Studied by 28 peopleWho won the 1840 election?
Whigs: William Henry Harrison and John Tyler
Why does Tyler become President?
Harrison dies from an illness shortly after winning
Why did Clay believe he could still control Tyler?
Tyler did not change Harrison’s cabinet which favored Clay
What does Tyler do that angers Clay?
He vetoes Clay’s bill to recharter the National Bank
What happens to Tyler after he vetoes that National Bank?
His entire cabinet except Daniel Webster resigns and Clay uses his influence to kick him out of the Whig party
What is the Distribution Act?
A law proposed by Clay with would distribute federal surplus to the States as an excuse to increase tariffs and make it protective (disguised as wanting internal improvements)
Why would Clay need to give away money to establish the protective tariff?
If he did not give away money, then he couldn’t justify putting a “revenue” tariff to make “revenue”. However this “revenue” tariff was actually supposed to act as a protective tariff since it was so high.
What is the Preemption Act?
Another law proposed by Clay to gain Western support since the South would oppose the new tariff. It basically gave squatters more rights.
What does the South do in response to the Distribution and Preemption Acts?
They propose an amendment to them which says that if the tariff exceeded 20%, then the squatters rights would go away. Essentially would limit the tariff to 20% (not good enough for Clay)
What happens when Clay tries to pass the Distribution and Preemption Acts?
Tyler warns to not try and push through without considering the South. Clay ignores him, so they get vetoed. After some compromises the laws are eventually passed and led to the Tariff of 1842
Who coined the term Manifest Destiny?
John O’ Sullivan
What does Manifest Destiny mean?
The belief that Americans were divinely meant to settle the entire North American continent.
What were the 3 regions Tyler had to deal with?
Maine, Oregon, and Texas
What was the issue in Maine?
Border dispute with Canada’s New Brunswick
What was the Aroostook War?
aka the Lumberjack War, where people in Maine (lots of lumberjacks wanted the wood) were going to fight with the British.
How does Daniel Webster avoid war in Maine?
Since Ben Franklin’s border map was lost, he forges a fake one and settles with the British through the Webster-Ashburton Treaty (Defines borders in a bunch of places in the north)
Which 4 countries originally had a claim on the Oregon Territory?
The US, Spain, Russia, and the British
Why do Spain and Russia pull out of Oregon?
Spain gives away its rights in the Florida Treaty, Russia gives away its right under the 54’40 line.
How does the US and the British share Oregon starting in 1819
They renew a 10 year agreement each decade to share the region
Who wrote the book The Oregon Trail?
Francis Parkman
What causes people to start going to Oregon?
Boston Missionaries that got there wrote back saying they found “American Eden" (land of endless opportunity)
Why can’t Oregon become a State at first?
It was shared jointly with the British at the time. US wants to break away to form one.
Why did Texas originally want Americans to move into their land?
They wanted to create a buffer zone to protect their crops from Mexico which they just escaped from
What attracted Americans to Texas?
Cheap land that was usable for cotton production with slaves
Who were empresarios?
early American settlers in Texas that gained lots of power and land by making contracts with the Texas government by promising to bring more families in
Who was Stephan Austin?
One of the earliest and more successful empresarios
What happened after Americans starting moving to Texas?
They started outnumbering the native Texans, (3 to 2 ?) which caused the Texas Government to try and crack down by limiting immigration and making new laws
Did the Americans listen to the Texas government?
No, when the government banned slavery (and forced Catholicism) they simply forced slaves to sign life long contracts, they also ignores bans on immigration and new people poured in anyways
What change happens in Mexico that leads to Texass’ War for Independence?
General Lopez Santa Anna overthrows the government and becomes a dictator, while never formally recognized, he couldn’t be stopped due to his military power
What does Santa Anna do that sparks discussions of independence?
He tries to force American settlers in Texas to obey Mexican law (pay taxes and tariffs) which makes them unhappy
Who rallies support in Texas at the beginning of the war for independence?
Sam Houston
What happened at the Battle of the Alamo?
