Polk and Expansion 1844-1846. Background: Texan Independence 1824: Mexico granted empresarios...
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Transcript of Polk and Expansion 1844-1846. Background: Texan Independence 1824: Mexico granted empresarios...
Polk and Expansion
1844-1846
Background: Texan Independence
• 1824: Mexico granted empresarios (Austin) large land grants, abolished slavery
• Many Americans moved to Texas, with slaves, violating Mexican law
• 1835: Santa Anna invaded Texas; Alamo defeat, massacre
• 1836: Houston & Texans defeated Santa Anna: recognition of Independent Texas
• Border agreement was not clear: Which river was the border?
• Key question for Americans: Would slavery in Texas cause slavery to spread Westward?
James Polk
• Stiff, politically astute, energetic work ethic
• Promised to expand US to fulfill Manifest Destiny
• Promised to serve only one term
• Polk cleverly used circumstances to add Oregon, Texas, California, southwest territories to US
Annexation of Oregon
• Before 1846, Northwest territory administration was shared between US and Britain
• Extreme believers in Manifest Destiny demanded US control up to 54°40’; rest of US-Canada border suggested 49°
• Polk knew 54°40’ would require war; knew that UK couldn’t afford war
• Polk ended joint occupation: gave UK year to negotiate
• 1846: UK chose negotiations over war: 49° treaty
Andrew Melrose, westward the star of empire takes its way--near Council Bluffs Iowa, 1867
Mexican American War: Causes• Mexico failed to pay $2 million owed to
US citizens
• Alamo massacre stirred American patriotism
• Polk’s election increased strength of pro-annexationists
• 1845: Congress voted to annex Texas, but Texas refused, fearing Mexican invasion
• Polk promised Texas to extend border to Rio Grande
• Mexican government politically could not make concessions to US, so refused to negotiate
• Polk ordered General Taylor to move troops to Rio Grande “border”, baiting Mexico to attack
Mexican American War: Events
• When Mexico attacked, Polk claimed to Congress that war had already started
• Anti-war Whigs had little choice but to support Polk (remember Federalists in 1812)
• US artillery, weapons, training easily defeated Mexico, despite fewer troops
• 1847: Mexico City taken, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo by which US paid $15M and assumed debt to US citizens
Mexican American War: Results
• US territory expanded to Rio Grande
• Texas annexed into US
• California became US territory (gold rush soon to follow)
• Southwest became US territory (including western Colorado)
• Polk achieved goals of dramatically enlarging country