UNIT 5.2

Manifest Destiny & it’s Legacy

“Our Manifest Destiny (is) to overspread the continent allotted by providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions” John Louis O’Sullivan 1845

PERIOD 5: 1844-1877

As the nation expanded and its population grew, regional tensions, especially over slavery, led to a civil war – the course and aftermath of which transformed American society.

Source: College Board, AP United States History Course and

Exam Description (Including the Curriculum Framework)

Key Concept 5.1

The United States became more connected with the world as it pursued an expansionist foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere and emerged as the destination for many migrants from other countries.

Source: College Board, AP United States History Course and

Exam Description (Including the Curriculum Framework)

Key Concept 5.1.I

Enthusiasm for U.S. territorial expansion, fueled by economic and national security interests and supported by claims of U.S. racial and cultural superiority, resulted in war, the opening of new markets, acquisition of new territory, and increased ideological conflicts.

Source: College Board, AP United States History Course and

Exam Description (Including the Curriculum Framework)

Key Concept 5.1.IA

The idea of Manifest Destiny, which asserted U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere and supported U.S. expansion westward, was built on a belief in white racial superiority and a sense of American cultural superiority, and helped to shape the era’s political debates.

Source: College Board, AP United States History Course and

Exam Description (Including the Curriculum Framework)

Learning Objective 1

Students will analyze the role Manifest Destiny played in U.S. expansion in the 1840s.

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The Presidency of John Tyler William H. Harrison (1 st Whig President) dies 30 days after

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inauguration (shortest in history).

little more than a figurehead- real leaders were Henry Clay (Senator) & Daniel Webster (Sec. of State).

John Tyler assumes presidency (Va. Gentleman added to the

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ticket to bring in southern states-righter's) ** Had no VP –set precedent Until 25 th amendment 1967 a Democrat who switched to the Whigs “his Ascendency” -1 st VP to “ascend” the presidency was at odds with the Whigs on every major issue.

Webster & Clay will push Whig platform – butt heads with Tyler Platform : 1.

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Re-charter the Bank of the US- Tyler vetoed Democrats were happy

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Whigs were furious- talked about impeaching him, kicked him out of caucus, his entire cabinet resigned (except Webster) –John Calhoun Sec. of State after 1842.

2. Tyler vetoed a Whig tariff bill- because it distributed revenue

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among various states the sale of western lands.

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Tyler reluctantly signed Tariff bill of 1842 –after the western land scheme was removed & rates for the tariff were reduced.

the US eased out of a mini depression in subsequent months Dorr Rebellion (1842)- in RI; voting rights given to all white males.

US & British Relationship-Tyler Foreign Policy Tensions: 2 Anglo-American Wars, British snobbery about Americans (travel books, magazines), America was borrowing

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money from Britain-infrastructure.

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Canada- The “Caroline” Incident (1837) Bahamas – Creole Incident (1840)

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Maine —Aroostook War (“Lumberjack War”) Britain (Canada) wanted a road from Halifax to Quebec (went through upper Maine).

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Webster-Ashburton Treaty Britain got the road, US got 6,500 acres (Minn.) which contained rich iron ore (Mesabi iron ore) = future steel source.

Maine

Territorial Expansion by Mid-19

th •In 1839, fighting broke out between residents in Maine & Canada over the disputed Maine border •Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842): •The U.S. received ½ the disputed land •Established a clear border in Maine

Century

Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842

fought over lumbering in disputed territories

And that’s the end of that! No more Maine issues

Texas Annexation- Do we add another slave state?

Texas was an independent country since 1836- not recognized by

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Mexico.

Texas made treaties with Britain & France- foreign nations hoped

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to use Texas to hedge US expansion Tyler called for a joint session of Congress & pushed for annexation (House: 132-72; Senate: 27-25)= Texas is 28 th state The Election of 1844

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Texas was the lead issue in the campaign; Oregon was another issue “54-40 or Fight”)

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Democrats nominated – James K. Polk ”Texas or Disunion”– UNC-CH grad pro-expansion – Whigs nominated Henry Clay –lost key state of NY a narrow victory for James K. Polk- (lame duck Tyler- used victory as a mandate to annex Texas)

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Polk's Domestic Goals : Est. Independent Treasury, lowered Tariff (Walker Tariff 1846 cut the rate 25%), acquire Cali, Oregon

Polk Born: Mecklenburg County,NC Raised in Tenn.

