Unit 5-Expansion & Sectional Tensions (1844 - 1860)

Manifest Destiny (5.2)

• encouraged expansion from the Atlantic to the Pacific and into Mexican territories
• seen as divine mission to spread American liberty and democracy
• influences/motivations: nationalism, economic opportunities (new lands=desirable for agriculture and commerce), tech advances (telegraph)
• opposition: many Northerners saw it as a way to expand slavery into new territories
• Texas Annexation
• Oregon Territory
• Election of 1844 (Polk)
• Economic Impact

Texas Annexation

• Mexico gained independence from Spain and invited Americans into Texas
• Americans outnumbered Mexicans and tensions rose after Mexico outlawed slavery
• American settlers declared independence in 1836, creating Republic of Texas

Oregon Territory

• originally claimed by Britain, US, Russia, and Spain 
• in mid 1840s, many American settlers moved to Oregon for fertile land

Election of 1844 (Polk)

• Polk won presidency advocating for annexation of Texas and Oregon
• successfully annexed Texas and settled Oregon boundary at 49th parallel

Manifest Destiny (5.2) -> Economic Impact

• mining: the 1848 gold rush transformed California
• farming: the Preemption Act 1841 (which granted squatters to buy up to 160 acres of land before selling to public) and Homestead Act 1862 (which provided free land) encouraged westward migration

Mexican American War (5.3) -> Causes

• annexation of Texas: lead to border disputes with Mexico
• diplomatic tensions: Mexico claimed Nueces River as border but US claimed Rio Grande
• Polk's expansionism: wanted California and New Mexico
• Polk justified war after Mexican army attacked US soldiers

Mexican American War (5.3) -> Wilmot Proviso

• a legislative proposal aimed to prohibit slavery in territories acquired from Mexico
• passed House but blocked in Senate
• showed deep sectional divisions over slavery

Mexican American War (5.3) -> Consequences of War

• Wilmot Proviso failed but showed North and South tensions (Northerners suspected Southern motives in extending slavery)
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848): Mexico ceded California and New Mexico to US for $15 million

Compromise of 1850 (5.4) -> 3 Positions on Slavery

• Free-soil movement: supported by Northerners, advocated territories free from slavery
• Southern stance: saw restrictions as violations of property rights, willing to extend Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific
• Popular sovereignty: residents of each territory decide slavery issue by vote

Compromise of 1850 (5.4) -> Preserving the Union

• California's Statehood Crisis: the 1849 gold rush made California draft constitution to ban slavery; CA sought admission as free state even tho it is south of Missouri Compromise line; Prez Taylor (Southern slaveholder) supported this which increased tensions bc it contradicted the established sectional balance -> Southern radicals (fire-eaters) discussed secession
• Henry Clay's Compromise of 1850 (debated by Clay, Calhoun, Webster): 1. admit CA as free state 2. UT and NM territories decide slavery by popular sovereignty 3. resolve TX-NM boundary dispute with federal debt assumption 4. ban slave trade (NOT slavery) in D.C 5. enforce stricter Fugitive Slave Law
• Compromise led to short term relief but Fugitive Slave law and pop sov led to increased tensions

Sectional Conflict (5.5) -> Immigration

• Irish immigrants settled in North and faced discrimination
• German immigrants settled in Midwest and supported progressive causes like public education and anti-slavery

Nativism (Know Nothing Party)

• def: defensive response by native-born citizens perceiving immigrants as threats
• Know Nothing Party (American Paty) came from anti-immigrant groups that wanted restricted immigration laws

Industrial Growth

• railroads (Northeast to Midwest), sewing machines, telegraph
• Panic of 1857: led to falling agricultural prices and rising unemployment in the North; South was more financially stable with their cotton plantations

Fugitive Slave Law 1850

• required runaway slaves to be returned to their owners, even if they were in a free state
• federal and local officials involvement required
• many Northerners opposed; deepened divide

Underground Railroad

• led by Black and White abolitionists (Harriet Tubman)
• facilitated slave escapes to North and Canada -> helped many gain freedom
• showed the active resistance against oppressive laws

Uncle Tom's Cabin 1852 (influential literature on slavery)

• portrayed harsh slave conditions
• shaped Northern attitudes toward slavery

Failure of Compromise (5.6) -> Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

• introduced by Douglas to promote Western settlement and facilitate transcontinental railroad
• proposed to divide Nebraska Territory into Kansas and Nebraska where slavery would be decided by popular sovereignty
• impact: effectively nullified Missouri Compromise (opened territories north of 36 30 line to slavery -> led to regional tensions)

"Bleeding Kansas"

• popular sovereignty led to violence between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers
• showed failure of popular sovereignty as peaceful solution

Caning of Sumner 1856

• Sumner (abolitionist who criticized pro-slavery positions) was attacked by congressman
• the caning horrified the North but celebrated in the South

Birth of Republican Party

• emerged in 1854 (after Whigs) in response to Kansas-Nebraska Act
• founders included anti-slavery ex-Whigs, Democrats, Free Soilers
• goal: stop spread of slavery into American territories

Dred Scott v. Sandford 1857

• SC decision: AA are not US citizens, Congress has no authority to prohibit slavery in territories, nullified Missouri Compromise
• outraged the North, celebrated in the South

Lincoln-Douglas Debates 1858

• a national debate over slavery between Lincoln (Republican) vs Douglas (Democrat)
• Lincoln argued against expansion of slavery while Douglass supported popular sovereignty
• boosted Lincoln's profile -> set stage for presidential candidacy