The American Pageant

Chapter 17:

Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy

1841-1848

Battle of Buena Vista, by Samuel Chamberlain, 1847

An American private, Samuel E. Chamberlain, made this drawing of the Battle of

Buena Vista. Present at the battle, Chamberlain watched as Mexican forces

overran an artillery emplacement. The Americans eventually turned the tide and

the battle came out a draw. Even so, troops under Santa Anna were forced to

retreat into the Mexican interior, spoiling the general's hope for a quick and easy

victory against the invading Americans. (San Jacinto Museum of History

Association)

Battle of Buena Vista, by Samuel Chamberlain, 1847

Congressional Scales, 1850

The question of how a war with

Mexico might unbalance the nation

politically weighed heavily on

people's minds as the nation

entered the 1850s. In this cartoon,

lithographer Nathaniel Currier--

who later would found the famous

graphic art company Currier and

Ives--illustrates the problem.

Trying to balance the Wilmot

Proviso against Southern Rights,

the president seeks to keep

congressional representatives from

the North and the South in balance

as well. (Library of Congress)

Congressional Scales, 1850

Daguerreotype of Soldiers in Mexican American War

This photograph shows General John F. Wool (in the center, wearing a

heavy coat) and his staff at Saltillo, the capital of the Mexican state of

Coahuila, in 1846 or 1847. Wool respected individual Mexicans as

soldiers, but noted Mexico's lack of unity. "Had the nation [Mexico] been

united," he wrote, "we could not have gained a single victory." (Library of

Congress)

Election of 1844, artist unknown

An unknown artist depicted, in rich detail, the election campaign of 1844.

A team of Polk supporters offers a campaign handbill to the seated voter.

Passions were so high and party organization was so extensive that door-

to-door politicking became the norm. (Courtesy of Nathan Liverant and

Son)

Election of 1844, artist unknown

James K. Polk by George Peter

Alexander Healy, 1846

Lacking charm, Polk bored even his

friends, but few presidents could

match his record of acquiring land

for the United States. (James K.

Polk Memorial Association,

Columbia, Tennessee)

James K. Polk by George Peter Alexander Healy, 1846

Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832

The San Gabriel Mission was founded in 1771 in southern California,

partly with the intent of converting the local Indians, shown here settled

in a thatched hut, to Catholicism. In 1781 the Spanish governor set out

from this mission to found El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los

Angeles' Porciúncula, now usually known simply as Los Angeles.

(Courtesy Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library)

Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832

Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832

Using Indian labor, Franciscan missionaries transformed the dry

California coastal hill country into a blooming garden and built a long

string of missions in which to celebrate their religion. This painting of

Mission San Gabriel conveys the beauty and the awesome size of these

mission establishments. (Santa Barbara Mission Archive)

Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832

Polk and Dallas Flag

This campaign banner celebrating the candidacy of James K. Polk and

George M. Dallas on the Democratic ticket carries a subtle message

conveying the party's platform. Surrounding Polk's picture are twenty-

five stars, one for each state in the Union. Outside the corner box, a

twenty-sixth star stands for Texas, which Polk promised to annex.

(Collection of David J. and Janet L. Frent)

Polk and Dallas Flag

1840 Election

• William Henry Harrison

– Longest Inaugural

speech- shortest term

in office

• John Tyler takes over:

he is a political

independent – chosen to

support the state’s

rights party members

• Tyler splits from the

party- he had been

added to the ticket

because he believed in

State’s rights

• He vetoes the new bank

• He is expelled from his

own party

• His cabinet resigns in

mass (except Daniel

Webster)

Trouble with Great Britain

• Literature pirating—plagiarism

• Canadian Civil War – Caroline Affair

• American steamer bringing supplies to the rebels

• Captured and burned by British

• Creole Affair 1841- British in Bahamas give asylum to 130 escaped slaves

• Aroostook War – 1837 lumber dispute on Canadian-Maine border

Webster-Ashburton Treaty 1842

• US gave up 5,000 sq. miles in Maine

• US gets 6,500 sq. miles in Minnesota

(later iron is found in the region)

• Avoided war – which seemed

unavoidable

The Lone Star Republic

• Mexico threatened that they would

attack the US if Texas is annexed

• Texas forced to provide a border defense:

– To negotiate with France & Britain

• Polk platform ―re-annexation of Texas‖

• After his victory, Tyler calls for a joint-

session of congress to annex Texas 1845

Oregon Claims

• British

• Hudson Bay Co.

