AP US History. “The Americans claim is by the right our manifest destiny to overspread and to posses the whole of the continent which Providence has.
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“The Americans claim is by the right our manifest destiny to overspread
and to posses the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great
experiment of liberty…”
Manifest = obvious
Destiny = predetermined course of events
It was America’s obvious destiny to take over the ENTIRE continent to the Pacific
Cheap land
Better climate
Economic depression of 1837-1843 in east
Promise of riches (GOLD!!! SILVER!!!) California Gold Rush of 1848 and 1849 Colorado, Nevada, Dakotas also experienced
gold/silver rushes
1842: Portion of Maine and Minnesota
1845: Texas
1846: Oregon Country
1847: Mexican Cession
1853: Portion of New Mexico and Arizona
Moses Austin: Missouri banker who received large land grant; died before he could recruit settlers
Steven Austin: son; started American migration; led 3,000 families
Mexico wanted to attract settlers to Texas – even Anglos
Most Americans refused to obey Mexican laws
Settlers from the US south kept streaming in by the thousands
Mexican government closed Texas to additional American settlement
Takeover of Mexico by General Santa Anna in 1834
Santa Anna seeks to enforce Mexican laws in Texas
Sam Houston leads American settlers in revolt
Texas declared independent republic (March 1836)
Alamo (San Antonio): February and March 1836
Mexicans captured fort and killed all defenders except for a few slaves, women, and children
Davy Crockett Allowed Sam Houston to prepare for next battle REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!!!
Battle of San Jacinto: April 1836 Sam Houston leads Texans; defeated Mexicans in 18
minutes Captured Santa Anna; forced him to sign treaty that
Recognized Texas’ independence Gave Texas all land north of the Rio Grande
Mexican legislature refused to recognize his treaty with Sam Houston
Primary dispute was over location of Texas’ southern border
Mexico said Nueces River Texans said Rio Grande
Under the administrations of Jackson and van Buren, Texas’ request to be made a US state was denied because…
Northerners feared slavery would expand into the areas that Texas occupied (remember the Missouri Compromise line?)
Many feared costly war with Mexico
United States Based claim on discovery of Columbia River by Robert Gray
in 1792, on Lewis and Clark expedition of 1805; and on fort and fur trading post established at Astoria in 1811
Russia Based claim on Russian settlements coming down from
Alaska Great Britain
Based claim on Hudson River Company’s fur trade with NW Indians
Spain Gave up claim in Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 (which also
ceded FL)
Democrats split between van Buren and Calhoun
“dark horse” candidate nominated: James K. Polk
“Fifty-four forty or fight” was Polk’s slogan
Slogan appealed to southerners and westerners who wanted annexation
In 1844, John Tyler pushed through a joint resolution in the House and Senate to approve annexation
Joint resolution only required simple majority in each
A Treaty required 2/3 in each
Polk backed down on “Fifty-four forty or fight” slogan
Settled for half of Oregon country Divided Oregon country at 49th parallel Gave British Vancouver Island Treaty approved in June 1846
Polk send representative (John Slidell)to Mexico City to propose two things…
US would buy California and New Mexico territories from Mexico
US wanted to settle border between Texas and Mexico
Both proposals rejected by Mexicans
American aggression or Mexican aggression?
Polk ordered Zachary Taylor into disputed territory with Mexico
April 1846: Mexicans killed 11 US soldiers on patrol in territory
Polk sends war message to Congress
Stephen Kearney takes Santa Fe, New Mexico territory and southern California
John C. Fremont takes northern California & proclaims an independent republic (Bear Flag Republic)
Zachary Taylor drives Mexicans army from Texas, across Rio Grande, and wins at Buena Vista
Winfield Scott invades at Veracruz & takes Mexico City
1848:Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Mexican Cession)
Mexico recognized Rio Grande as Texas border US received Mexican Cession
Numerous present-day states US paid Mexico $15 million
Proposal at beginning of Mexican-American War by David Wilmot of Pennsylvania that said…
Slavery should be forbidden in new territories acquired from Mexico in war
Passed House but defeated in the Senate, WHY???
Southerners had enough votes to defeat it in the Senate but not enough in the House
Seen by many as first round in escalating conflict between north and south that would lead to Civil War
WHY???
Because it addressed issue of whether or not new territories would be slave or free
US purchase of portions of Arizona and New Mexico from Mexico in 1853 under Franklin Pierce for $10 million
Needed it for southern trans-continental railroad
1852: Ostend Manifesto Pierce adopts pro-southern policies to expand
slavery Sent diplomats to Ostend, Belgium to buy Cuba
from Spain The Ostend Manifesto (the agreement the US
made with Spain to buy Cuba) was leaked to the press
Drew angry reaction from anti-slavery Congressmen
Pierce forced to drop the deal
Walker Expedition William Walker (southerner) takes over
Nicaragua in 1855 US temporarily recognizes his regime Sought to develop pro-slavery territory Defeated by Central American countries and
executed in 1860
1850: Clayton-Bulwer Treaty US and Britain agreed that neither nation would
try to take exclusive (by itself) control of any future canal route
Would later be cancelled with Hay-Pauncefote Treaty of 1901 (which gave US exclusive control of canal route through Panama)
William Seward, US Secretary of State
$7.2 million (2 cents per acre) “Seward’s Folly” or “Seward’s
Icebox”
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