CHAPTER 10 –EXPANSION AND CONFLICTSECTION 1 – THE LURE OF THE WEST

A. Manifest Destiny1. Belief that God intended the United

States to expand westward to the Pacific Ocean

2. Why did the North wanted to expand to the West? Ease population issues and create new markets for trade

3. Why did the South want to expand? More places to increase cotton production

A. Manifest Destiny4. Two arguments against manifest destiny –

▫ Much of the land was already claimed by other nations and Native Americans

▫ U.S. would be too big to govern effectively

5. Result – land and opportunity (read: money and power) won out over the other concerns

6. Named by magazine editor John L. O’Sullivan in 1845

• “Our manifest destiny [is] to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.”

B. Mexican Texas1. Why was Texas attractive to

settlers? Extremely cheap land and no taxes

▫ Two reasons why Mexico wanted people to settle in Texas – barrier between northern Mexico and Indians and to gain loyal Mexican citizens

2. Tejanos – native Mexicans who lived in Texas

B. Mexican Texas3. Empresarios – people who agreed

to recruit new settlers for Texas, most were whites from U.S.

4. Stephen F. Austin – one of first empresarios, became a major leader of Texas Revolution

5. Why were people attracted to Texas? Land was 90% cheaper than in U.S.

C. Texas Revolution1. By 1830, non-Mexicans outnumbered Tejanos

2-to-12. Three reasons why relations between the

settlers and Mexico grew tense – People were forced to become Catholics, importation of slaves was banned, border was closed to immigration

3. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna – elected president in 1833, became a dictator

4. In 1833, Austin was jailed after going to Mexico City to negotiate a peaceful settlement

C. Texas Revolution5. The Alamo (March 6, 1836) – all 187 Texas

soldiers were killed while defending a fort at San Antonio

6. Goliad (March 27) – 400 soldiers executed by Santa Anna for treason after they surrendered

7. Battle of San Jacinto (April 21) – Rebels led by Sam Houston dominate Mexicans and capture Santa Anna in Texas victory. Santa Anna was forced to sign a treaty giving Texas its independence.

D. Life in Republic of Texas1. Texas petitioned the U.S. for

statehood in 18372. Didn’t get it until 1845. Why?

▫ Northern states were opposed to another slave state

▫ U.S. didn’t want a war with Mexico (yet)3. French and German immigration

increased after independence

D. Life in Republic of Texas4. Discrimination against Tejanos

▫ Tejanos had land and property stolen by whites, others were forced out of Texas

▫ Juan Seguin – famous Tejano fought at San Jacinto and was later mayor of San Antonio

5. The economy and defense▫ Three reasons why Texas went into debt –

large territory to cover with small population, most people were farmers without much cash, small tax revenue

▫ Texas Rangers – Fighting force formed to defend Texas from Mexico and American Indians

CHAPTER 10 –EXPANSION AND CONFLICTSECTION 2 – AMERICAN EXPANSIONISM

A. Texas Annexation1. Debate Over Annexation

a) Supporters – worried that Texas would become British ally if not admitted to U.S.

b) Opponents – adding Texas would increase power of the slave states in Congress

A. Texas Annexation2. Election of 1844

a) Candidates – Henry Clay (Whig-KY) vs. Former Gov. James K. Polk (D-TN)

b) Dark-horse candidate – one who seems to have little chance of winning

Who did this term apply to? Polk, most people had Clay as the clear favorite and Polk wasn’t even the favorite in his own party

A. Texas Annexationc) Major issue – Western expansion – Polk

was outspoken in support for it, Clay didn’t even mention it in his platform

d) Result – Polk won 170 electoral votes to 105 (even though he lost his home state), popular vote was separated by 2 percent

•“Texas has been absorbed into the Union as the inevitable fulfillment of the general law which is rolling our population westward....It was disintegrated from Mexico in the natural course of events, by a process perfectly legitimate on its own part, blameless on ours....

•“California will, probably next fall away from...Mexico...imbecile and distracted...The Anglo-Saxon foot is already on its borders....All this without agency of our government, without responsibility of our people--in the natural flow of events, the spontaneous working of principles....

•Democratic Review, 1845

A. Texas Annexation3. Conflict with Mexico

a) March 3, 1845 – Congress ignores Mexican warnings by admitting Texas to Union, becomes a state on Dec. 29

b) Dispute – Polk claimed Rio Grande was the border, Mexico thought it was 100 miles to the north (Nueces River)

A. Texas Annexationc) Polk sent a diplomat to Mexico,

hoped to force them to accept Rio Grande boundary and buy California and New Mexico

d) Result – May 9, 1846 – Mexican troops cross Rio Grande and attack U.S. patrol, war declared four days later

B. Mexican War1. Groups against the war – Whigs and

northerners such as Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Henry David Thoreau

2. Those for the war – Southerners and westerners who wanted Mexican land

• “How does it become a man to behave toward this American government today? I answer that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it. I cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave's government also.”

• Henry David Thoreau

B. Mexican War1. Groups against the war – Whigs

and northerners such as Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Henry David Thoreau

2. Those for the war – Southerners and westerners who wanted Mexican land

B. Mexican War3. Stephen Kearny – American general

who led successful attack on Santa Fe, New Mexico

4. Bear Flag Revolt – secretly led by Capt. John C. Fremont, who encouraged settlers in northern California to revolt against the Mexicans

5. Got its name from the settlers who raised a flag with a grizzly bear on it after beating the Spanish

B. Mexican War6. Battle of Buena Vista – Feb. 1847 –

Taylor and 5,000 troops force Santa Anna and 15,000 troops to withdraw with heavy losses on both sides

7. Battle for Mexico City – General Winfield Scott captured castle at Veracruz in March, overtook Mexico City on Sept. 14, 1847

•“Have not results in Mexico taught the invincibility of American arms?...The North Americans will spread out far beyond their present bounds. They will encroach again and again upon their neighbors. New territories will be planted, declare their independence, and be annexed. We have New Mexico and California! We will have Old Mexico and Cuba! The isthmus cannot arrest--nor even the Saint Lawrence!! Time has all of this in her womb. A hundred states will grow up where now exists but thirty.”

•DeBow's Commercial Review, 1848

C. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

1. Terms – a) Mexico gave up all claims to Texasb) Allowed U.S. to buy Mexican Cession for $15

millionc) Granted U.S. citizenship to all Mexicans living in

Cession territory2. All or parts of seven states included in

Mexican Cession (California, Utah and Nevada along with parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming)

3. Gadsden Purchase (1853) –U.S. buy southern portions of Arizona and New Mexico for $10 million to build transcontinental railroad

D. Mexican Americans1. Many Mexican Americans lost

their land after being taken over by U.S.

2. Many Americans looked down on Mexican heritage and its blend of Spanish and Indian influences

3. Juan Cortina – Tejano who led rebellions in South Texas for many years

CHAPTER 10 –EXPANSION AND CONFLICTSECTION 3 – THE FAR WEST

A. Settling Oregon Country1. Oregon Trail – trail to Pacific coast used by fur

trappers, farmers and Christian missionaries2. U.S. and Britain agreed in 1818 to share

control of Oregon Territory3. U.S. wanted Oregon to be divided at 49th

parallel, but British had always refused4. “Fifty-four forty or fight” – Polk’s

announcement that the U.S. had right to all of Oregon up to Alaska border

5. Result – U.S. and Great Britain signed treaty in 1846 that set border at 49th parallel, gave Vancouver Island to the British