5.2: Manifest Destiny

Who was elected in 1844?

James K. Polk

What did Polk’s campaign appeal to?

US expansion to the west

What is a continuity found in Unit 5?

Westward migration

**Remember: What did the proclamation line do? (1763)

Prevented colonists from migrating west into the Ohio River Valley

Remember: What happened to the Ohio River Valley after the American revolution?

They gained the territory and immediately migrated

Remember: What did the Louisiana Purchase do? (1803)

Doubled the size of the United States; gained millions of acres for homesteading yeoman farmers

What did the farmers constantly need?

Acreage to fulfill export demands

Who popularized manifest destiny?

John O’Sullivan

What was manifest destiny?

A nationalistic idea that God blessed the U.S. and gave it mission to spread over the entirety of North America

What two wars did manifest destiny cause?

1. Mexican-American War

2. Civil War

What was the reasoning for manifest destiny?

That america’s liberty and self-government were superior to any institutions out west

• Worth whatever cost to spread their ideology

• Convinced Americans to aggressively acquire more indigenous land

  • Barrier to “progress”

  • Believed American Indians didn’t utilize land properly

What did expansion allow? (1)

Access to natural and mineral resources

• To find new economic ties 

• Texas:

  • Necessary for other planers who needed new soil

• Oregon:

  • Desirable for fertile soil

  • Storied success of Wilamette Valley farmers

• California:

  • Massive migration on account of discovery of gold

  • American migrants presented Mexico with similar occupation issues as Texas

What was the oregon fever?

A desired voyage to Oregon to gain access to their soil for farming

What territory did James K. Polk campaign?

Oregon territory

What was the iconic saying for James K. Polk?

54” 40’ or fight (northern border)

What was the US willing to do if they couldn’t get their hands on the soil?

Go to war w/ Great Britain again over the territory

What did expansion allow? (2)

New Government Policies

• Preemption act (1841)

  • Granted squatters right to buy up to 160 acres before selling to the public

    • However they have to live on/improve land for 5 years minimum

  • Led a wave of migration of people looking for an affordable opportunity

  • Most of the Nebraska and Kansas organized and settled as a result

• Homestead act (1862)

  • Offered 160 acres with same stipulations as Preemption Act

    • THE LAND WAS FREE!!!

  • Resulted in organization and settlement of remaining US western territory

• Migration caused conflict

  • Federal treaties designated land west of Mississippi River as Indian Territory

  • Congressional policies broke these treaties

  • Some american Indian groups (e.g. Comanches) resisted with violence

    • Indigenous resistance eventually conquered and groups were displaced even further

What is a squatter?

Someone who established a homestead on a piece of land they did not own

What did expansion allow? (3)

Religious Refuge

• Mormons

  • Migrated to Utah Territory to practice religion freely

  • Led by Brigham Young

  • Settled near Great Salt Lake

    • Mexican Territory

What did expansion allow? (4)

Trade with Asia

• Due to declining chinese trade, American turned to Japan

  • Japan had been closed to foreign trade for 200 years

• America forced Japan to open trade relations

  • Led by commodore Matthew Perry

  • Japan agreed to terms and opened two ports to limited trade