1. The Impending Crisis
Chapter 4 Power Point

2. Looking Westward Manifest Destiny*
The idea that it was America’s God-given right to expand west.
1840s was the greatest wave of US expansion since the Louisiana Purchase
Driven by nationalist pride
Nationalism- belief that the interests of a nation are more important than interests of a particular region or of other countries
Westward expansion would force the U.S. to decide which states would allow slavery and which would be free.

3. Manifest Destiny (Am. West)

4. Expansion and War The Democrats and Expansion
Election of 1844 was expected to be between Clay and Van Buren.
James K. Polk “darkhorse” Democrat from Tennessee won the election
He was adamantly pro-expansionist and a great song was written about him

5. The Southwest and California
Mexicans end diplomatic relations with US in 1845 after Texas annexation
Texas Border dispute
Texas believed the border was the Rio Grande
Mexico believed it was the Nueces River
Polk sends a small army under General Zachary Taylor to the Nueces line to “protect” Texas
California
only 7,000 Mexicans... most are Spanish descendents
by 1845, 700 Americans in California, mostly centered near Sacramento River
“Annexationists”
cited racial differences between white Americans and Mexican rivals
claimed Mexicans had the same right to land that Indians had: none
Polk commits himself to “annexationist ideal” and commits to acquiring both New Mexico and California and issues silent orders

6. The Mexican War
Polk tries again to buy off the Mexicans and Mexico refuses
Polk responds by ordering General Taylor to cross the Nueces
for months Mexicans refuse to fight
finally, Mexican troops cross the Rio Grande and attacked a unit of American soldiers
“War exists by the act of Mexico herself.” in request for Declaration of War
Mexico City captured by Gen. Zachary Taylor* Sept. 1847
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and Nicholas Trist

7. The Sectional Debate Slavery and the Territories
Missouri Compromise – (1820) agreement by Congress to allow Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state and outlawed slavery in any states north of 36’30 latitude
Southern militants: believed new territories belonged to anyone
While still President, Polk supported extension of Missouri Compromise line west
squatter sovereignty = popular sovereignty, each territory decides the status of slavery within it

8. “Slavery, Railroads, and the West
Jefferson Davis is President Pierce’s Secretary of War, wants railroad industry’s center to be in the South but there is several natural obstacles… sends James Gadsden to buy what is today southern New Mexico and Arizona.
Northerners wanted the railway center to be in Chicago
Gadsden Purchase ($10 million) intensified sectional debate
Dred Scott Case (1957) – thought by many to be the worst Supreme Court Decision in U.S. History
Ruling stated that slaves were property, had no rights, and a slave living on free soil was still the property of the slaveholder.

11. “Bleeding Kansas”
Kansas Nebraska Act – (1854) law that allowed voters in Kansas and Nebraska to choose whether to allow slavery
This was known as “popular sovereignty”
This lead to mass chaos and 2 separate governments formed in Kansas
John Brown
considered himself an instrument of God’s will to get rid of slavery
he and his followers mutilated five pro-slavery supporters to discourage pro-slavery groups from entering the country (Pottawatomie Massacre)
Symbols of sectional hostility
“Bleeding Sumner”

12. South Carolina representative Preston Brooks attacked Massachusetts
Senator Charles Sumner over an anti-slaver speech he made.
It took Sumner 3 years to recover and Brooks supporters sent him new
canes to replace the one he broke on Sumner’s head.