a Virginia Gentlemen, former Senator, in the minority branch of the Whig party the States Rights conservative branch  -Whigs had a strong nationalistic platform-unpublished- tariffs, internal improvements, national bank, etc.  -The Whigs ended the independent treasury set up by Jackson  -Tyler vetoed the bank and tariff bills  -He was formally expelled by his party and his cabinet resigned  -The Whigs finally passed and Tyler signed the Tariff of 1842, 32%

War of Words with Britain  -Already fought 2 wars and the pro British Federalists were long gone  -Aristocratic travelers wrote about how backward the US was  -Authors vs. Authors  -Creditor vs. Debtor  -Canadian revolt of 1837  slaves stole the ship Creole and made it to the Bahamas

Maine -Disputed territory—Aroostook River Valley -They split the difference and the British gave up land in Minnesota

Texas  -Mexico still saw Texas as a province in revolt  -Britain wanted them left independent to be used against the United States  -Americans were afraid of the British abolitionists, their imports aren’t taxed under the tariff, it would give the British an area to produce cotton outside the US  -Texas became the main issue for the 1844 election  by a joint resolution Texas becomes a state

Oregon Fever  -Originally claimed by Spain, Russia, Britain, and the US  -By 1825 only the US and Britain still had claims  -Hudson Bay Company, Lewis and Clark, Captain Robert Grey, Etc.  -Oregon Fever populates the countryside  -Both sides wanted a different boundary, Britain wanted the Columbia River, US wanted 49 degree parallel—fighting over Washington

Election of Whigs put up Henry Clay vs. the Democrats James K. Polk -Whigs put up Henry Clay vs. the Democrats James K. Polk -Texas and Oregon were the big issues, the Democrats wanted all of both -Texas and Oregon were the big issues, the Democrats wanted all of both -Clay fence straddled— wanted Texas just not now -Clay fence straddled— wanted Texas just not now -Polk won by 38,000 votes and electoral -Polk won by 38,000 votes and electoral

Manifest Destiny -The belief that God manifestly destined the Americans to control North America and possibly the hemisphere -The belief that God manifestly destined the Americans to control North America and possibly the hemisphere

Polk’s goals  -Lowered the tariffs from 32-35%  -Independent treasury  -Acquire California and settle the Oregon dispute  Annex Texas  Serve one term

Mexico -California by 1845 had a population of 13,000 Mexicans, 1,000 Americans, and 75,000 Indians -Mexico wasn’t happy about the US annexing Texas or the dispute about its border, was it the Nueces River or the Rio Grande -Polk sent Slidell to offer Mexico 25 million dollars for California and the land east of it -Mexico turned him down cold

-Polk then ordered General Zachary Taylor into Mexico with his troops, they crossed the Nueces River -On April 25, 1846 a band of the Mexican army attacked Taylor’s troops -Polk asked for a declaration of war -Lincoln’s Spot Resolution -Santa Anna created a conspiracy with the United States that if the US helped get him back into power he would sell California, the US helped but Santa Anna backed out and fought the US

-Kearney took Santa Fe -John C. Fremont helped the navy take control of California -General Zachary Taylor (Old Rough and Ready) took Buena Vista -Winfield Scott (Old Fuss and Feathers) took Vera Cruz and then Mexico City -Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo -Gave California, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada to the US for $18 million -13,000 Americans died, the US territory was increased by 1/3 -It was the training ground for the Civil War -Wilmot Proviso (Amendment) no slavery in the newly acquired territory from Mexico -It passed the House twice but not the Senate