Comprehensive Study Notes on Manifest Destiny and Civil War

Coined by journalist John O'Sullivan.
Concept: America's God-given duty to expand across the continent.
Key Figure: James K. Polk, known as the "Manifest Destiny President."
- Campaign slogan during the 1844 election: "54-40 or Fight" for Oregon territory.
Discovery of gold in California in 1848 fueled expansionist sentiment.

Many Americans risked hardships along westward trails (Oregon, Santa Fe, Mormon) for a better future and economic opportunities.
Following the Texas independence, debates intensified over its annexation:
- Texas's desire to join the Union.
- Concern: balance between slave and free states post-Missouri Compromise.
Texas was annexed in 1845 by President Polk.

Following annexation, border disputes occurred between the U.S. and Mexico, particularly at the Rio Grande River.
War broke out, leading to the Mexican-American War.
Key Incident:
- David Wilmot (Pennsylvania Representative) proposed the Wilmot Proviso to ban slavery in territories acquired from the war (failed).
- Highlighted sectional tensions; increased Southern fears of government abolitionist intentions.
War ended in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo:
- Extended American borders to the Pacific Ocean and the Rio Grande in the South.
- Southern border finalized via the Gadsden Purchase.

Following the Mexican cession, tensions arose concerning slavery in new territories:
- The Free Soil Party advocated against slavery in these regions.
- Southern interests insisted on protecting slavery.
Henry Clay's Compromise of 1850:
- Added California as a free state.
- Established popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico.
- Banned slave trade in Washington, D.C., while strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act (angered Northerners).

Passed in 1854, allowed for popular sovereignty in the two territories.
Nullified the 36°30' line established by the Missouri Compromise.
- Resulted in violent confrontations ("Bleeding Kansas") as pro and anti-slavery factions flooded the territory to sway votes.

Emerged to unify those opposed to the expansion of slavery.
Abolitionist movements gained momentum:
- Harriet Tubman aided approximately 300 slaves via the Underground Railroad.
- Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" illustrated slavery's cruelty and inhumanity.
Southern defense of slavery:
- George Fitzhugh claimed Northern industrial labor conditions were worse than slavery.

In 1857, declared African Americans were not citizens, unable to sue in court.
Declared Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, posing a setback for abolitionism.

Extremist abolitionist John Brown led a raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, aimed at initiating a slave rebellion.
- Seen by some as a martyr, but heightened Southern fears of Northern violence against slavery.

North: Diverse economy based on manufacturing and trade.
South: Relied on plantation agriculture, leading to resistance on slavery issues.
Tension over tariffs: Beneficial to North but detrimental to Southern cotton sales.

1860 Presidential election: Four candidates, including a split Democratic ticket facilitated Lincoln's victory.
- Lincoln did not receive any Southern electoral votes.
- Immediate Southern secession, starting with South Carolina, forming the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis as President.
Northern Advantages:
- Larger population.
- Control over U.S. Navy and banking, facilitating financial resources.
- More infrastructure (railroads and farmland).
Southern Determination:
- Strong commitment to maintaining slavery and possession of experienced military leaders such as Robert E. Lee.

Fort Sumter: Official commencement of the war.
Antietam: Confederate defeat discouraged foreign support for the Confederacy.
Gettysburg: Turning point of the war, effectively ended Southern invasion efforts into the North.
Atlanta Campaign: General Sherman waged total war to demoralize the South, traveling from Atlanta to Savannah.
Appomattox: Site of Confederacy's surrender.

After Fort Sumter, Lincoln called for 75,000 troops.
Enacted Conscription Act in 1863 to augment forces.
Restricted civil liberties during the war through suspension of habeas corpus, particularly controversial in border states like Maryland.
Emancipation Proclamation (post-Antietam): Freed slaves from states in rebellion, redefining the war's purpose around the issue of slavery and allowing African Americans to enlist in the Union army.
Gettysburg Address: Redefined war purpose around equality and freedom principles.

Lincoln's assassination by John Wilkes Booth prevented the implementation of his post-war plans.
Initial plan: Rapid restoration of the Union requiring loyalty oaths from 10% of the voters.
Johnson's approach: South needed to revoke secession and abolish slavery.
Radical Republicans:
- Desired full citizenship and voting rights for freedmen.
- Utilized military force to enforce Reconstruction policies in Southern states.
Successes of Reconstruction:
- Freedmen's Bureau established to assist newly freed slaves with essentials and education.
- Ratifications of Reconstruction amendments:
- Thirteenth: Abolished slavery.
- Fourteenth: Established citizenship rights.
- Fifteenth: Provided universal male suffrage regardless of race.
- Enabled election of African American officials.

Resistance from white Southerners through Jim Crow laws.
Implemented restrictive measures like poll taxes and literacy tests to disenfranchise freedmen.
Rise of racial violence, notably through organizations like the Ku Klux Klan.
Conclusion of Reconstruction via compromise in 1877: Rutherford B. Hayes elected in exchange for withdrawal of federal troops from the South.

Potential exam topics:
- Causation: Effects of manifest destiny, rise in anti-slavery sentiments, causes of the Civil War.
- Comparison: Regional differences and war strategies between the Union and Confederacy. Notable Southern commitment to their cause versus Northern population and industry superiority.
- Change and continuity: Questioning how Reconstruction reformed or failed to reform society; recognize both successes and failures (e.g., Freedmen's Bureau vs. systemic oppression).
Study Resources: Reference APUSH Ultimate Review Packet for timelines, study guides, and essay practice tips.

Emphasizes importance of understanding intricate historical narratives and their implications on modern American society.