Objective: To examine Manifest Destiny and the start of the Mexican War.

• New York• Idaho• Indiana• Nevada• Texas• Nebraska• Florida - 1819, Florida Treaty (Ceded by Spain)

- 1776, original 13 colonies-1846, Oregon Treaty

-1845, Annexed by Congress

- 1803, Louisiana Purchase (Purchased from France)

Do Now: Use the maps provided to write when, and in what way, the following areas became parts of the United States.

-1783, terms of the Treaty of Paris

-1848, Mexican Cession (Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo)

Manifest Destiny - belief that the U.S. had the right to all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its WayEmanuel Gottlieb Leutze, 1860

This painting shows Manifest Destiny as a religious belief that the United States should expand from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in the name of God. In 1872 artist John Gast painted a popular scene of people moving west that captured the view of Americans at the time. Called "Spirit of the Frontier“, the painting portrays settlers moving west, guided and protected by a goddess-like figure of Columbia and aided by technology (railways, telegraphs), driving away Native Americans and bison in the process. It is also important to note that angel is bringing the "light" as witnessed on the eastern side of the painting as she travels towards the "darkened" west.

Election of 1844

• Presidential candidate James Polk believed strongly in Manifest Destiny, and he favored annexing Oregon and Texas.

President James K. Polk

• Polk’s Presidential slogans were:“Fifty-Four Forty or Fight” and“All of Oregon or None”

annex = to add onto

• After winning the election, the U.S. and Great Britain compromised by dividing Oregon at latitude 49 degrees north.

Video: Pres. Polk uses his inaugural address to advocate U.S. expansion (:44) – after clicking, go to the third link from the bottom

• The U.S. declared war on Mexico in 1846, shortly after annexing Texas.

MULTIMEDIA

Mexican War – The Beginning

Gen. Zachary Taylor

Gen. Santa Anna* First battle of the war.

Video Summary (3:15)

General Zachary Taylor, Mexican War, c. 1847

• Northerners opposed the war. They felt it was a Southern attempt to add more slave states to the Union.

MichiganMaineIllinoisIndianaOhioVermontRhode IslandNew YorkNew HampshireMassachusettsConnecticutNew JerseyPennsylvania

ArkansasMissouriAlabamaMississippiLouisianaTennesseeKentuckyVirginiaNorth CarolinaSouth CarolinaMarylandGeorgiaDelaware

Free States

Slave States

Balance of Power Between Free and Slave States as of 1844

Original 13 States

Manifest Destiny Review with MC LaLa (3:24)

California

• Americans in California overthrew the Mexicans in 1846, declaring the independent nation of the Bear Flag Republic.

• Soon afterwards, California joined the United States.

Video: American settlers head west to seek prosperity in California (3:14) – eighth link under the heading “Manifest Destiny”

This flag, raised at Sonoma on June 14, 1846, was destroyed in the 1906 Great Earthquake and Fire. The star imitated the lone star of Texas. A grizzly bear represented the many bears seen in the state. The Bear Flag was replaced by the American flag.

Gadsden PurchaseThe United States bought southern New Mexico and Arizona for $10 million.

• Mexico recognized the Texas-Mexico border as the Rio Grande.• Mexico ceded the Mexican Cession to the United States.• Today, the Mexican Cession includes the states of CA, NV, UT, and parts of AZ, NM, CO, and WY.• The United States paid Mexico $15 million.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – 1848 (Video)

Video - Looking back: A just war? (2:14) Click link; go to the last video under the heading “Manifest Destiny”

Was the Mexican-American War a “just war”? Let’s debate!

Yes it was! (reasons) No it wasn’t! (reasons)