Only Speaker of House elected Pres.

First “Dark Horse” candidate Sec. of State- James Buchanan * Won state of NY by 5,000 VOTES * Presidency: 1845-1849 Clay

Oregon – “54-40 or Fight”

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Oregon- disputed between Russia, Britain,

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Spain, & US Spain & Russia-drop out of dispute Britain & US had claims based on early exploration in Oregon 1840’s US immigrants were multiplying & moving west= Oregon “Oregon Trail” (by 1846- 5,000 settled south of Columbia River)

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Manifest Destiny – idea put forth by Louis O’Sullivan that God had given the America’s to Americans to dominate.

Territorial Expansion by Mid-19

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Century

• U.S. & Britain jointly occupied Oregon (Spain relinquished its claims to Oregon in the Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819) • Britain claimed a greater stake of Oregon via Hudson Bay Co. (fur trade)

The Oregon Boundary Dispute

the U.S. wanted

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But, the USA & England compromised & divided Oregon along 49 th

Territorial Expansion by Mid-19

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Century

Benefits of Oregon: the U.S. gained its 1 st deep-water port in the Pacific & Northern abolitionists saw Oregon as a balance to slave-state Texas

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny

 The spread of settlers beyond U.S. borders led to widespread calls for annexation of newly-settled lands  The term “Manifest Destiny” was 1 st used in 1845 by newspaper editor John O’Sullivan, who said: – God wants the USA (“His chosen nation”) to become stronger – Expansion of American democracy & economic opportunities were a good thing

“American Progress” by John Gast, 1872

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American belief that U.S. would control the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

KEY EVENTS

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Texas statehood

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Oregon territory

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Mexican War

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Mexican Cession

KEY EVENTS

• Pioneers Trek West • California trail • Oregon trail •Mormon’s trail • Gold discovered • Gold Rush

Western Trails

in Salt Lake, Utah where Brigham Young The Santa Fe Trail allowed the U.S. to sell goods to Texas In 1857, Mormon Utah became a U.S. territory & Young was named governor Joseph Smith founded the Mormon Church in 1830, but were persecuted in the East for their unorthodox beliefs

The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869

Overland Immigration to the West

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

Polk’s Claim on California Many Americans saw great possibility in the possession of

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California. (Manifest Destiny!) California had fertile valleys & a spacious bay at San Francisco ( a harbor that would provide a gateway to Pacific).

Population: 13,000 Spanish Mexicans, 75,000 Indians (long subdued by Spanish Friars), fewer than 1000 foreigners (mostly Americans).

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Polk hoped to buy California from Mexico.

Problems: 1.the US had claims against Mexico for $3 million in damages to American citizens- Mexico had defaulted on payments 2. Texas- Mexico threatened war if the US acquired Texas Mexico recalled its ambassador from the US.

3. Boundary Dispute- Texans claimed the southern boundary with Mexico was the Rio Grande River- Mexico claimed that it was the Nueces River.

The John Slidell Mission-1845

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1 Polk sent Slidell with instructions to offer a max. of $25 million for California & territory to the east

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2 Mexican presidents refused to meet with him.

The Mexican-American War On Jan. 13, 1846 President Polk ordered Gen. Zachary Taylor &

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4,000 troops to march from the Nueces River to the Rio Grande River —near Mexican troops.

Polk heard no news of armed conflict & prepared to go to

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Congress to ask for declaration of war.

April 25, 1846- news arrived that Mexican troops had crossed the Rio Grande River & attacked US troops (16 American

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casualties) Polk asked Congress to declare war; … despite “ all our efforts to avoid a clash, hostilities had been forced upon the country by the shedding of American blood upon the American soil”.

Whig Illinois Congressman Abraham Lincoln & OTHERS introduced the “ Spot Resolution ” – requested information as to the precise spot on American soil where American blood had been shed.

