Homework Essay Outline Question

“The US prefers to settle conflicts with other nations by negotiating rather than going to war.”

Assess the validity of this statement in the 1840’s

Manifest Destiny

The phrase, coined by John O’Sullivan, expressed the popular belief that the US had a divine mission to extend its power and civilization across the breadth of North America

Peaked in the 1840’s under the Presidency of James K. Polk Driven by the forces of: Nationalism, racism, population

increase, technological advances, and rapid economic development

Not all of America was united behind this movement, especially Northerners that believed the root of this drive was the Southern ambition to spread slavery into western lands.

“Manifest Destiny”“Manifest Destiny”

First coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845. First coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845.

".... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federaltive development of self-government entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of its principle and destiny of growth."

".... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federaltive development of self-government entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of its principle and destiny of growth."

A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure emerged. A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure emerged.

JOHN GAST’S - "AMERICAN PROGRESS," (1872)

“Manifest Destiny”: TOMTexasOregonMexico

Overland Immigration to the West

Overland Immigration to the West

Between 1840 and 1860, more than 250,000 people made the trek westward.

John Jacob Astor, American Fur Company, richest man in America when he died in 1848, drew Mountain men to the region

Between 1840 and 1860, more than 250,000 people made the trek westward.

John Jacob Astor, American Fur Company, richest man in America when he died in 1848, drew Mountain men to the region

The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869

The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869

Trails WestwardTrails Westward

The Doomed Donner Party

The Doomed Donner Party

James Reed & Wife

James Reed & Wife

Margaret Patrick John Breen Breen Breen

Margaret Patrick John Breen Breen Breen

Of the 83 members of the Donner Party, only 45 survived to get to California!

Of the 83 members of the Donner Party, only 45 survived to get to California!

CANNIBALISM ! !

CANNIBALISM ! !

 "Mrs. Murphy said here yesterday that she thought she would commence on Milton and eat him. I do not think she has done so yet; it is distressing.“- Patrick Breen

Texas

Background:

Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821 Mexico encouraged US settlers to migrate to Texas Granted large tracts of land to settlers To grow their economy To prevent Native American attacks Stephen Austin established a colony between the

Colorado and Brazos Rivers that grew to 22,000 people, including 2,000 slaves by 1834

In exchange the Americans had to agree to obey Mexican laws and customs

Culture ClashCountry Mexico US

Religion Catholic Protestant

Language Spanish English

Work Ethic Laid back culture based on communal

values

Energetic, competitive, $

driven work world, Protestant Work

Ethic

Settlement Pattern Mission System- thinly populated

Settle in large numbers and

multiply

Belief in government Elite rule Common people have a voice in

government

Pioneers did not accept Mexican ways

Americans want fertile land for cotton production and to expand slavery

By 1835 Americans had overrun Texas Texas’s population included 45,000 Anglos, 5,000 African American

slaves, 12,000 Native Americans, and only 3,500 Tejanos 1833 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna seized power to

become dictator of Mexico Santa Anna tightened the clamps on the Americans in Texas He saw the writing on the wall: “Our children will be begging the

Americans for bread crumbs” Santa Anna passed laws to outlaw slavery, American immigration,

and take away self-government, to collect taxes on imports, and put all power in his hands. This caused the Americans to rebel and try to break away from Mexican control

Key Figures in Texas Independence, 1836Key Figures in Texas Independence, 1836

Sam Houston(1793-1863)Sam Houston(1793-1863)

Steven Austin(1793-1836)

Steven Austin(1793-1836)

Texas Declaration of Independence

Texas Declaration of Independence

Texas Revolution 1835-1836

The Alamo

Around 190 Texans versus 4,000 Mexican soldiersThese brave people gave their lives up so that Sam Houston had time to raise and prepare an army to combat Santa Anna

San Jacinto

Santa Anna captured and forced to sign the Treaty of Velasco giving Texas its independence

Remember the Alamo!Remember the Alamo!

Davey Crockett’s Last Stand

Davey Crockett’s Last Stand

The Republic of TexasThe Republic of Texas

For 9 years Texas was its own independent country, the Republic of Texas, or the Lone Star Republic

Annexation Debate: People worried if the US acquired Texas it will cause a war

with Mexico Andrew Jackson did not even recognize Texas as a country

until his last days in office in 1837 Texas was not annexed until 1845 during the presidency of

James Polk The annexation of Texas caused the Mexican-American

War, which eventually caused The Civil War

Election 1844

What about Oregon?

The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or Fight!

The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or Fight! By the mid-1840s,

“Oregon Fever” was spurred on by the promise of free land.

1846- 5,000 US settlers vs. 700 British

By the mid-1840s, “Oregon Fever” was spurred on by the promise of free land.

1846- 5,000 US settlers vs. 700 British

People wanted war with Britain over Oregon

Settled on 49’ parallel because at war with Mexico

Made anti-slavery people mad that the US was willing to go to war for slave territory in Texas, but not free land in the North

People wanted war with Britain over Oregon

Settled on 49’ parallel because at war with Mexico

Made anti-slavery people mad that the US was willing to go to war for slave territory in Texas, but not free land in the North

The Bear Flag RepublicThe Bear Flag Republic

John C. FrémontJohn C.