Santa Anna and his forces killed roughly 180 Texan soldiers and then proceeded to go on a massacre and execute over 300 prisoners
What happened at the Battle of San Jacinto River?
Sam Houston manages to form a decent force with the time bought from Alamo and catches Santa Anna by surprise, ultimately leading to the dictator’s capture
What happened to Santa Anna while he was captured?
He was forced to sign Treaties with Texas that recognized them as independent. However the new Mexico government declared that Santa Anna never had the power to do that and said all treaties were void
After the Lone Star Republic is formed in 1845 and a constitution is written by Sam Houston, what does Texas do?
They apply to become a State of the US in 1836, but are ignored by Jackson since he does not want to deal with the slavery question
What does the South think about Texas?
They want to annex Texas for the farm land that would be suitable for slavery and cotton
What does the North think about Texas?
They don’t want Texas to become a State since it would give the South more power
What does Tyler think about Texas?
He fears the British might try to take Texas, so he has Calhoun write a bill to annex it, but it fails. He also thought that annexing Texas could be a big achievement that might help him win reelection
Who were the candidates in the 1844 Election?
Henry Clay, James Polk, James Birney
How does the Election of 1844 pan out?
Both Whigs (Clay) and Democrats (Van Buren) originally wanted to keep expansion out of it, but Polk and expansionists take over the democrat party and promise to take all of Oregon, causing expansion to become the main focus for both parties and catching Clay off-guard
How did Clay screw himself in the 1844 Election?
He rushed to support annexation of Texas after Polk took over, but this lost him support in the North. The South also didn’t think he was genuine enough and didn’t give him much support either
What was the result of the 1844 Election?
Polk wins by a large margin and the democrats also win the majority of Congress
What eventually happens to Texas?
Due to the pro-expansion Congress that got into office before Polk’s term starts, Tyler is able to pass a joint resolution that brings Texas into the Union
What was Polk’s 4 point plan?
Reduces tariffs (goes from 32 to 25%, Walker Tariff of 1846)
Restore the independent treasury system (also easily achieved)
Get California
Get Oregon
How does Polk get Oregon?
He pretends to be willing to go to war for all of it (54’40 or fight), but offers the British to divide at 49th, which they initially refuse but later on ask for it again after fearing war
Why did the US want to acquire California?
It was a gateway to Pacific which allowed for stuff like easier trade with Asia. Also don’t want the British to get it
Who wrote the memoir Two Years Before the Mast about the journey by ship from Boston to California?
Richard Henry Dana
How did Polk plan to acquire California?
“Play the Texas game” and get American settlers to occupy land there, he also tries to buy it from Mexico multiple times.
What worsens US Mexico relationships that hinders the purchase of California?
Border disputes between Texas and Mexico on whether it was the Nueces River or the Rio Grande
Who does Polk send to try and buy California?
John Slidell (Slidell Mission) offers 25 million to buy it, but is isn’t even received since Mexico feels insulted
What happens when Polk orders Zachary Taylor to move troops from the Nueces River to the Rio Grande?
Mexico also moves troops there after a while and they kill 11 Americans
How does Polk convince Congress to go to war with Mexico?
He points to the fighting near the Rio Grande, the rejection of the Slidell Mission, and the 3 million debt Mexico owed
Who opposes the war with Mexico in Congress?
North (anti expansion, didn’t want to lose workers), Whigs like “Spotty” Lincoln who was determined to figure out the exact details of the fighting near the Rio Grande through his “spot resolutions”
Why did Mexico want to war with the US too?
They wanted to humble the US and get Texas back
What were the 4 prongs in the US Mexico War?
Stephen A. Kearney (google says its Stephen W. Kearney but whatever) gains control of South California and the New Mexico area
John C. Fremont gets control of North California
Zachary Taylor defeats Santa Anna at Buena Vista
Winfield Scott marches on Mexico City and seizes Fort Chapultepec with the help of Robert E. Lee
How does the US Mexico War end?
The US “wins” and enters peace negotiations with Mexico through Nicholas Trist and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed
What were the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo?
