1. Chapter 17 Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy 1841-1848

2. Tippecanoe and Tyler Too
Harrison not very commanding figure
Webster (SOS) and Clay (Senate Whigs leader) thought they’d run presidency
Harrison death disrupted their plans
John Tyler: Vice President - Democrat at heart and contradicted many of the Whig Party's ideas.
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too

3. John Tyler: Democrat in Whigs Clothing
Whigs introduced many policy changes
Financial reform
Independent treasury system ended
"Fiscal Bank” - establish a new Bank of the United States
Went through Congress, but Tyler vetoed it
"Fiscal Corporation”
Tyler vetoed it
Tyler rejected by former Whig Party
Reluctantly signed the Tariff of 1842 because he recognized the government's need for revenue
John Tyler:  Democrat in Whigs Clothing

4. A War of Words with Britain
19th Century marked by periods of public disdain for Britain
"Third War with England” - fought with editorials in papers
small rebellion in Canada.
Failed because it was backed by few Canadians.
American ship, the Caroline, was carrying military supplies to rebelling Canadians when it was sunk by British ship
Washington officials made ineffective protests against the attack
British officials in Bahamas offered asylum to 130 Virginia slaves who had rebelled and captured the American ship Creole
A War of Words with Britain

5. Manipulating the Maine Maps
  British wanted to build a road linking the seaport of Halifax to Quebec
Proposed road ran through disputed territory in northern Maine
Skirmishes between locals broke out - Aroostook War.
To prevent wider-reaching war – London sent ambassador to deal with issue
Negotiated and agreed to new boundary for Maine that put the disputed road in Canadian territory
Manipulating the Maine Maps

6. 8 years following 1836 - Mexico considered Texas one of their provinces that was in revolt
Refused to recognize Texas's independence
Threatened war if America protected Texas
Texas made treaties with France, Holland, and Belgium.
Britain interested in independent Texas
Fragment and weaken America
Or, trading partner
Texas

7. More Texas Texas leading issue in 1844 presidential race
Democrats - pro-expansion and supported the annexation of Texas
Whigs - opposed
Democrats won - Polk
Lame duck President Tyler acquired Texas before he left the presidency
1845 resolution - invited Texas to become the 28th state in America
More Texas

8. Four nations claimed parts of the Oregon Country at one time: Spain, Russia, Britain, and the United States. 
Spain gave up territory with the Florida Treaty of 1819,
Russia gave land with treaties of and 1825.
Britain controlled Oregon territory north of Columbia River
America controlled southern territory
Became an issue in election
Oregon

9. A Mandate for Manifest Destiny
Election of 1844
Whigs - Henry Clay
Democrats -  James K. Polk.
Polk won election
Known as "Young Hickory
Would protect Texas, and avoided the issue of slavery.
1840s and 1850s - idea of Manifest Destiny spread across America
God had destined them to spread their democratic institutions over the entire continent and South America
Democrats strongly supported idea of Manifest Destiny
A Mandate for Manifest Destiny

10. President Polk Polk had four main goals for his presidency:
Lower tariff
Restore independent treasury, which the Whigs dropped in because the Whigs won the presidency
Acquire California
Deal with disputed territory in Oregon without violence
Robert J. Walker: Secretary of Treasury to James Polk -  Walker Tariff of 1846
tariff-for-revenue bill that reduced the tariff from 32% to 25%
Independent treasury restored in 1846
Britain presented Polk with Oregon Country up to the 49th parallel
President Polk

11. Misunderstand-ings with Mexico
Population of California in 1845 consisted of Spanish- Mexicans and Indians
Polk wanted to buy California (The Bear Flag Republic) from Mexico but relations with Mexico were poor due to annexation of Texas.
John Slidell: sent by Polk to Mexico City in 1845 to buy California for $25 million
Offer was rejected
Misunderstand-ings with Mexico

12.  Jan 13, 1846, Polk ordered 4,000 men under General Taylor to Rio Grande. 
May 9, 1846, Polk asked Congress to declare war on Mexico 
Unpaid claims and Slidell's rejection of purchasing California
Prior to request, Mexican troops had already attacked American troops
War was subsequently declared.
Many people accused Polk of provoking war.
Mexico not willing to sell California
Polk willing to end war if they got California
Mexican American War

13. End of the War Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed on February 2, 1848.
Ceded Texas and the area that included California to America for $15 million. This area was about half of Mexico.
Antislavery Whigs in Congress ("Conscience Whigs") opposed treaty because they had originally opposed war.
Expansionists also opposed the treaty because they wanted all of Mexico, not just part of it.
End of the War

14. Profit and Loss in Mexico
Mexican War provided field experience for officers who became generals in Civil War, including Captain Robert E. Lee and Lieutenant Ulysses S. Grant
David Wilmot: proposed an amendment that stated that the territory from Mexico should remain slave-free – Wilmot Proviso
Never passed Senate because Southern members did not want to remove possibility of future slave states from this territory
Profit and Loss in Mexico