MANIFEST DESTINY AND ITS

LEGACY,1840-1850APUSH Lecture 4A

(covers Ch. 11)

Mrs. KraySome slides taken from Suan Pojer

Trends in Antebellum America

Growing divisions between North and South

Beginning of the Industrial Revolution

New Intellectual and Religious Movements

Re-emergence of the 2-party system

Increasing federal power

Increasing nationalism which led to territorial

expansion

Looking Westward

Manifest Destiny Name given to the belief that the U.S.

would inevitably expand westward to the Pacific OceanCoined by newspaper editor John

O’Sullivan in 1845

Forces Driving ExpansionNationalism, population increase, rapid

economic development, technological advances, reforming ideals

Some opposed expansion b/c they feared it would re-ignite the slave debate and threaten the Union’s stability Henry Clay

Manifest Destiny & Texas

1823: Mexico gained independence from SpainEncouraged American

immigration

Stephen Austin brought 300 American families

By 1830, Americans outnumbered Mexicans in Texas 3 to 1.

The War for Texas Independence, 1836 1829: Mexico outlawed slavery & required

conversion to CatholicismMany Texas settlers ignored the law

Mexico closed Texas to American immigration…but the American keep coming!

Gen. Lopez de Santa Ana came to power and insisted that Texans follow Mexico’s lawsMarch 1836: Texas rebels under the leadership

of Sam Houston

The Lone Star Republic is Born, 1836-1844

War for IndependenceMexico defeats Texans at Battle of the

AlamoBattle of San Jacinto

○ Texans defeat Mexican army & capture Santa Ana

○ Under threat of execution, Santa Ana signed treaty recognizing Texas independence

President Sam Houston applies for annexation to U.S.3 U.S. presidents (Jackson, Van

Buren, & Harrison) all put off requestFeared re-igniting slave debate &

angering Mexico

Manifest Destiny & Oregon Treaty of 1818 grants

joint U.S. & British occupation of Oregon TerritoryHardly anyone lives

there

1840s – Oregon Fever sweeps the U.S.

Between 1840-1860 more than 250,000 Americans moved westward

The Oregon Trail

Americans traveled more than 2,000 miles over the Oregon Trail

"The Oregon Trail” by Albert Bierstadt, 1869

The Reality of Life on the Trail Wagon trains averaged

15 miles per day

Conditions were harshThreatened by disease,

depression, & Indian attacks

After months of travel, wagon trains would reach the foothills of the Rockies or face the hardships of the southwestern deserts

Americans traveled 2,000 miles over the Oregon Trail to settle in the area south of the Columbia

River

"The Oregon Trail” by Albert Bierstadt, 1869

Wagon train averaged 15 miles per day

Conditions were harsh – threatened by disease, depression, & Indian attacks

After months of travel, wagon trains would reach the foothills of the Rockies or face the hardships of the southwestern deserts.

April, 1846 – April, 1847April, 1846 – April, 1847

James Reed & WifeJames Reed & Wife

Margaret Patrick John Breen Breen Breen Margaret Patrick John Breen Breen Breen

Of the 83 members of the

Donner Party, only 45 survived and

got to CA!

Of the 83 members of the

Donner Party, only 45 survived and

got to CA!

CANNIBALISM

! CANNIBALISM

!

Expansion and War

The Election of 1844 Election was a referendum on Manifest Destiny

Many Americans believed it was our destiny to take all of Oregon, annex Texas, and persuade Mexico to give up California too

Whig PartyNominated Henry Clay…againTried to straddle the Texas issue

Democrats were dividedDark horse candidate James K.

Polk gets the nomination○ Supporter of expansion (Texas,

Oregon, California) ○ Campaign slogan “54o40’ or Fight”

The Results

Henry Clay’s last minute support of Texas annexation alienated NY votersThey bolt the Whig Party and vote for the anti-slavery Liberty

Party candidate James Birney Polk wins!!! President Tyler sees his victory as a mandate to annex

Texas, he pushed it through Congress

The Presidency of James K. Polk, 1845-1849

Lowered the tariff

Resolved the Oregon boundary disputeNo actual “54o40 or fight” –

divided Oregon at the 49th parallel

Some Northerners see this as a sell out to Southern interests b/c loss of potential free states

Restored the independent treasury

Acquired California

“JAMES K. POLK”by They Might Be Giants

In 1844, the Democrats were splitThe three nominees for the presidential candidateWere Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionistJames Buchanan, a moderateLewis Cass, a general and expansionistFrom Nashville came a dark horse riding upHe was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump!

“JAMES K. POLK”by They Might Be Giants

Austere, severe, he held few people dearHis oratory filled his foes with fearThe factions soon agreedHe's just the man we needTo bring about victoryFulfill our Manifest DestinyAnd annex the land the Mexicans commandAnd when the votes were cast the winner wasMister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump!

“JAMES K. POLK”by They Might Be Giants

In four short years he met his every goalHe seized the whole southwest from MexicoMade sure the tariffs fellAnd made the English sell the Oregon TerritoryHe built an independent treasuryHaving done all this he sought no second termBut precious few have mourned the passing ofMister James K. Polk, our eleventh president“Young Hickory,” Napoleon of the Stump!

The War with Mexico,1846-1848

The Road to War Nov. 1845: Slidell Mission

Goal: gain recognition of Rio Grande as the Southern border of Texas○ In exchange U.S. would give up American

citizens claims against Mexican government Also offered to by New Mexico area for $5

million dollars and California at any price Mission failed

April 1846: “American Blood Spilled on American Soil” Polk justified the Mexican War by claiming

Mexican troops had illegally crossed into U.S. territory & attacked and killed American soldiers○ War declared in May 1846

Led by Abraham Lincoln & supported by transcendentalists like Thoreau, the Whig Party opposed the war

The Mexican American War With a force of 15,000 Gen. Stephen

Kearney takes the New Mexico territory and Southern California

June 1846: John Fremont leads a revolt in CaliforniaBear Flag Republic created

1847: Battle of Buena VistaGen. Zachary Taylor drives the Spanish

army from Texas

Gen. Winfield Scott leads invasion of MexicoBombardment of Vera CruzSeizes Mexico City

Gen. Zachary Taylor“Old Rough & Ready”

Gen. Winfield Scott“Old Fuss & Feathers”

The Mexican-American War

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, 1848

Mexico forced to sign treaty

Gave up claims to Texas north of the Rio Grande

Mexican CessionU.S. gave Mexico $15,000,000

for California and New Mexico

U.S. agreed to pay American citizens’ claims against the Mexican government (over $3,500,000)

The United States in 1848

Opposition to the Treaty Whig Party

Saw the war as an immoral effort to expand slavery

Young Whig Congressman from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, spoke out eloquently against the war

Southern DemocratsDisliked the treaty because they wanted ALL

of Mexico

Effects of the War & Treaty

17 month war cost $100,000,000 and 13,000+ American lives (mostly from disease)

New territories brought into the U.S. re-ignited the slave debate

New territory upset the balance of power between North and South

Manifest Destiny partially realized

To popular generals (Zachary Taylor & Winfield Scott) would run for president as Whigs