• Explorations of fur trappers

• Americans

• Robert Gray 1792

• Lewis and Clark

• American Fur Co.

• Spanish/Russian claims preempted by treaty

• Marcus Whitman: Missionaries

• 5,000 settlers by 1846 Willamette Valley

1844 Election

James K. Polk

• From Tennessee

• ―Dark horse‖ candidate

• Nominated by Democrats

• Manifest Destiny –main theme

• Re-annexation of Texas

• Reoccupation of Oregon ―54 (degrees) 40’ or Fight‖

Henry Clay

• Nominated by Whigs

• Does not endorse Manifest Destiny

• Straddles the Texas Issue

• Irony: lost NY because of an anti-slavery (anti-Texas Party) led to the annexation of Texas

Polk ―Young Hickory‖

• Workaholic –unwilling to delegate

• Walker tariff –lowered rate of last -1842 Tariff from 32% to 25%

• Restored the independent treasury

• Wanted California

And the ―whole‖ of Oregon

• Tried to compromise at the 49th parallel

• British finally give up claims to Columbia and 1month into the war with Mexico settled on 49th Parallel

War with Mexico

• $3 million in claims by

US citizens in California

against Mexico (1,000

foreigners mostly US)

• Mexico had defaulted on

her payments

• John Slidell sent to buy

California

• Mexico would not accept

the $25 million offer

• It was rumored that

California may be

purchased or taken by

Britain

• Texas is now an issue

Texans claim the Rio

Grande as their

Southern Border

Texas and War with Mexico

• Texas is now an issue Texans claim the Rio Grande as their Southern Border

• Mexico claims Nueces River (120 miles difference)

• Jan 1846 Gen. Zachary Taylor sent to Rio Grande -baiting

• Polk about to declare war :– Unpaid claims

– Slidell’s rejection

• April 25, 1846 Mexico crosses the Rio Grande and attacks Taylor’s troops

• ―American Blood is shed on American Soil‖

Mexican-American War

• Now Polk has an excuse

to get Congress to

declare war

• “spot resolutions”

submitted by Lincoln,

then a junior member of

the House from Illinois

as an Anti-slavery Whig

• Stephen W. Kearny –

Santa Fe Trail to San

Diego –‖Mormon

Battalion‖

• ―Bear Flag Revolt‖ John

C. Fremont

• Gen. Zachary Taylor

Northern Mexico

• Gen. Winfield Scott

Mexico City

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848

• After Scott took Mexico City

• Nicholas Trist was to negotiate a treaty with a temporary government but Santa Anna swindled him out a $10,000 bribe

• Finally though the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed:

1. Mexican cession of ½ of the country (Texas)

2. US pays $15 million to Mexico

3. US pays $3 million to US citizens

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• The Treaty with Mexico is contested by both

―Conscience Whigs‖ (anti-slavery and

threatening to vote down supplies for the war)

and expansionists (clamoring for ―all of

Mexico)

The treaty is ratified by the Senate 38-14 and

condemned by both groups in spite of the fact

that the Mexican Cession is greater than the

Louisiana Purchase

Wilmont Proviso

• Proposed by David Wilmont of Pennsylvania

(a member of the House)

• Stated that ―slavery should never exist in any

of the territory wrested from Mexico‖

• This passed the House 2X but was blocked in

the Senate – endorsed by all the free states

• It came to symbolize the burning issue of

slavery especially as it pertained to the

territories

Results of the Mexican-American

War

1. Slavery issue revived –

2. Military proved excellent

3. Start of bad relations with Mexico

4. Land acquired from Mexico brought on

the Civil War