T EXAS, MANIFEST DESTINY AND WESTWARD EXPANSION Chapters 13 and
17
Slide 2
G ONE TO T EXAS 1821 - 1823 Mexico gains independence from
Spain Stephen Austin brings 300 families to Texas to settle with
Mexican permission. The stipulations were: (1) they must become
Mexican citizens (2) they must become Catholic (3) no slavery
allowed These stipulations were largely ignored by the new
settlers
Slide 3
T HE L ONE S TAR R EBELLION Texans (among them Davy Crockett,
Jim Bowie and Sam Houston) resented foreign government 1830: Mexico
freed its slaves & prohibited them in Texas, much to the anger
of citizens 1835: dictator Santa Anna started to raise an army to
suppress the Texans 1836: Texas declares its independence. After
armed conflict and slaughters at the Alamo (13 day siege) and at
Goliad (both Mexican victories), Texan war cries rallied citizens,
volunteers, and soldiers
Slide 4
T HE L ONE S TAR R EBELLION After the Battle at San Jacinto,
Mexico agreed to withdraw its troops from Texas The Rio Grande as
the southwest border of Texas Texas was supported in their war by
the US, but Andrew Jackson was hesitant to formally recognize Texas
as an independent nation Jackson did recognize Texas independence
on his last day before he left office, in 1837. Texans wanted to
become part of the Union, but the slavery issue blocked this. The
end was an unsettled predicament in which Texans feared the return
of Santa Anna.
Slide 5
L OG C ABIN & H ARD C IDER OF 1840 1840: Whigs nominate
William H. Harrison (Old Tippecanoe) due to his being issueless and
enemyless John Tyler (Va.): VP A Democratic editor also helped
Harrisons cause when he called Harrison a poor old farmer and
identified him with many poor Westerners (who drank hard cider and
lived in log cabins) With slogans of Tippecanoe and Tyler too! the
Whigs promoted this poor mans president idea The election was a
protest against the hard times of the era (which party has been in
office??)
Slide 6
W.H. H ARRISON AS P RESIDENT ( BUT NOT FOR LONG ) Daniel
Webster (Secretary of State) Henry Clay (in the Senate) W.H.H. dies
four weeks after his inauguration John Tyler becomes president The
first to succeed to the presidency from the vice-presidency (acting
president?)acting More of a Democrat than a Whig (didnt like the
B.U.S.; Clay and Webster dont like him) Becomes a president without
a party (His Accidency)
Slide 7
In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his
Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties
of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President,
and the Congress may by Law provide for the Case of Removal, Death,
Resignation or Inability, both of the President and Vice President,
declaring what Officer shall then act as President, and such
Officer shall act accordingly, until the Disability be removed, or
a President shall be elected. ARTICLE II, SECTION 1, CLAUSE 6
(BACK)BACK
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Slide 9
What a prodigious growth this English race, especially the
American branch of it, is having! How soon will it subdue and
occupy all the wild parts of this continent and of the islands
adjacent. No prophecy, however seemingly extravagant, as to future
achievements in this way [is] likely to equal the reality. -
Rutherford B. Hayes Our manifest destiny [is] to overspread the
continent allotted by Providence for the free development of our
yearly multiplying millions. - John L. O'Sullivan Texas has been
absorbed into the Union as the inevitable fulfillment of the
general law which is rolling our population westward....It was
disintegrated from Mexico in the natural course of events, by a
process perfectly legitimate on its own part, blameless on ours....
California will, probably next fall away from Mexico, imbecilic and
distracted...The Anglo-Saxon foot is already on its borders....All
this without agency of our government, without responsibility of
our people--in the natural flow of events, the spontaneous working
of principles.... - Democratic Review, 1845
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A MERICANS BELIEVED IN MANIFEST DESTINY = O UR NATION HAD A G
OD - GIVEN RIGHT TO ALL OF N ORTH A MERICA ( FROM SEA TO SHINING
SEA ) What about the native populations? What about foreign nations
that had claims in the West? There were opportunities to be had
Mountain men went west to trap and trade. Missionaries hoped to
convert Native Americans to Christianity. Lumberjacks and miners
went to capitalize on timber and minerals. Farmers moved west to
farm vast, rich lands. Entrepreneurs made their way to
California
Slide 11
AMERICAN PROGRESS BY JOHN GAST
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N EWS FROM S UTTER S M ILL 1848: gold was discovered in
northern California. President James K. Polk announced the gold
discovery in his State of the Union address on December 5, 1848.
