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APUSH Chapter 17: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy - American Pageant

Key Concepts

  • How US interest in expanding national borders shaped the nation's foreign policy and spurred govt and private initiatives
  • How the US sought dominance over the North American continent through a variety of means, including military actions, judicial decisions and diplomatic efforts.
  • How various American groups and individuals initiated, championed, and/or resisted the expansion of territory and/or govt powers
  • How the American acquisition of land in the West gave rise to a contest over the extension of slavery into the western territories as well as a series of attempts at a national compromise
  • How the idea of Manifest Destiny was built on a belief in white racial superiority and a sense of American cultural superiority
  • How the idea of Manifest Destiny helped to shape political debates in the mid-19th century
  • How the acquisition of new territory in the West and the US victory in the Mexican War were accompanied by heated controversy over allowing or forbidding slavery in newly acquired territories.

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too

  • After William Henry Harrison (defeated Indian tribes at the Battle of Tippecanoe) dies, his VP John Iyler takes his place.
  • Tyler used to be a Jacksonian Democrat but eventually switched to the Whigs many accused him of still being a Democrat (true) because he blocked many of Whias goals Tyler vetoes a bill that would create a new, centralized bank.
  • Tariff of 1842: although he liked the idea of bringing in more revenue to the Treasury, he initially rejected it because part of the profit would go towards the sale of lands landseventually passes with modifications because there's a need for a protective tariff shows how the Whig victory in the election actually benefited Jacksonian Democrats

Foreign Relations: Anti-British Sentiment

  • Due to the low regard that British aristocrats had for the nation and books that criticized American shortcomings.
  • Caroline (1857): American ship that was bringing supplies to Canada, who was planning a rebellion (that ultimately failed). It was attacked by the British and set on fire American illustrators exaggerated the event, saying it also fell over the Niagara Waterfalls, in order to inspire outrage domestically
  • Creole (1841): 130 Virginia slaves took control of this ship, and eventually the British offered asylum for them in the Bahamas raises Southern fears that the British West Indies would become a safe haven for escaped slaves.

Manifest Destiny

  • Aroostook War (1842): Backqround: Britain wanted to create a railroad as a defensive precaution, but it ran partially throuah Maine. Fights erupt between Maine (US) and Canada (Britain) over who gets the area eventually, Britain sends a diplomat and a compromise is reached, where the US gets most of the land but Britain gets the route area they needed.
  • Meanwhile, the Lone Star Republic (Texas) had declared independence from Mexico, who still saw them as a colony in rebellion.
  • Texas needed foreign aid to keep the republic afloat and managed to sign treaties with some countries Britain is especially interested because such a massive territory would curb American expansion West
  • Election of 1844: annexation of Texas becomes a contending issue, s0 pro-expansion Democrat James Polk wins (dark horse candidate; no one expected him to win)- shows the upsurge of Manifest Destiny: idea that God had destined the US to conquer and 'civilize' the entire continent (largely based on white superiority).
  • Manifest Destiny is also seen in Polk's goals; lowered tariff, only for revenue
    • Walker Tariff (1846): although the North was upset about less protection, the tariff made plenty money
    • restoring an independent treasury (accomplished 1846)
    • complete acquisition of California and Oregon territories
  • Just as he leaves office, John Tyler annexed Texas in 1845using a joint resolution, which called for a simple majority in both houses of Congress shows the fear of partisanship in Congress over whether or not Texas would be a slave state by the time it was annexed, it wasn't decided whether or not it would be.

Mexican American War

  • The US wanted all of the Oregon, which was then being shared with Britain Oregon Trail facilitates American population of the area, leads to 54 40 or Fight. Eventually, conflict is settled in Oregon Treaty of 1846: President Polk settles for part of Oregon, as the British give up claims to land that they no longer use or care about.
  • Polk wants California because 1) harbor at San Francisco would allow the US to trade across the Pacific and b) rumors were circulating that the British were planning on buying the territory direct violation of the Monroe Doctrine
  • Slide Mission (1845): Polk sends diplomat John Slidell offer Mexico $25 million for CA Mexico is insulted and refuses Polk sends General Zachary Taylor to the Mexican border something happens, shots are fired, and Polk uses this as an excuse to declare war on Mexico Mexican American War (1846 1848)
  • spot resolutions: Whig Senator Abraham Lincoln demanded to know if the initial attack took place on American soilmany people especially Northern Whigs, feared that the war was an attempt by Southerners to extend slavery.
  • Buena Vista (1847): under General Taylor, 20,000 Mexican troops are defeated and Taylor is hailed a hero US army advances on Mexico City and successfully captures them.

The End Mexican American War

  • Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848): The US would get CA and Texas (officially) for $15 million and Mexico would also assume (take) any debts incurred from the damage of American property took more than half of Mexico's land
  • Conscience Whigs: antislavery Whigs in Congress who denounced the war and tried to limit supplies and money spent during the war so that it would end quickly afraid new territory would increase Southern slave power.
  • expanded US territory immensely
  • created prepared generals that would become useful in the Civil War (fighting both sides)
  • improved the world's reputation of the US
  • reinvigorated the slavery issue
  • The end of the Mexican American War meant the start of the Civil War. Remember, if they lost, they wouldn't gain any land; but even though they won, now there is an intensified the debate over the slavery issue.
  • Wilmot Proviso (1846): proposed amendment said that slavery should be banned from any territory acquired from the Mexican American War» failed, but increased tensions between the North and South.