Unit 5 Terms

  1. Gold Rush:
    The Gold Rush began in 1848 when gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California, leading to a mass migration of prospectors and settlers seeking fortune. This influx of people rapidly increased California’s population, helping it achieve statehood in 1850, and played a key role in the economic development of the United States, while also leading to the displacement of Native Americans and environmental damage.

  2. John Tyler:
    John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States (1841-1845), assumed office after the death of William Henry Harrison and became known for his strong advocacy for the annexation of Texas. His presidency was marked by political isolation from his own Whig party and conflicts with Congress, but he successfully expanded U.S. territory and set the stage for the Mexican-American War.

  3. “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!”:
    The slogan “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight!” was used by American expansionists in the 1840s to demand the U.S. claim the Oregon Territory up to the 54° 40’ parallel, a northern boundary disputed with Britain. While the slogan implied war, President James K. Polk ultimately negotiated a peaceful settlement with Britain in 1846, establishing the U.S.-Canada border at the 49th parallel.

  4. James K. Polk:
    James K. Polk was the 11th president of the United States (1845-1849), known for his strong belief in Manifest Destiny and aggressively pursuing territorial expansion. His administration achieved significant territorial gains through the annexation of Texas, the settlement of the Oregon border dispute, and the successful prosecution of the Mexican-American War, which led to the acquisition of large portions of the Southwest.

  5. Webster-Ashburton Treaty:
    The Webster-Ashburton Treaty, signed in 1842, resolved several boundary disputes between the U.S. and Great Britain, particularly over the Maine-Canada border. It also established joint efforts to fight the Atlantic slave trade and improved diplomatic relations between the two nations, preventing the possibility of war.

  6. Zachary Taylor:
    Zachary Taylor was a career U.S. Army officer and the 12th president of the United States (1849-1850), best known for his military leadership during the Mexican-American War. His popularity as a war hero helped him win the presidency, though his time in office was cut short by his sudden death, leaving unresolved issues of slavery and sectionalism.

  7. Bear Flag Republic:
    The Bear Flag Republic was a short-lived independent republic established by American settlers in California in 1846 during the Mexican-American War. Its rebellion against Mexican authority was quickly overtaken by U.S. forces, and California became a part of the United States following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.

  8. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo:
    Signed in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War and resulted in Mexico ceding a vast territory (including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of other states) to the U.S. In exchange, the U.S. paid $15 million and assumed certain claims of American citizens against Mexico, significantly expanding U.S. territory and intensifying debates over slavery.

  9. Wilmot Proviso:
    The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal in 1846 by Congressman David Wilmot to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. Though it failed to pass in Congress, it deepened sectional tensions between the North and South, making the issue of slavery in the territories a central topic of political debate.

  10. Gadsden Purchase:
    The Gadsden Purchase was an agreement in 1853 in which the U.S. bought land from Mexico (now part of southern Arizona and New Mexico) for $10 million to facilitate the construction of a southern transcontinental railroad. This purchase completed the territorial expansion of the U.S. across the continental border and resolved lingering disputes over the U.S.-Mexico boundary.

  11. Free-Soil Party:
    The Free-Soil Party was founded in 1848 as a political party that opposed the expansion of slavery into western territories, advocating instead for free labor and land for white settlers. While the party never gained significant power, it helped shape the national conversation on slavery and laid the groundwork for the formation of the Republican Party.

  12. Popular Sovereignty:
    Popular sovereignty was the idea that the residents of a territory should decide by vote whether to allow slavery, rather than having Congress decide. This concept was central to the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and led to violent conflict in Kansas as pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces clashed in what became known as “Bleeding Kansas.”

  13. Compromise of 1850:
    The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws designed to resolve the growing sectional conflict between the North and South, including admitting California as a free state and allowing for popular sovereignty in the new territories of Utah and New Mexico. It also included a stricter Fugitive Slave Act, which angered abolitionists, and temporarily eased tensions between the North and South, though it failed to provide a lasting solution.