Manifest Destiny Westward Expansion and American History EQ

Manifest Destiny

Westward Expansion and American History EQ: Evaluate the extent to which western expansion contributed to maintaining continuity as well as fostered change with regard to growing sectional tensions between the North and South in the U. S from 1800 -1850.

Territorial Expansion Early 19 th Century

Manifest Destiny: An Intro What is it? o Belief that it was America’s “God-Given” right to expand from coast to coast o Term that was created by John O’Sullivan o The South generally favored westward expansion • More land spread slavery When time period is associated with it? o 1840 s and 1850 s o Although it has roots in the LA Purchase and Indian Removal Act Key Associations: o Oregon o Texas o Mexican-American War

Overland Trails Oregon Trails Mormon Trails Santa Fe Trails California Trail

Oregon At one time, four countries claimed Oregon: o Spain o Britain o Russia o US The boundary was not settled between US and Great Britain Polk campaigned on “ 54° 40’ or Fight” during the 1844 election. Other issues in the 1844 election included: o Texas annexation and slavery in the new territories Eventually, the two sides settle on the 49 th parallel

Boundary Dispute in Maine vs. New Brunswick o Aroostook War (1838 -39) o Canadians vs. American Lumberjacks o Webster-Ashburton Treaty if 1842

Texas In 1836, Texas declared independence from Mexico 1844 presidential campaign focused on the issue of Texas In 1845, Texas is annexed via a joint resolution Southerners favored the admission as a way to expand slavery The boundary was not settled by both US and Mexico o U. S. sets boundary on the Rio Grande while Mexico on the Nueces RIver Helps lead to the…….

The Republic of Texas March, 1836: Texans declare independence and the Alamo under siege April, 1836: Santa Anna defeated at San Jacinto May, 1836: Santa Anna’s treaty recognizes Texas’ claim to territory Hero of San Jacinto, Sam Houston, becomes first President of Texas offers free land grants to U. S. settlers Annexation to U. S. refused by Jackson but did recognize as a sovereign republic Texas is independent nation for 9 years

Republic of Texas

Clay vs. Polk I flip-flopped on the annexation of Texas I advocated the annexation of Texas…

The Mormon Trek: Westward Flight Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints founded by Joseph Smith, 1830 Mormon church seeks revival of pure aboriginal American Christianity Mormons persecuted for unorthodoxy Flee New York for Nauvoo, Illinois Murder of Joseph Smith in 1844 o Brigham Young becomes Mormon leader o Mormons move to Great Salt Lake in Utah

The Mormon Trek: Mormons in Utah 1847: State of Deseret established, technically in Mexican territory Desert transformed into farmland 1848: U. S. gets Utah and Mormons at first resist U. S. governance 1857: Brigham Young accepts post as territorial governor of Utah

Western Trails

Mexican-American War Polk sends Slidell o o Causes: o o o 1. Mexico recognizes Rio Grande as southern border of Texas 2. U. S. takes CA and NM. U. S. pays $15 million to settle American claims against Mexico Effects: o o o Texas boundary: Rio Grande vs. Nueces “American blood on American soil”- Zachary Taylor’s army attacked Lincoln’s “Spot Resolutions” Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo o o 1. Buy California & New Mexico for $25 million- insulting to Mexico 2. Settle disputed border US gains Mexican Cession Land increases by 1/3 US now expands from Atlantic to the Pacific Debate over slavery would be #1 topic until the Civil War o o Wilmot Proviso – wanted to keep slavery out of Mexican Cession Passed House, not Senate Compromise of 1850

War with Mexico: Outbreak Texan claim to area between Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers not recognized by Mexico – US inherit dispute After Texas annexation, this causes conflict between U. S. and Mexico Polk orders General Zachary Taylor into disputed area

War with Mexico: Outbreak April 24, 1846 Mexicans attack Americans in disputed area May 13, 1846: War on Mexico declared Polk hopes to gain New Mexico and California U. S. expects war to be relatively short

War with Mexico: Course General Zachary Taylor wins campaign in northern Mexico Colonel Stephen Kearney captured New Mexico and joined John C. Frémont in taking California by early 1847 September, 1847: Mexicans refused to make peace despite military defeats

Settlement of the Mexican. American War: Terms February, 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo o o Rio Grande becomes southern border of Texas New Mexico, California ceded to U. S. pays Mexico $15 million Mexican residents in ceded areas would become American citizens

Settlement of the Mexican. American War: Aftermath Why the U. S. did not annex all of Mexico? o Merk Thesis: Racism and anti-colonial heritage o Graebner: U. S. only wanted west coast ports, no need for rest of Mexico

Settlement of the Mexican. American War: Aftermath Mexican War politically contentious o Whigs constantly criticized war effort o Northerners view war as aimed at increasing slavery and Southern power o Wilmont Proviso to prohibit slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico Manifest Destiny ultimately limited by racism and slavery question

The Mexican-American War

Gadsden Purchase Watch Jimmy Fallon’s skit on the Gadsden Purchase.

Internal Expansionism Discovery of California gold inspires transcontinental projects Territorial expansion wanes after 1848; economic, population growth continues

The Triumph of the Railroad 1840 s: Railroad begins displacing canals Rail construction stimulates iron industry Railroads greatest impact on American economy Railroads stimulate new forms of finance Railroads get government tax breaks

Railroads, 1850 and 1860

The Industrial Revolution Takes Off Mass production, the division of labor makes production more efficient Factory system emerges o o o Gather laborers in one place for supervision Cash wages “Continuous process” of manufacturing

The Industrial Revolution Takes Off Agriculture becomes mechanized Northern economy based on interaction of industry, transportation, agriculture

Mass Immigration Begins 1840– 1860: industrialization brings 4 million Irish (potato famine) Germans immigrate to U. S. for higher wages Irish experience more prejudice than Germans Most come from Western Europe for higher wages Immigrants fill low-paying wage earner jobs in port cities Low immigrant wages contribute to slums Urban reform movement results from poverty of slums Working class experience unifies different ethnicities into an American working class Male workers went from artisans to factory works Accelerated Industrial Revolution by providing large pool of labor

Immigration to the United States, 1820– 1860

The New Working Class 1840 s: Factory labor begins shifting from women and children to men Immigrants dominate new working class Employers less involved with laborers Post-1837, employers demand more work for less pay Unions organized to defend worker rights

The New Working Class Wage laborers resent discipline, continuous nature of factory work Workers cling to traditional work habits Transition to factory work not easy Adjustment to new work style was painful and took time

The Costs of Expansion Working class poses problem for ideals o o Working for wages was assumed to be the first step toward becoming one’s own master New class of permanent wage-earners conflicted with old ideal Economic expansion creates conflicts between classes

The Costs of Expansion Territorial expansion creates conflicts between sections Both sets of conflicts uncontrollable

Impacts of Manifest Destiny Native Americans: o They continually lost land were pushed further and further west o Eventually, they were forced on reservations Slavery: o Manifest destiny thrust the issue of slavery into the national spotlight o Debate over whether new land should be slave or free Politics o Wilmot Proviso-no slavery in the Mexican Cession • Does not pass but infuriates the South o Republican Party: • One of the platforms was to keep slavery from expanding