Topic #1: Manifest Destiny

Essential Question: Was American expansion west justified?

Western Migration

Why?:

• Nationalism

• Increase in population

• Economic development

• Advances in technology

• Reform ideas

Who?:

• Pioneers and families looking for new land

• Fur trappers, trader, and hunters

• Miners - California gold digging in 1848 (Gold Rush)

Manifest Destiny

• 1845

• John O’Sullivan was the first to use the phrase

• The idea that it was American’s God given right to move West and expand American liberty.

• 1840s-1860s

Oregon Trail

• 2,000 mile trail emigrants took to travel from Missouri to Oregon.

  • From the 1840s-1880s, 250-650k people traveled west on the trail.

Texas Annexation

• 1821 - Mexico gains independence from Spain

  • Stephen Austin comes into Texas (owned by Mexico) with 300 families and gets a land grant.

• 1829 - Mexico outlaws slavery and doesn’t allow anymore American settlers into Texas.

  • General Santa Anna sends military to enforce these rules.

• 1836 - This leads to an American revolt, America wins and Texas gets Independence. It becomes the Lone Star Republic.

• 1845 - President John Tyler Annexes Texas and President James Polk signs Texas as a state.

James Polk

• 11th President

• 1845-1849 (Manifest Destiny)

• Democrat from Tennessee

• He had four goals for his term:

  1. Lower Tariff of 1842

  2. Create independent treasury

  3. Get California

  4. Settle dispute about Oregon’s border

*He completes all of these goals in just one term.

Oregon Treaty

• Britain (claimed Canadian territory) and the U.S. were fighting over where Oregon’s north boarder would be.

• Polk used the slogan “54’40 or Fight” referring to the 54’40 line that passed between the territories.

  • Polk’s plan doesn’t work and a compromise is signed in 1846 to have the divide at the 49th parallel, (lower than the 54’40 line).

Mexican-American War

• 1846-1848

• War with Mexico over territory.

• Ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

• America wins and the results are:

  1. Mexico recognizes the Texas border at Rio Grande.

  2. U.S. gains California and New Mexico Territories for $15 million.

     • These new territories caused debates over slavery.

Proposals to Fix Debate Over Slavery

• Wilmot Proviso: Proposal to have no slavery in new territories.

  • The House passes, but he Senate rejects

• Popular Sovereignty: Proposed by Lewis Cass. Proposed that people in the territory vote for against slavery.

Compromise of 1850

Established Five Different Things:

1. California would be a free state.

2. Territories of Utah and New Mexico would have popular sovereignty.

3. Texas surrenders part of its territory to New Mexico in exchange for $10 million.

4. The Slave Trade will be banned in D.C.

5. The Fugitive Slave Act will become stricter and require all citizens to assist with the capture of fugitive slaves.