Rio Grande is the southern border of Texas
US gains Mexican Cession (basically the southwest corner of the US), which includes California and some other land
American Citizenship is granted to all Mexicans living in the Cession
US gives Mexico 15 million and removes their 3 million debt to them
What is the Bear Flag Republic?
A brief unofficial nation (basically all of the Mexican Cession) that self declared their independence from Mexico 2 years before (so in 1846) the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
What was the Wilmot Proviso?
A proposal by David Wilmot from Pennsylvania which would ban slavery in all the new territory acquired from the Mexican war.
What was the effect of the Wilmot Proviso?
Angers the South since they felt they were the ones mainly fighting in the war. Causes Southern Whigs to oppose their own party, leads to breakdown of the Whigs and even disagreement in democrats, increased sectionalism greatly
What was the order of events involved in the Mexican War?
Battle of Alamo
54’40 or Fight (tho that was Oregon)
Spot Resolutions
Wilmot Proviso
Guadeloupe Hidalgo
What was the main topic in the 1848 Election?
Slavery in the new territories (California, New Mexico, etc)
Who were the candidates in the 1848 Election?
Zachary Taylor - Whigs (war hero to combat sectionalism, Southern slave owner,)
Lewis Cass - Democrats (from Michigan to get some north support)
Salmon P. Chase - Liberty Party (Doesn’t want slavery all together, cited economic advantage slave holders had, still racist)
Martin Van Buren - Free Soil (Doesn’t want expansion of slavery into territories + no slavery in DC, no slaveholders in office, no slave labor in federal construction)
What were the issues with using popular sovereignty to decide slavery? (Lewis Cass stance)
States themselves were just as divided as the nation and it was problematic to decide at what point to hold the vote
Who opposed popular sovereignty?
Calhoun and other deep south Democrats considered slaves to be property and their rights to have slaves should be protected under the Fifth Amendment
Who first finds gold in California in 1848?
John Augustus Sutter
How does the population dynamic change in California during the 1849 gold rush?
Doubles from 20 to 40k, 90% are men
What were boomtowns?
Communities in California that underwent sudden rapid growth due to the gold and then were quickly abandoned after the gold had been panned out
How does California become a State?
Needed law and order, so Taylor tells them to draw up a Constitution and vote popular sovereignty to decide slavery
What happens when California votes to become a free state?
Angers South since they mainly fought in the US Mexico war and causes them to fear they will fall to tyranny of the majority. First talks of secession by Fire-Eaters
Who are the Fire-Eaters?
Radical pro slavery democrats, generally from the deep South and wanted Southern states to form a new pro-slavery nation
What was the Compromise of 1850?
Proposed by Clay:
Admits California as a free State
Divides the rest of Mexican Cession into Utah and New Mexico which decide by popular sovereignty
Disputed territory between New Mexico and Texas goes to NM and Texas gets 10 million debt cancelled (to the US)
Ban slave trade in DC
New fugitive slave law
How did James Birney feel about the Compromise of 1850?
Heavily opposed to it, was from Liberty Party so he was extremely against slavery (still racist)
How did Daniel Webster feel about the Compromise of 1850?
He supported it since he feared division of the Union. Gave a powerful speech in Congress where he said slavery was not going to go away and to not worry about it (Him and Clay piss off north)
How did Calhoun feel about the Compromise of 1850?
He opposed it, did not like that California was going to be a free state and also believed that having slaves was a protected right and shouldn’t be decided by popular sovereignty
Why does Clay write the Compromise of 1850?
He believes it is a big deal and that he will reunite everyone and bring peace to the entire Union (in reality it was only temporarily)
How was the Compromise of 1850 passed?
Debates stalled the bill since everyone knew Zachary Taylor would veto it (he was a slave owner), but he dies and the VP Millard Fillmore takes over and allows the country to vote on each part individually with the help of Steven Douglass (after clay died)
Who was Steven Douglass?
