Whigs, Polk, and Manifest Destiny

Whig Triumph and Defeat (1840–1844)

Period marked by Whig electoral success in 1840 but ultimate failure as internal divisions and Tyler’s vetoes destroyed their national agenda and unity.

Election of 1840

Whigs capitalized on the Panic of 1837, nominated war hero William Henry Harrison, used mass campaigning and imagery (“log cabin,” “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too”), and defeated Van Buren.

William Henry Harrison

Whig president elected in 1840 who symbolized popular campaigning; died of pneumonia one month into office after a long inaugural speech, creating a constitutional crisis over succession.

Presidential Succession Precedent

Tyler’s immediate assumption of full presidential powers after Harrison’s death established the precedent that the vice president becomes president, not acting president.

John Tyler

Former Democrat chosen as Harrison’s running mate; became president in 1841, was politically isolated, and rejected Whig economic policies based on strict constructionist views.

Tyler’s Personality and Background

Southern planter aristocrat, personally charming to peers but aloof to others; educated at William and Mary, trained in law, but devoted to politics.

Whig Agenda

Henry Clay’s program of a national bank, high protective tariff, distribution of land revenue to finance govt projects, and internal improvements to promote economic growth.

Tyler’s Vetoes

Tyler vetoed the Whig national bank and other measures, rejecting Clay’s agenda and leading to his expulsion from the Whig Party.

Texas Annexation

Tyler’s foreign policy focus to regain political relevance; annexation was controversial due to slavery expansion and risk of war with Mexico.

John C. Calhoun as Secretary of State

His pro-slavery, states’ rights views tied Texas annexation directly to slavery, dooming Tyler’s treaty to acquire Texas in the Senate.

Joint Resolution for Annexing Texas to the United States

1845, Tyler bypassed treaty approval by using a joint resolution requiring only a majority vote in both houses; signed annexation three days before leaving office.

James K. Polk

Democratic “dark-horse” president who fulfilled all campaign promises and led the nation’s expansion from Atlantic to Pacific through Manifest Destiny.

Polk’s Personality

Introverted but disciplined and driven; not intellectually brilliant but highly effective and determined in achieving political goals.

Manifest Destiny

Belief that Americans were divinely ordained to expand westward across North America, shaping Polk’s policies on Texas, Oregon, and California.

Election of 1844

Contest centered on Texas annexation; Polk defeated Henry Clay in a close race influenced by the anti-slavery Liberty Party.

Liberty Party

Anti-slavery third party whose votes, especially in New York, split the Whig vote and helped Polk win; showed slavery’s growing national importance.

Walker Tariff (1846)

Law signed by Polk lowering import duties and setting fixed rates, reducing sectional tensions and promoting trade; significance lies in reversing high protective tariffs.

Independent Treasury Act (1846)

Revived Van Buren’s system placing federal funds under government control and requiring specie-backed payments, aiming to reduce speculation and financial instability.

Oregon Question

Dispute with Britain over the Oregon Territory intensified by American settlement; resolved peacefully under Polk.

Oregon Treaty (1846)

Established the 49th parallel as the U.S.–British boundary, ensured navigation rights on the Columbia River, and avoided war, strengthening Polk’s reputation.

Mexican-American War (1846–1848)

Conflict sparked by Texas annexation, financial obligations owed by Mexico to Americans, and boundary disputes; justified by Polk as defense after American blood was shed on “American” soil.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)

Ended the Mexican War; Mexico ceded present-day California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma, accepted the Rio Grande boundary, and received $15 million, greatly expanding U.S. territory.

Wilmot Proviso

Proposed ban on slavery in territories gained from Mexico; passed the House but failed in the Senate, exposing deep sectional divisions over slavery.

Westward Expansion (1830–1848)

Driven by land availability, economic opportunity, and Manifest Destiny, resulting in massive territorial growth and migration.

Federal Land Policy

Congress lowered land prices and minimum purchases, encouraging settlement but fueling speculation and displacement.

Chain Migration

Pattern where early settlers scouted land and encouraged family and neighbors to follow, spreading sectional cultures westward.

Displacement on the Frontier

Poorer settlers were often forced west by land speculation, rising prices, and unequal access to resources.

Commerce and Urbanization

Expansion west created interconnected networks of towns and cities tied by waterways, canals, and trade, accelerating economic growth.

Transportation Innovations

Steamboats, canals, and railroads expanded commerce, investment, and national markets, linking rural and urban economies.

Industrial and Commercial Divide

Growing urban, industrial North became economically distinct from the largely agrarian, slave-based South.

Social Change in Cities

Immigration and urban growth transformed social structures, increased poverty and disease, and created a labor force receptive to industrial work.