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Many Whigs & most antislavery northerners declared Polk to be a liar “Polk the Mendacious”.

Conquering Mexico

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Santa Anna, living in Cuba with his teen bride convinced American blockaders to let him through & he would sell out his country- he lied-

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he returned to Mexico & rallied his country.

Gen. Stephen Kearney (1846) led 1,700 US troops over the Santa Fe

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Trail to Santa Fe & captured the Mexican outpost easily.

Captain John C. Fremont (explorer) with several dozen men, US naval officers, and locals overthrew Mexican rule in California= Bear Flag Republic established.

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General Zachary Taylor (“Old Rough & Ready”) led the main US offensive across the Rio Grande River into Mexico.

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Buena Vista (Feb. 22 23, 1847) Taylor’s weakened force of 5,000 was attacked by 20,000 Mexican troops led by Santa Anna = battle raged into the night= Santa Anna & troops repulsed.

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Zachary Taylor called the “Hero of Buena Vista” ****Taylor seen as a potential candidate for president 2. Mexico City- command of the main US force given to Winfield Scott (“Old Fuss & Feathers”)- hero of the War of 1812.

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Faced many obstacles: inadequate number of troops, expiring enlistments, more numerous enemy, rough terrain, & disease.

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Sept. 1847- Battled his way to Mexico City

Gen. Winfield Scott President Zachary Taylor

The War Ends Nicholas Trist (clerk at the State Department) : accompanied

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Winfield Scott & troops to Mexico City.

Scott & Trist arranged a cease- fire with Santa Anna for $10,000 – Santa Anna pocketed the money to build up his

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defenses.

Polk recalled Trist & Trist wrote 65 page letter saying he was not coming home.

Feb. 2, 1848 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1.Mexico conceded US claims to Texas 2.Mexico ceded over 500,000 square miles of territory including California & New Mexico 3.US agreed to pay $ 15 million for the land & to assume claims of its citizens against Mexico for $3,250,000. 4. Mexico recognized Rio Grande as new border with Texas. Why would the victor pay an indemnity fee ?

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Guilty conscience?

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American “fair play”?

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Most likely HASTE-

Ending the Mexican War

 In 1848, U.S. & Mexico ended the war with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: The Rio Grande became the recognized U.S. southern border

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Senate Ratification of the Treaty Anti slavery Whigs in Congress (“Conscience Whigs”)

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denounced the war- had threatened to cut supplies to troops.

Some American expansionists wanted all of Mexico too- but

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US would have been saddled with expensive problems.

Senate finally approved the Treaty 38-14.

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Costs & Effects of the War Cost- 13,000 US Lives- most by disease US expanded by about 1/3 – even greater than Louisiana

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Purchase Mexican war- was a training ground for US soldiers for the

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upcoming Civil War (Capt. Robert E. Lee / Lt. Ulysses S. Grant) Most officers trained at West Point (1802)

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US navy successful blockade on Mexican ports.

Marines (1798) played key role in Mexico City

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Military had no major mistakes & no major defeats= new respect from countries around the world.

Map expansion

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Mexicans will not forget that US stole about ½ of their country.

US/Latin American relations injured US seen as “Colossus of the North” a meddling giant

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** Most Important : the war raised the slavery issue.

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Abolitionists claimed that the war had been provoked by the southern “slaveocracy” to expand slavery.

Henry David Thoreau refused to pay taxes to support the war on

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the grounds that it was a war for slavery (civil disobedience) Most of the US volunteers in the war were from the South & West (mainly because of proximity).

* The Wilmot Proviso : Representative David Wilmot introduced; said that slavery should not exist in any territory gained from Mexico. – passed twice in the House- KILLED IN THE SENATE

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Wilmot Proviso eventually endorsed by state legislatures of all but one of the free states

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Ralph Waldo Emerson : “ Mexico will poison us”

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John C. Calhoun: M exico is the forbidden fruit…the penalty of eating it would be to subject our political institutions to political death”.

“Mexico is to us (south) the forbidden fruit… the penalty Of eating it would be to subject our institutions to political death”

John C. Calhoun Emerson & Thoreau agree! Why??