Frémont

The Revolt June 14, 1845

The Revolt June 14, 1845

The Slidell Mission: Nov., 1845

The Slidell Mission: Nov., 1845

Mexican recognition of the Rio Grande River as the TX-US border.

US would forgive American citizens’ claims against the Mexican gov

US would purchase the New Mexico area for $5,000,000.

US would buy California at any price.

Mexico refused to see Slidell

Mexican recognition of the Rio Grande River as the TX-US border.

US would forgive American citizens’ claims against the Mexican gov

US would purchase the New Mexico area for $5,000,000.

US would buy California at any price.

Mexico refused to see Slidell

John SlidellJohn Slidell

Causes of the Mexican American War Rejection of the Slidell

Mission Annexation of Texas Boundary dispute, Rio

Grande River or Nueces River

Polk sent troops into the disputed region

Provoked war? Flag Raising exercise?

The Mexican War (1846-1848)

The Mexican War (1846-1848)

General Zachary Taylor at Palo Alto

General Zachary Taylor at Palo Alto

“Old Rough and Ready”

“Old Rough and Ready”

The Bombardment of Vera Cruz

The Bombardment of Vera Cruz

General Scott Enters Mexico City

General Scott Enters Mexico City

“Old Fuss and Feathers”

“Old Fuss and Feathers”

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848

Nicholas Trist,American

Negotiator

Nicholas Trist,American

Negotiator

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848

Mexico gave up claims to Texas above the Rio Grande River.

Mexico ceded (forced to sell) the U. S. California and New Mexico, ½ its territory.

“We take nothing by conquest, thank God!”

Mexico gave up claims to Texas above the Rio Grande River.

Mexico ceded (forced to sell) the U. S. California and New Mexico, ½ its territory.

“We take nothing by conquest, thank God!”

The Mexican CessionThe Mexican Cession

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The United States will conquer Mexico, but it will be as the man who swallows arsenic, Mexico will poison us

Protests of the War

Wilmot Proviso, 1846- No slavery allowed in territory

won in the war, passed House, not the Senate

Wilmot Proviso, 1846- No slavery allowed in territory

won in the war, passed House, not the Senate

Provided, territory from that, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any the Republic of Mexico by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for crime, whereof the party shall first be duly convicted.

Provided, territory from that, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any the Republic of Mexico by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for crime, whereof the party shall first be duly convicted.

Congr. David Wilmot(D-PA)

Congr. David Wilmot(D-PA)

SignificanceWilmot Proviso brought slavery into

the forefront of American politics until the Civil War

Threatened to split both Whigs and Democrats along sectional lines

Why did it not pass the Senate?

Free Soil PartyFree Soil Party

Free Soil! Free Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!

Free Soil! Free Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!

Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties

Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new territories

Supported the Wilmot Proviso

Precursor to the Republican Party

Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties

Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new territories

Supported the Wilmot Proviso

Precursor to the Republican Party

WHY?

WHY?

The 1848 Presidential Election Results

The 1848 Presidential Election Results

√

Spot Resolution:

Whig politician Abraham Lincoln questioned whether the spot on which the firing took place was actually in U.S. territory.

Henry David Thoreau

opposed the war

refused to pay a poll tax because did not want his money to go to support a war to spread slavery

jailed for a few nights

Wrote Civil Disobedience in response

Claimed it was morally proper to refuse to follow morally unjust laws

Long Term Effects of the

Mexican-American

War

Results of the Mexican War?

Results of the Mexican War?

1. New territories were brought into the Union which forced the explosive issue of SLAVERY to the center of national politics.

These new territories would upset the balance of power between North and South.

Mexican War caused the Civil War

2. Manifest Destiny was partially realized.

1. New territories were brought into the Union which forced the explosive issue of SLAVERY to the center of national politics.

These new territories would upset the balance of power between North and South.

Mexican War caused the Civil War

2. Manifest Destiny was partially realized.

California Gold Rush, 1849

California Gold Rush, 1849

49er’s49er’s

Two Views of San Francisco, Early 1850s

Two Views of San Francisco, Early 1850s

Gold Rush led to California’s rapid population growth and to ask Congress for statehood as a free state

“Fire-eaters” threatened secession

Gold Rush led to California’s rapid population growth and to ask Congress for statehood as a free state

“Fire-eaters” threatened secession

Growth of Pacific West, skipped over the Great Plains

Growth of Pacific West, skipped over the Great Plains

Slavery in the New

Territories?

CaliforniaFree State

Texas Paid

10$ Million

PopularSovereignty inNew Territories

Tougher Fugitive

Slave Law

Slave Trade Banned In

WashingtonDC

Compromise of 1850

POP FCAT:POPular SovereigntyFugitive Slave LawCalifornia FreeAbolition slave trade DCTexas Ten million

Compromise of 1850

Compromise of 1850

Sunset of the Great Triumvirate

Henry Clay introduced omnibus bill Daniel Webster’s 7th of March Speech

His support turned the North toward compromise

John C. Calhoun dying President Taylor threatened to veto the bill, died Stephen Douglas broke up the bill and got it

passed and President Millard Fillmore signed it into law

“Not as a Massachusetts man, nor as a Northern man but as an American..."

