Westward Expansion and Sectional Strife

Manifest Destiny

Fueling the expansion westward was the popular belief that it was America's manifest destiny to expand across Texas, towards the Pacific coast. Tapped into American spirit. Echoed the ideas that the land was their God given right.

Creation of Texas

In the 1820s, American began to flood into Texas, a Mexican territory, due to the land grants from the Mexican government. They hoped that it would promote the region's trade and development. But, they began to outnumber the Hispanic settlers. In 1834, Texan leaders, most of which were American, declared independence from Mexico. Texas became an independent republic, after being refused to join the Union.

Annexation of Texas

Since more settlers were American, they decided whether or not they should join the US. Congress voted to annex Texas in 1845. Mexico did not accept Texas's independence and threatened war over the annexation.

Mexican-American War

US argued that the southern Texas border lay along the Rio Grande River. Mexico insisted that the border lay much farther north. With little success in buying New mexico and California from Mexico. Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande in 1846, starting the war. The US would win this and it would end with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Ended the Mexican-American War in 1848. Mexico would cede the land we would know as current US land in the West.

Oregon

James Polk's campaign slogan "Fifty-four Forty or Fight" referred to the latitude coordinates of northwest territory claimed by the US and Great Britain, like Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Northerners wanted the land acquisition since the admission of Oregon would be a free state that would balance the annexation of slave-holding Texas. But, President Polk did not commit since he was caught up in disputes with Mexico. In the 1846 compromise, Oregon was divided between the north and south; south belonged to the US.

California Gold Rush

In 1848, gold was found in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. Influx of settlers in search of gold created cities and mining towns and pressured for California to organize its own government as independent or part of the Union.

reservation system

In the 1869s, the government systematized Indian territory into small reservations, but most of the land was terrible and forced them to become dependent on the US government for food and supplies.

Battle of Little Bighorn

Sioux resistance against resettlement into the reservation systems. IN 1874, Colonel George Armstrong Custer in South Dakota fought them. In 1876, the battle, the Sioux were defeated.

Battle of Wounded Knee

Sioux final battle against the US Army in 1890.

A Century of Dishonor

Written by Helen Hunt Jackson. It attempted to raise public awareness of the Native American plight.

Native American assimilation into White society

Some hoped that religion would save or civilize them by teaching them the white ways. Others suggested that they fully integrate tribes into white society.

Dawes Severalty Act

In 1887, it called for the breakup of the reservation system and the treatment of Native Americans as individuals rather than as tribes. Henry Dawes believed that private land ownership would help Native Americans become civilized and assimilated. Formal communal land from the reservations was distributed to individuals in certain acre allotments and individuals would be granted US citizenship after 25 years. The remaining land would be sold to white settlers and land speculators. But, much of the land ended up in white hands due to poverty. Native Americans were homeless, destitute, and dependent on aid. Caused tribal disintegration and deprived Native Americans acres of land.

Slaughter of Buffalo

Impaired Native American life. Plains tribes depended on buffalo for food, leather, and other materials. White hunters killed their for their hides and let the carcass rot. Other times they were killed to force the Native Americans off the land.

Homestead Act

In 1862, Congres passed this which offered 160 acres to anyone who would cultivate and improve the land, but the soil was not good for farming. So ranchers and railroad builders ended up owning most of it.

Pacific Railway Act

Congress in 1862 passed this. It chartered the Union Pacific Railroad company and authorized the building of the transcontinental railroad. Union Pacific Railroad Company built tracks westward from Iowa. Central Pacific Railroad Company built tracks eastward from California. Met in 1869 in Utah. First transcontinental railroad. Could travel from one coast to the other coast easier.

Wilmot Proviso

Attempted to preempt the debates over the additional western lands. It stipulated that slavery be prohibited in any territory gained from Mexico. But, it was having trouble passing. There were four main issues.

1. Antislavery Northern cited the Northwest Ordinance as proof that the founding fathers opposed the extension of slavery and America should not add new slave states

2. Southerners led by Calhoun argued that all lands acquired from Mexico should be slave-holding

3. Moderates, like Pres. Polk, suggested that the lin from the Missouri Compromise be extended to Western territory

4. system of popular sovereignty

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Forbade slavery north of the Ohio River

popular sovereignty

settlers themselves would decide whether their regions should be slave holding or free

Free-Soil Party

Anti-slavery advocates united. In the 1848 election, they had Martin Van Buren as their candidate. He did not win.

Compromise of 1850

To deal with the issue of California admission as a free state, that created an imbalance between free and slave state representation. Henry Clay proposed 5 key points.

1. California be admitted as a free state

2. Mexican cession be divided into 2 separate territories, New Mexico and Utah and these territories decide by popular sovereignty for slave-holding or free

3. Texas cede its claim to parts of New Mexico and the government cover the $10 million war debt

4. slave trade be abolished in DC, but slavery continue

5. Congress strengthen the Fugitive Slave Act

Created the Great Debate, but the bill eventually passed, due to the death of Pres. Taylor and replaced by Pres. Millard Fillmore who adopted a pro-compromise position and Stephen A. Douglas took over as speaker of the house from Henry Clay and divided the bill into separate components, which each were passed.

Fugitive Slave Act

Required citizens of any state, free or slave, to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves. Denied alleged fugitives the right to a trial and did not allow them to testify in their own defense. Granted court appointed commissioners greater payment if they ruled in favor of the slaveholder. Law authorized federal marshals and southern posses to enter the North and target runaway slaves who had escaped decades earlier.

