LEQ #4

Paragraph 1

• Context: The early 19th century saw the United States expand rapidly, both through diplomatic means and military conquest. The idea of Manifest Destiny, the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the North American continent, became a powerful motivator. During this period, the nation grew by nearly 50%, acquiring vast new territories. While territorial expansion was initially seen as a unifying force, it soon became evident that the incorporation of new lands was complicated by the deeply divisive issue of slavery, which underscored the differing economic and political interests of the North and South.

• Thesis: Territorial expansion between 1800 and 1850 played a crucial role in both promoting and challenging national unity. While it fostered economic growth, increased national pride, and contributed to the idea of Manifest Destiny, it also heightened sectional tensions, particularly over the issue of slavery in new territories.

Paragraph 2

• Historical Evidence: One of the most significant examples of territorial expansion was the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, which doubled the size of the United States and opened vast tracts of land for settlement and agriculture.

• Analysis: The acquisition provided the U.S. with a wealth of natural resources, contributing to economic growth. However, it also reignited debates over the expansion of slavery. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 attempted to balance the interests of the North and South by admitting Missouri as a slave state while prohibiting slavery in territories north of the 36°30’ parallel. Although this compromise temporarily quelled tensions, it laid bare the sectional divide over slavery, a division that would intensify as the U.S. acquired more territory.

Paragraph 3

• Historical Evidence: The annexation of Texas in 1845 was another turning point that tested national unity. 

• Analysis: Texas had gained independence from Mexico in 1836, and its annexation by the U.S. led to a war with Mexico, which viewed the move as a violation of its sovereignty. The annexation of Texas raised questions about the extension of slavery into new territories, as Texas was a slave state. This, in turn, prompted fierce debates in Congress, with northern abolitionists fearing that the addition of Texas would tilt the balance of power in favor of slave states. The annexation of Texas deepened sectional tensions and set the stage for the outbreak of the Mexican-American War.

Paragraph 4

• Historical Evidence: The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) resulted in the acquisition of vast territories, including California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. 

• Analysis: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) ceded this land to the United States, further expanding the nation’s borders. However, the question of whether slavery should be allowed in these new territories intensified the sectional divide. The debate over the Wilmot Proviso (1846), which proposed banning slavery in the new territories, highlighted the growing polarization between the North and South. The failure to resolve the issue contributed to the tensions that would later lead to the Civil War. The Compromise of 1850, which admitted California as a free state but included a stricter Fugitive Slave Law, was an attempt to maintain national unity, but it ultimately proved to be a temporary solution that failed to address the underlying conflicts over slavery.

Paragraph 5

• Conclusion: In conclusion, territorial expansion between 1800 and 1850 had a profound impact on national unity. While it spurred economic growth, national pride, and a sense of shared destiny, it also deepened the sectional divide over the issue of slavery. The acquisition of new lands—through the Louisiana Purchase, the annexation of Texas, and the Mexican-American War—exposed the irreconcilable differences between the North and South, with each side seeking to protect its economic interests. The failure to find lasting solutions to the slavery issue during this period set the stage for the conflicts that would ultimately lead to the Civil War, highlighting the limits of territorial expansion as a unifying force in the United States.