Cuba President Polk offered to buy it from Spain for

$100 Million, but Spain refused to sell Several times Southerners led small expeditions

to conquer the island, but failed Ostend Manifesto: President Pierce in 1854

secretly sent negotiators to buy Cuba, but that plan was leaked to the press. Pierce dropped the plan because of the antislavery backlash

Expansionist Young America in the 1850s

Expansionist Young America in the 1850s

America attempted Filibuster (unauthorized military) raids into Latin America, William Walker

ruled Nicaragua for awhile

America attempted Filibuster (unauthorized military) raids into Latin America, William Walker

ruled Nicaragua for awhile

Gadsden Purchase, 1853- bought to complete a Transcontinental RR

Gadsden Purchase, 1853- bought to complete a Transcontinental RR

Please label:•-Treaty of Paris, 1783 (Rev War)•Louisiana Purchase, 1803 TJ•Florida, Adams Onis Treaty, 1819•Texas Annexation, 1845•Oregon Treaty, 1846•Mexican Cession, 1848•Gadsden Purchase, 1853

Class Work At your seats, recreate this map Make sure you label the (1) event and (2) year that US

acquired the territory on your map

Antebellum Immigration: 1820-1860: Irish &

Germans Massive immigration of Irish and Germans in 1840s and 1850s (Irish

provided cheap labor; Germans became successful farmers in Midwest) About 4.78 million immigrants came to America from 1830 to 1860, with

1.5 million being German and 1.9 million being Irish. In 1860, ¾ of foreign born immigrants to America were from Ireland or Germany.

There were no federal regulations regarding immigration at all. Few immigrate to the South- immigrants usually start at the bottom of

society and you could not start lower than slaves (or freedman and sharecropping after the war) in the South.

Chinese immigration in the West provided labor for mining and railroad building.

Irish Canal building 1820s and 1830s Potato Famine 1845-49, regarded in as first refugee population Railroad laborers in the East in 1850’s-1890’s Irish women were called “Biddies” (Bridgets) and the Irish men “Paddies” (Patricks) Irish immigrants settled mainly in cities (Boston, NYC, Baltimore, & Philadelphia) of

the Northeast and many became Democrats. Political machines begin to form and court their vote, like Tammany Hall in New York. By the next generation after the Civil War Irish began to control these cities.

Create gangs in these cities to protect their interests, 5-points region of NYC Economics-Irish worked for low wages in menial jobs; used as strikebreakers

opposed by labor unions. Seen as lawless and disruptive. In Ireland, they saw the law as a tool of their enemy

the rich British landlords to oppress them. Thus, to the Irish, flouting the law was seen as a manly activity.

Religion-Irish were Roman Catholic; most Americans were protestant. Catholic Church grew from 16 dioceses and 700 churches in 1830 to 45 dioceses and 3,000 churches in 1860. Led to tensions in cities over education and the use of the King James Bible and the founding of a large number of Catholic parochial schools.

Jonathan Swift's "Modest Proposal," about eating Irish babies to reduce the surplus population

British Misrule, Passive Genocide: "Between 1845 and 1850, more than a million Irish people starved to death while massive quantities of food were being exported from their country,"

Germans

Political Revolution (1848) leads many to flee to America Germans mainly settled in farmland in Midwest (Wisconsin, Missouri) also in Texas. Many agricultural communities were established with nearly all

German populations Established schools, churches, newspapers, theaters,

gymnasiums, beer halls, and kindergartens. German artisans and intellectuals settled in cities. Germans were mainly Protestant (some Catholics and Jews). Germans had a high rate of assimilation into American society. Opposed Whig temperance campaigns

Nativist Reaction (Native Americans)

Whig Reformers- Neal Dow, Maine Law, 12 state laws passed in

all, but many were weakened or repealed Temperance

Irish and German immigrants viewed temperance as the business class meddling in their lives, while many successful native-born embraced the evangelical minded reform

Know-Nothings (American Party) Located mainly in urban New England At first secret fraternal societies, like the Order of the Star-Spangled Banner founded in

NYC in 1849 Membership was as high as 1.5 million Did well in local elections, controlled Massachusetts Politics, won governor’s office and

state and congressional legislators Samuel Morse (Morse Code) , inventor of the telegraph , was the intellectual founder

(and financier) of the Know-Nothing movement. Rabid anti-catholic and wrote extensively on the subject, warned of the dangers of

Catholicism and the Pope on the Republic, Foreign Conspiracy against the Liberties of the United States, 1834

Ran former President Millard Fillmore in 1856 and won 21% of the vote Declined because of falling immigration rates, sectional tensions over slavery in Kansas,

Also elected officials were not professional politicians and not skilled at using power. The Know-Nothings did nothing and voters looked elsewhere, like the Republican Party.

Compare the expansionist foreign policies of Thomas Jefferson and James Polk. To what extent did their policies strengthen the US?

Group essay

How did territorial expansion affect national unity between 1800 and 1860.