Great Debate

The Compromise of 1850 created debates between the North and the South, which criticized Clay's compromise for being too lenient on the other side.

Opposition against the Fugitive Slave Act

In 1850, 9 Northern states passed personal liberty laws to counteract the Fugitive Slave Act. They guaranteed all alleged fugitives the right to a trial by jury and to a lawyer. Prohibited state jails from holding alleged fugitives. Norther Vigilance Committees worked to protect escaped slaves and in conjunction of the Underground Railroad. IN 1854, a Boston mob broke into a courthouse and killed a guard in a failed attempt to free a fugitive slave. Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Underground Railroad

A network of safe houses and escorts throughout the North that helped escaped slaves to freedom. Harriet Tubman was key to the system.

Harriet Tubman

Key player in the Underground Railroad. She was sometimes referred to as Moses.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. He wrote about slavery with grim reality. Tells the story of a black slave who is torn from his family, sold from place to place, and eventually whipped to death.

Election of 1852

Whig party disintegrated during the 1850s. Free Soil Party candidate won little support. The winner was Democratic nominee Franklin Pierce.

Collapse of the Compromise of 1850

Pres. Franklin Pierce tried to avoid the controversial slave issue and tried to focus on territorial expansion of Mexico and Cuba and opening up international trade. The Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854 started the dissolve of the Compromise. Regional passion exploded and led to the Civil War.

Kansas Nebraska Act

In 1854, Stephen Douglas proposed a bill to organize Nebraska as territory in order to facilitate the building of a transcontinental railroad from Chicago to the West. But, the Nebraska Territory lay above the Missouri Compromise line, disallowing slavery. Nebraska became candidate for admission as a free state. The Act would repeal the Missouri Compromise so that no territory would be automatically designated non-slave holding. The bill declared that the slavery issue in the Nebraska region would be decided by popular sovereignty. Extended the Compromise of 1850 to Utah and New Mexico. Nebraska to west of Iowa and Kansas to the west of Missouri be the Nebraska Territory. Many thought that this would mean that Kansas would be reserved for slavery and Nebraska for free soil. Caused Bleeding Kansas

Bleeding Kansas

Since Nebraska would most likely prohibit slavery, Kansas became a ground for battling interests. Thousands of pro-slavery inhabitants crossed into Kansas to tilt the vote. With the fraudulent election, the pro-slavery government came into power. Ousted antislavery legislators and set up pro-slavery constitution, the Lecompton Consitution. In opposition to this, abolitionist John Brown led a massacre at a pro-slavery camp, causing further violence to break out.

Lecompton Consitution

It was a pro-slavery constitution set up after Kansas was determined to be a pro-slavery state.

John Brown

An abolitionist who was opposed to the Lecompton Constitution and the new government. He massacred a pro-slavery camp. Set off Bleeding Kansas. In 1859, he led a larger antislavery revolt in Virginia. He attempted to seize a Harpers Ferry to arm a massive slave uprising. His raid was unsuccessful. He was caught and hanged.

Dred Scott v Sandford (Dred Scott decision)

A Missouri slave was sued for his freedom on a basis that his owner had taken him to live in free states. Chief Justice Taney delivered the majority opinion on Dred Scott v Sandford. Taney stated that Scott had no rights to sue and state that a black man could never be a citizen of the US and be property, no matter where they were. Ruled that Congress could not forbid slavery in any US territory since that would violate the 5th amendment's protection of property, including slaves. Rendered the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional. Suggested that the Compromise of 1850 and Kansas Nebraska Act were unconstitutional since they enforced popular sovereignty which allowed territorial governments to prohibit slavery and biolated teh 5th amendment as well.

Republicans vs Democrats

Republicans: opposed slavery.

Democrats: supported the institution

Know Nothing Party

The members met secretly and refused to identify themselves. Anti-foreigner. Favored temperance and opposed slavery. Formed as the primary opposition party to the Democrats. Replaced by the Republican Party.

Disintegration of the Whigs

In the 1850s, they dissolved. Northern Whigs went to the Know Nothing Party and the Republican party.

Lincoln vs Douglas

Republicans vs Democrats. In 1858 election, Douglas (Democrat) faced opposition from Lincoln (Republican). Seven debates in which Douglas advocated for popular sovereignty while Lincoln espoused the free-soil argument. Lincoln was depicted as an abolitionist and advocated of racial equality and mixing, but Lincoln stated that he was not an abolitionist, but simply opposed the extension of slavery into the territories and did not aim to abolish slavery where is existed int he South. He still argued that blacks were entitled to the natural rights in the Declaration of Independence and attacked Douglas's belief of "Freeport Doctrine" which was incompatible with the Dred Scott decision. Lincoln lost he Senate seat, but emerged as an important figure.

Freeport Doctrine

Douglas's plan that he supported. Stated that the territorial governments could effectively forbid slavery by refusing to enact slave codes, even though Dred Scott had deprived Congress of the authority to restrict slavery in territories.

Election of 1860

Northern Democrats defended popular sovereignty and nominated Stephen Douglas. Southern Democrats opposed sovereignty in favor of the Dred Scott decision, which protected slavery in all territories, and nominated John Breckenridge for president. Constitutional Party nominated John C. Bell for president. Republican party candidate was Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln won the election, but alienated the South.

Constitutional Party

Southern moderates from the Democratic Convention who formed their own party for the election of 1860.