Chapter 17 Key Terms

John Tyler

Replaced President Harrison in 1840 after he died from illness.

Tyler was a Whig who was against 1) the Bank 2) Tariffs 3) Internal Improvement, which complicated Whig Unionization with Clay-Webster.

He lowered the 1842 Tariff to 32%. 

3rd War with England

War of words in the late 1830's and 1840's between American and British writers.

Wealthy British travelers did not appreciate the Common American.

Magazines published insults about the other country and the U.S. ignored foreign copyright laws.

Caroline Affair

The Caroline was an American steamship that was sank by the British in New York. It caught the attention of the media, increasing tension with the British. 

Aroostook War

1838-1839. A conflict between the British and the U.S. over Maine’s Northern borders. Militias formed on both sides and caused disputes.

Webster-Ashburton Treaty

Ashburton was a Londoner who created a Treaty with Webster in 1842. It was a compromise which gave America more land, but allowed the British to build a railroad.

Annexation of Texas

John Tyler annexed the Lone Star Republic in 1845. Mexico was right to believe it was still their territory — just in a temporary revolt — which lead to increased tension between Mexico and America.

Texas added more power to the Southern Slave States.

Hudson’s Bay Company

British Fur-trading Company in the PNW that was the leading colonization agency in the Oregon territory.

As fur-trading abated, so did British settlement. Eventually the American settlers overwhelmed any chance of the British successfully acquiring the Oregon territories. 

Oregon Trail

2,000 mile path that caused the “Oregon Fever”. It lead a large amount of American to the fertile Williamette Valley, just South of the Columbia River.

James K. Polk

Democrat running against Whig Henry Clay in the 1844 Election.

Known as the Dark Horse, as he was not well-known before he unexpectedly won. He was very methodical, diligent, and stubborn but not a notably genius politician. 

Manifest Destiny

Belief that God has destined the Americans to conquer the West. Focus of the 1844 election and created the “Expansionist Democrats”.

54’40 or Fight!

54’40 was the line that the Expansionist Democrats proposed to be the border for the Oregon Territory. This was a common slogan used by them.

Running against the noisy and propaganda-heavy Whigs during Harrison’s election, the democrats also possessed the same campaigning tactics.

Polk’s 4-Point Plan

1. Walker Tariff of 1846 → Dropped to 25%. Good for South, Bad for North.

2. Independent Treasury → Restored the bank that Jacksonian Democrats had wiped out.

3. Annexing California

4. Reaching a consensus of the Oregon Territory.

The British ended up deciding on the 49’ parallel to be the new border of the Oregon Territories. 

Mexican-American War’s Causes

• Polk wanted to buy California from Mexico for $25 million. Mexico refused.

• Mexico owned $3 million to the U.S.

• Texas added tension between the U.S. and Mexico.

• Manifest Destiny was taking over American Politics.

Mexican-American War Impacts

• General Zachary Taylor was put on spotlight.

• General Winfield Scott captured Mexico City, ending the war and popularizing his name.

• Boosted Manifest Destiny.

• Added more land to the South (1/3 land increase).

• “Mexico would be like the forbidden fruit and poison the nation.” - John C. Calhoun & Ralph Waldo Emerson

Santa Anna

Mexican dictator who was exiled, but brought back to Mexico by America to help them win the war. Instead, Santa Anna created his own army to defend the homeland.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Ended the Mexican-American War from 1846-1848. Quickly signed by Polk before he lost office.

The U.S. bought California, Texas, and the West for $15 million.

Californios

Mexican Christian missionary settlements placed throughout California. They led a successful society that used Native American slave labor, but faded out after American settlers started to come in.

Wilmot Proviso

Proposition that the land gained from Mexico should all prohibit slavery.

The South spurned it, yet the Northern states would adopt it nearing the Civil War.