Transcript Manifest Destiny

Trends in Antebellum America: 1810-1860
1. New intellectual and religious movements.
2. Social reforms.
3. Beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in America.
4. Re-emergence of a second party system and more
political democratization.
5. Increase in federal power  Marshall Ct. decisions.
6. Increase in American nationalism.
7. Further westward expansion.
“Manifest Destiny”
 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 . . . of self-government entrusted to us. "
 A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure
emerged.
“American Progress” by John Gast, 1872
Early History of Texas
Original inhabitants were Native
Americans.
 Soon the Spanish explorers placed
claims on Texas lands.
 French threw their hat into the
Texas ring; Spanish responded
with the mission system.
 Spanish began to send in
missionaries to convert Native
Americans to Catholicism and
make loyal Spanish subjects.
 Mission system would fail; French
would ultimately leave.

Americans Move into Texas:
The Austin Family Story

1820 - Moses Austin approached
Spanish about a plan called the Texas
Venture:
– In exchange for land, he would build a colony
for the Spanish
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Stephen Austin
(1793-1836)
Moses died early, son Stephen carried
out the plans.
1821—Mexico won independence from
Spain
1823 - Austin’s Colony was established
and was soon full of farmers, ranchers,
slaves, . . . & economic opportunity.
Encouraged the use of empresarios
– contractors who were given large
amounts of land and who would recruit
settlers and establish colonies
The Texas Revolution:
Rising tensions

Americans in Texas, who received land grants, had to agree to the
following:
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Surrender their American citizenship
Swear allegiance to Mexico
Adopt Roman Catholic religion
Hold the land for 7 years
However, most settlers did not comply with these rules:
– Still thought of themselves as Americans
– Brought slaves to Texas
– Loyalties & economic practices clearly favored the U.S.

Result: Mexico felt that they were losing control of their territory and began
to pass & enforce new laws including:
– Stopped American immigration
– Cancelled empresario contracts
– Placed a high tariff on U.S. goods
International Tensions
&
The Texas Revolution

Mexican gov. officials grew
weary of U.S. westward
expansion policies.

Many Texans began to believe
the best solution was if Texas
became an independent state.

1836 Texas declared
independence, adopted a
Constitution & legalized
slavery.
Remember the Alamo
Mex. Pres. Santa Anna did not accept TX
independenceattacked American folk heroes Davy Crockett &
Jim Bowie at the
AlamoRally cry in
the greater U.S.
 General Sam Houston
& others rushed to
“defend” TX
 Battle of San Jacinto 1836

Defeated the Mexicans
Davey Crockett’s Last Stand
The Battle of the Alamo
The Republic of Texas
The Texas Question
 Mexican government
refused to accept Texas as
an independent state
 Texans voted for annexation
to the United States
Van Buren refused to act on
this for fear that slavery would
divide the Democratic
Jacksonians.
The Debate over the Annexation of Texas
Americans were split over
their support for Texas
annexation, but most
Americans admired the
Texans spirit – Amer. Rev.
 Congress also debated—
there was nothing in the
Constitution about
admitting an independent
nation to the U.S.


Southerners supported
annexation:
– Admitting Texas as a slave
state would give the south an
edge in political power

Northerners opposed the
annexation:
– annexation would spread
slavery south & westward
and increase slave power in
Congress
Remember Election 1840…
“Tippecanoe, and Tyler,
Too!”
“Log Cabin & Cider” Campaign
James Polk
VS. Henry Clay
Election of 1844
Oregon & Texas
were the primary
issues.
DEMOCRATS
WHIGS
Election of 1844
James K. Polk
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Gov. of Tennessee
Slave owner
Favored annexation
“Young Hickory”
Called for the Re-Occupation
of Oregon & Re-Annexation
of Texas
54º40' or Fight!
Trails Westward
1844 Election Results

