Transcript Looking Westward

Looking Westward
pp. 348-359
Manifest Destiny
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Writer John O’Sullivan coined the phrase in 1845
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Destined by God & history to expand from coast to coast
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Fit w/ nationalism movement
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Racial motives for expansion
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“Racial purity” & superiority of the “American race”
Expansion opposed by some, including Clay
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Would re-open debate of spreading slavery westward
Texas
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1803—Claimed by U.S. in LA Purchase
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1819—Given to Spain as part of Adams-Onis Treaty
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1821—Becomes part of Mexico as Mexico gains its independence,
American settlement is encouraged
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1835—30K Americans living in Texas
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1836—Americans in Texas declare their independence from
Mexico/Texas gains independence
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1845—After much debate, the U.S. annexes Texas; Mexico breaks
diplomatic ties w/ U.S.
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JQA & AJ had both tried to purchase TX previously
Oregon Territory
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Claimed by both Brits (George Vancouver) & the U.S. (Robert Gray)
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1818—Agreed to joint occupation
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1820s/1830s—Few white settlers, mostly fur traders
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1836—Marcus & Narcissa Whitman est. mission
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1843—Oregon Trail popularized; 5K settlers w/in next 2 yrs.
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1846—Despite “54° 40° or Fight,” Polk settles border at 49° N
(same as today)
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1847—Cayuse Indians attack & kill Whitmans
Election of 1844
Polk ran on a proexpansion platform
Clay avoided the
issue of annexing
Texas
Trails
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Oregon Trail
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California Trail
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Mormon Trail
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Santa Fe Trail
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*See map on p. 353
Life on the Trail
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“Jumping off towns”
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Independence, MO; St. Joseph, MO & Council Bluffs, IA
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Mostly family units until Gold Rush; hired guides
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2,000 miles; 4-6 months
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Various hardships:
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Weather, disease (cholera & typhoid fever), rugged terrain
Native Americans often acted as guides & trade partners; occasional
conflict, but often sensationalized
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*More deaths from accidental gunshots than Native attacks
Mexican War
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Mexico refused to recognize Texas’ independence
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Border dispute (Rio Grande or Neuces?); see map on p. 356
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Polk sends Zachary Taylor to TX & tells navy to capture CA ports if
Mexico declares war
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Polk then offered to buy disputed areas (Slidel, $25 million for NM &
CA)
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War declared in May of 1846; overwhelmingly supported by Congress
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War had many critics
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Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Henry David Thoreau
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See quotes on p. 357
Mexican War
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Stephen Kearny captured Santa Fe w/ no opposition (1846)
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Kearny & Fremont captured California (1846)
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Bear Flag Revolt
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Winfield Scott captures Mexico City (1847)
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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
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Mexican Cession (see map on p. 358)
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U.S. paid $15 million
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Some wanted “All Mexico!”
Wilmot Proviso
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What is the status of slavery in the newly acquired territory?
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David Wilmot, from PA, anti-slavery Democrat
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Proviso prohibited slavery in new territory
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Passed House, but not Senate
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Debate lingered; sectionalism intensified