A northern Democrat who was the senator of Illinois, highly valued popular sovereignty and expansion, later became a national leader with the goal of becoming president
Why would voting on each part of the Compromise of 1850 allow for it to be passed?
Took advantage of the sectionalism, for example: no northerner would agree to the Fugitive slave law while no southerner would like California being free
What were fugitive slave laws in general?
Laws that enabled slave owners to recapture slaves that crossed state borders, even if they escaped to a free state. Also required people (law enforcement etc) in those areas to help them recapture
What was the Underground Railroad?
An informal, secretive, chain of houses that provided shelter, aid and guidance for runaway slaves to help them reach the north. Had both free blacks and abolitionist whites
How did the South feel about the Underground Railroad?
Believed it was theft since they lost around 1,000 slaves per year by 1850s
Who was Harriet Tubman?
A famous black female abolitionist who contributed greatly to the Underground Railroad by recusing around 70 enslaved people to her own risk
What else did the Fugitive Slave Laws from the Compromise of 1850 do besides allow for slave recapture?
Prevented fleeing slaves from testifying on their own in court. Denied trial by jury and instead were judged by special federal commissioners who were incentivized to return them to slavery (with money). Also meant people could be fined for aiding fleeing slaves
What were the effects of the Fugitive Slave Laws from the Compromise of 1850?
Nicknamed the Bloodhound Bill or Man Stealing Law, caused free slaves to move to Canada since they could not defend themselves fairly in court. However many northerners just didn’t enforce it which pissed off south. Also moved more northerners to be morally against slavery
Who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
Abolitionist, Harriet Beecher Stowe
What was the impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
Displayed the harsh conditions enslaved blacks had to experience to the wider public, factor to civil war
Who wrote The Impending Crisis of the South?
Proud southerner, Hinton Helper
What was the impact of The Impending Crisis of the South?
Criticized slavery economically as an inefficient barrier slowing down southern advancement. Met by heavy backlash in south, factor to civil war
Who was George Fitzhugh?
South lawyer who argued that slavery was good since it kept the “outwitted” blacks out of capitalism, and kept them civilized
What was the key issue in the 1852 Election?
The Compromise of 1850 and slavery (shocker!)
Who were the parties in the 1852 Election?
Democrats - can’t decide between 2 candidates so go for dark horse Franklin Pierce (from north to steal some votes)
Whigs - fractured still so go with war hero Winfield Scott (from south to steal some votes)
Free Soil - go John P. Hale
Why do the democrats win the 1852 Election by a lot?
They openly supported the Compromise of 1850 and didn’t want to discuss slavery any more, while Whigs were too fractured to take a proper stance and Free Soil opposed it. Public wanted the Compromise
Who was William Walker?
Some California dude who really liked annexing regions (manifest destiny) and forcing them to do slave labor. He annexes Nicaragua and becomes the self declared president. Originally recognized by Pierce, later he is defeated and kill by the natives residents
What was the Ostend Manifesto?
Secret Plan by South expansionists and Pierce to get Cuba (they med in Ostend Belgium) and turn it into a slave state while Spain was busy with Crimean War (manifest destiny). Would offer 100mil, then just take it if denied.
What happened to the Ostend Manifesto?
Got leaked to northerners and absolutely destroyed it
Why was the South starting to feel politically and economically isolated?
Transportation revolution aligned West more North. North was also growing faster due to new inventions. North went from 500mil in 1840 to 2bil in 1860. South only made 150mil
What new inventions and industries popped up during the 1850s?
Bessemer Process - cheap way to turn iron into steel, lead to big metal processing industry in north
Meat packing industry in west
Reaper - allowed for easier farming
railroads - went from 3k miles in 1840 to 10k miles of track in 1850
What was the Gadsden Purchase?
A small portion of land bought by the US from Mexico in 1854 for 10 million that would’ve allowed for a Southern transcontinental railroad without mountains (wasn’t built)
What did the US do to try and get a transcontinental railroad?
North and South agreed to distribute land in checkered pattern with rail road companies since it would increase land prices for both and raise money for government. Also had 4 options to build it, ranging from north to south
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