Annexation of
Texas was a key
issue of this
election

Election would
determine US
government’s
western policy
Goals of Polk’s Administration
1. Lower the tariff.
2. Resolve the Oregon boundary
dispute.
3. Restore the independent treasury.
4. Acquire California & Texas.
Settling the Texas Question
• Polk supported Manifest Destiny &
favored annexation.
• Mexico warned any attempt to annex
Texas was “equivalent to a declaration
of war.”
• March 1845 – Congress finally
passed a joint resolution (after some
wrangling) annexing Texas.
• December 29, 1845
part of the US.
– Texas became
Impact on U.S. & Mexican Relations

Mexico
refused to recognize the
independence of the Republic
of Texas

Viewed the annexation as a
theft of Mexican territory

broke off diplomatic relations
with the U.S.

U.S.A.
Polk enthusiastically supported
national expansion—Texas was
just the beginning
Wanted to acquire more land
between Texas & the Pacific
Ocean
------------------------------------------------

“to enlarge {the United States} is to extend
the dominions of peace over additional
territories and increasing millions…my
duty is to assert and maintain…the right
of the United States to that portion of out
territory which lies beyond the Rocky
Mountains…” --Polk
The Mexican War (1846-1848)
 As Americans pushed westward, Polk
took steps to acquire all of the
Southwest.
 Zachary Taylor and a U.S. army of
2,000 soldiers headed for disputed
territory between the Nueces & Rio
Grande rivers.
 Orders were clear—soldiers were to
“provoke a fight,” and be sure “Mexico
started it.”
CA: The Bear Flag Republic

Polk dispatched John Fremont to
California and deep into Mexican
territory.

“Possession is 9/10ths of the
law” theory.

encouraged Mexicans there to
declare independence and
called for peaceful annexation.
The Slidell Mission: Nov., 1845
 Meanwhile . . . Polk sent diplomat John
Slidell on a secret mission to buy land
and negotiate the following:
 Mexican recognition of the Rio
Grande River as the TX-US border.
 Up to $30 million for CA & NM
John Slidell
 Mexican officials told him to pound sand.

(Which Polk anticipated would be the response!)
• As luck would have it,
Mexico DID begin a
skirmish just north of the Rio
Grande . . . (hmm…)
Zachary Taylor
•In May 1846, Polk’s
message to congress stated
that, “Mexico had invaded
our territory and shed the
blood of our fellow-citizens
on our own soil.” Congress
declared warThe MexicanAmerican War had begun.
General Scott Enters Mexico City
•In a matter of
months, U.S. forces
were able to take
California and New
Mexico.
•When the Mexican
capital of Mexico City
fell to the U.S.,
Mexico was forced to
give in to American
demands.
The Mexican War (1846-1848)
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848
Ended the Mexican-American War.
 Territory known as the “Mexican
Cession”—nearly half of Mexico at
the time—was awarded to the U.S.
 Created Rio Grande as international
border
 U.S. paid $15 million to Mexico for
territory.
 In 1854 Gadsden Purchase
solidified southern boundary and
mineral deposits to U.S.

Results of the Mexican War?
1. The 17-month war cost $100,000,000 and 13,000+
American lives (mostly of disease).
2. New territories were brought into the Union which forced the
explosive issue of SLAVERY to the center of national politics.
* Brought in 1 million sq. mi. of land (incl. TX)
3. These new territories would upset the balance of power between
North and South.
4. Acted as a training ground for future Civil War generals.
5. Manifest Destiny partially realized.
Wilmot Proviso, 1846
“neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude
shall ever exist in any
part of said territory,”
Congr. David Wilmot
(D-PA)
Free Soil Party
Free Soil!
Free Speech!
Free Labor!
Free Men!
 “Barnburners” – discontented northern Democrats.
 Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties.
 Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new
territories! WHY?
The End of Polk’s “Reign”
• The wrangling over
slavery in this new
territory—and Polk’s
vague stance on it—
cost him & the
democrats the
election
• Zachary Taylor—a
Whig and a war
hero—would win a
narrow electoral
majority . . . political
parties were
fragmenting . . .