1. APUSH Porter CHAPTER 17 POWER POINT
MANIFEST DESTINY AND THE DRIVE FOR MORE LAND

2. Keys to the Chapter The issue of Oregon (54/40 or fight)
Texas annexation
California
Mexican – American War - Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago ( )
Wilmot Proviso and the issue of Slavery
Issues with England based upon America as a borrower nation and England a lending nation

3. John Tyler (Whig) President after Harrison dies only 30 days after inauguration
Virginian aristocrat and former democrat
Vetoes attempt to start a new national bank and Whigs mad at him and call him a traitor
His entire cabinet (except Webster) resigns and he is expelled from the Whig Party
Signs Tariff Bill because Govt needs $

4. British mad at America
Panic of 1837 resulted in some states not paying back $ borrowed from Britain
Americans provided guns and aid to Canadians to rebel against British rule
British had abolished slavery and offered asylum to some escaped slaves in Bahamas
British seeks to build road with part of it in Maine on disputed territory so deal made.

5. Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842

6. The Issue of Texas Texas gained independence in 1836
1839 – 1840 – signs treaties with France, Holland, Belgium as independent nation
England wanted Texas to stay independent to prevent America from getting too strong
1. Would grow cotton for British textile mills
2. Would have “free trade” instead of Tariff like America had

7. 1844 Election issue is Texas & Polk wins
Tyler okays annexation of Texas before leaving office and gets Congress to okay by simple majority vote
Texas becomes a state in early 1845 and Mexico is very mad

8. The Battle over Oregon Borders are in dispute
4 nations originally claimed part of Oregon
Spain, Russia, Britain, US
1819 – Spain gave up its claim to US in Florida Treaty
1824 – 1825 – Russia moved north of 54° 40’ in treaties with US and Britain
British claim land North of Columbia River

9. Treaty of 1818
US and Britain had agreed on 49th parallel as northern border of Louisiana Purchase
US and Britain would share Oregon Country
1840s Americans start a rush to Oregon Country using the Oregon Trail
The controversy begins to grow concerning the boundary line of the 49th parallel and Americans now greatly outnumber British

10. U.S.-British Boundary Settlement, 1818

11. The Oregon Controversy 1846

12. Manifest Destiny
A belief that God had destined US to expand from Atlantic to Pacific Oceans
Combination of “empire” and “liberty”
US would control land and spread democracy over continent
Heavily influenced the election of 1844 and the election of Polk who promised to fulfill destiny {Texas and Oregon}

13. Manifest Destiny

14. Democrats and Polk believed they had mandate for expansionist policy
Election of 1844
Polk beats Clay in close election
Clay alienated many abolitionists in North with position on Texas
Clay would have won election, but lost New York by 5,000 votes
Democrats and Polk believed they had mandate for expansionist policy
Unclear that they did

15. PRESIDENT POLK Lower tariff
Took life seriously and was very hard working
Developed 4-point program and achieved it in his 1 term
Lower tariff
Restoration of independent treasury (passed 1846)
Settlement of Oregon problem with Britain obtained in 1846 with approval of annexation of territory at 49th parallel.
Acquisition of California (offered to purchase it but can’t make deal with Mexico) because in April 1846 Mexican troops fire on Americans and now even North agrees to war with Mexico

16. The START OF THE WAR
August 1846 – General Stephen Kearny takes fort at Santa Fe
then marches to California but Fremont already won the battle there
June 1846 – Captain John C. Frémont works with Americans in California and US Navy to overthrow Mexicans
Establishes independent Bear Flag Republic

17. Result of war is renewed Slavery Issue
North claimed that war was fought to expand slavery
Most land gained was south of 36° 30’ line
Wilmot Proviso
David Wilmot : representative from Pennsylvania in 1846 proposes to ban slavery in any territory taken from Mexico
Passed House, but not Senate; southerners refused to give in but North wanted it
Slavery issues brought up by Mexican War will not be settled until Civil War

18. Major Campaigns of the Mexican War

19. Two Key Generals win the War
1846 – 1847 – General Zachary Taylor (“Old Rough and Ready”) invades Mexico by land
Early 1847 – General Winfield Scott (“old Fuss and Feathers”) lands at Vera Cruz and moves north to Mexico City
September 1847 – American victory at Mexico City under Scott

20. February 2, 1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed by negotiator Nicholas Trist and Mexicans
US given official title to Texas
Mexican Cession
Land of present-day Southwest, including California to America (key to deal)
US pays $15 million for the land
US pays $3.25 million that Mexico owed to US citizens for prior debts from Texas

21. Polk submitted treaty to Senate but many in North oppose it:
Northern Whigs opposed war and expansion of southern land (where slavery would be practiced)
Had even threatened to cut off funding for war in 1847
Expansionists (especially Democratic Southerners) wanted to take all of Mexico to expand slavery
Congress eventually compromised and approved treaty

23. Two Famous Quotes about War
Emerson: “Mexico will poison us”
Calhoun: “Mexico is to us the forbidden fruit…
the penalty for eating it would be
to subject our institutions to
political death”