Americans caught gold fever. By 1854 as many as 300,000 people had
migrated to California.
Slide 13
L ET S HEAD BACK TO TEXAS AND EXAMINE ITS ANNEXATION IN THE
CONTEXT OF MANIFEST DESTINY Proponents Americans who believed in
Manifest Destiny wanted to admit Texas to the Union. Viewed the
Texas Revolution in the spirit of the American Revolution.
Southerners supported annexation because Texas allowed slavery, and
its admission would boost the Souths political power (and expand
farmland) Opponents Americans were concerned that the U.S. would
have to bear the substantial Texas debt. Northerners opposed
annexation because it would spread slavery westward and increase
slave states voting power in Congress. Congress was concerned that
the Constitution said nothing about admitting an independent
nation.
Slide 14
T HE 1844 PRESIDENTIAL E LECTION Clay (straddled the Texas
issueseemed for it AND against it) vs. Polk James K. Polk, the
strongly pro-annexation (no question) candidate and dark horse,
wins Clay lost the close election largely when he lost New York
thanks to the Liberty Party candidate (anti-Texas annexation)
taking votes from him Their actions inadvertently won the election
for Polkwhich led to Texas getting annexed! And that is the problem
Third Parties presentthey dont win but they can have serious
implications for the election result
Slide 15
T HE ELECTION AND TEXAS Mexico warns that it would consider the
annexation of Texas as a declaration of war. Voters in Texas
overwhelmingly approved annexation once Polk was in office
(statehood on December 29, 1845) The annexation of Texas enraged
the Mexican government. o Mexico never had recognized the Republic
of Texas and broke off diplomatic ties with the U.S. o In the
twentieth century, it will be said "Pobre Mxico! Tan lejos de Dios
y tan cerca de los Estados Unidos!"
Slide 16
Polk (an advocate of manifest destiny) wanted the nation to
acquire the land between Texas and the Pacific Ocean. However,
these territories (New Mexico to California) belonged to Mexico
Polk sought an opportunity to gain them
Slide 17
1845: special envoy John Slidell offered to cancel the $3
million in claims against Mexico in exchange for Mexicos
recognition of the Rio Grande as its boundary with the U.S.
Additionally He was authorized to pay Mexico up to $30 million to
purchase New Mexico and California for the U.S.A. No Mexican
representatives would meet with him Polk ordered General Zachary
Taylor (Old Rough and Ready) to take his troops into the disputed
border territory. The U.S. used the event of a minor skirmish to
declare war on Mexico.
Slide 18
Slide 19
General Winfield Scott (Old Fuss and Feathers) marched his
forces into Mexico City. U.S. forces soon controlled New Mexico and
California When their capital fell, the Mexican government was
forced to give in. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) forced
Mexico to turn over a huge tract of land known as the Mexican
Cession The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million.
Slide 20
In England, Brother Jonathan meant a country bumpkin The name
described Americans during the Revolution. In this 1847 British
cartoon, Brother Jonathan is dreaming about the Mexican War (as the
devil looks down). What is ironic about the title, The Land of
Liberty and really all of this cartoon?
Slide 21
The Gadsden Purchase completes our southern continental
conquest by 1853 ($10,000,000) A southern trans- continental
railroad??
Slide 22
W ILMOT PROVISO What is to become of the Mexican Cession? Slave
or Free? The Wilmot (Pa.) Proviso Slavery should never exist in
lands gained from Mexico A way to thwart the attempts of the
slavocracy to gain power in Congress Tried to get this passed at
the beginning of the conflict Never does become law Mexico will
poison us. Ralph Waldo Emerson The Civil War was ultimately Santa
Annas revenge
Slide 23
A ND FINALLY, OREGON 1846: Polk tells British that joint
occupation no longer acceptable 54 40 or fight! England prepares
for war, proposes division of the area Senate approves division of
Oregon along 49 o north latitude in 1846
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Slide 25
S O, WAS JAMES K. POLK THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PRESIDENT IN THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES ? What did he promise in his campaign
of 1844? To serve one term To lower tariffs (for revenue) To
support the annexation of Texas To settle the Oregon boundary
dispute with Great Britain To reestablish an independent treasury
system To acquire territory from Mexico that eventually became
California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of
Colorado and Wyoming