Manifest Destiny Manifest Destiny Millions of Americans in

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny § Millions of Americans in 1840 s & 50 s believed that God chose Americans to control of the Western Hemisphere § Felt mission was to spread democratic institutions from "sea to shining sea. “ § Land greed and ideals joined into a potent mix for expansion § "Manifest destiny" phrase coined in 1844 by John L. Sullivan § Movement really began in 1830 s with Jackson & Van Buren removing Indians

Election of 1844 § Democrats supported "Young Hickory" James K. Polk § Sought to annex Texas & gain Oregon up to the 54 -40 parallel. § Whigs supported Henry Clay § Liberty Party: 1 st party created to block the extension of slavery § Candidate: James G. Birney, founder of Kentucky Anti- Slavery Society § Party ran in both 1840 and 1844 elections. § Polk d. Clay 170 -105 (Clay lost NY by 5 K votes)

President James K. Polk § Polk’s 4 -Point Program § Lowered the tariff of 1842 from 32% to 25% § Restoration of the Independent Treasury System (1846) § Acquisition of California § Settlement of the Oregon dispute

Oregon Treaty (1846) § Control of the Oregon Territory had been under dispute for decades § John Jacob Astor: Developed the American Fur Company into a huge enterprise organizing the fur trade from the Great Lakes to Oregon. § Conflict with Russia § 1812: Russia established Fort Ross just north of San Francisco § 1820: Monroe Doctrine § 1824 -25: Treaties with U. S. & Britain pushed Russia to 54 -40’ line § U. S. & Britain became sole possessors.

Oregon Treaty (1846) § 1840’s: Flood of American pioneers came to Oregon on a trail blazed by Jedediah Smith § Oregon Trail began at Independence, MO or Council Bluffs, IA § 2, 000 mile trail; average of 17 deaths per mile for pioneers § 1846: 5, 000 U. S. settlers lived south of Columbia River; British had only 700 people living north of river § Early in 1846, Britain agreed to 49 th parallel

Texas § 1835 -1836: American settlers in Texas fought the Texas Revolution § 1836 -1846: They ruled themselves as the Republic of Texas § Mexico refused to recognize Texan independence. § Threatened war if the U. S. should try to annex the territory.

Texas § Texas was the leading issue in the Election of 1844 § Opponents feared expansion of slavery into new region. § Southerners strongly supported annexation. § 1845: President John Tyler won a joint resolution in Congress for annexation § Mexico claimed U. S. had unjustly taken Texas; refused to recognize its annexation

Mexican War § Polk wanted to buy California from Mexico § The Texas issue had caused Mexico to sever diplomatic relations with U. S. § Boundary dispute: Original boundary was the northerly Nueces River; Texans claimed the Rio Grande to the South § Polk honored Texas’ boundary & claimed $3 million in damages § Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City in late 1845 to buy California for $25 million § Mexico refused to allow Slidell to present his proposition

Mexican War § January 1846: Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to march from Nueces River to Rio Grande, and ordered Navy in Gulf of Mexico and California coast to be ready. § Polk was prepared to force a showdown, but none occurred

Mexican War § April 1846: Mexican troops crossed Rio Grande and attacked Taylor; 16 casualties § Polk sent war message to Congress. § Congress overwhelmingly voted for declaration of war. § Southern expansionists eager to take more Mexican territory. § A majority of Whigs opposed the war in principle. § Some Whigs questioned if the war had begun on U. S. territory § Spot Resolutions: Rep. Abraham Lincoln sought the exact "spot“ § Many Whigs believed U. S. had no legal right to land south of Nueces River. § Ralph Waldo Emerson feared slavery issue in new conquered territories would lead to a severe sectional crisis: "Mexico will poison us!"

Mexican War § California Campaign § Captain John C. Fremont captured California, after the state had earlier won its independence in the Bear Flag Revolt § In 1846, General Stephen W. Kearny captured Santa Fe and moved in to reinforce California

Mexican War § Pacific Coast Campaign § Commodore John D. Sloat seized Monterey & San Francisco. § Mexico Campaign § General Zachary Taylor was victorious at Monterey and Buena Vista § Taylor became an overnight hero (elected president in 1848). § General Winfield Scott pushed inland from Vera Cruz and captured Mexico City § Mexico still refused to negotiate and instead carried on guerrilla warfare.

Mexican War § Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) § Provisions: § U. S. gained California, and modern-day NM, AZ, UT and NV - ½ of Mexican territory § U. S. to pay $15 million and assumed claims of U. S. citizens against Mexico of $3, 250, 000 § Treaty approved by Senate 38 -14 despite bitter debate § "Mexican Whigs" disapproved of war & even threatened to cut off supplies to U. S. forces in Mexico § Expansionists in South clamored for all of Mexico § Calhoun pushed for treaty immediately before significant opposition mounted

Results of the Mexican War § Most significantly, slavery issue reignited: Slavery or not in new the territories? § In a broad sense, Mexican War resulted in Civil War § Abolitionists saw Mexican War as conspiracy of southern slave owners. § Wilmot Proviso (1848) § Slavery should never exist in any of territory gained from Mexico § Twice passed House but not Senate; endorsed by all but 1 free state § Southerners resented Northern attempts to prevent expansion of slavery

Results of the Mexican War § U. S. territory increased by 1/3 (including Texas); bigger than Louisiana Purchase § 13, 000 Americans dead, mostly by disease. § Sentiment for Manifest Destiny increased in U. S. § Latin America began to negatively view U. S. as the "Colossus of the North“ § U. S. forces experienced in war; would effect scope of Civil War