History Notes: California Gold Rush, Manifest Destiny, and the Civil War

The California Gold Rush and Manifest Destiny

• War with Mexico:

  • Annexation of Texas in 1844 led to inevitable conflict.

  • War began in June 1845.

  • President Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to Texas to secure the border with Mexico.

• Border Dispute:

  • The U.S. and Mexico disagreed on the location of the Texas-Mexico border.

• War of Aggression:

  • Polk sent Taylor to the disputed area.

  • Mexican army attacked Taylor's troops, giving Polk the war he wanted.

  • Polk requested a declaration of war from Congress.

• U.S. Objectives:

  • Land acquisition, driven by Manifest Destiny (westward expansion to the Pacific).

  • Desire for land west of Texas, including California.

• Political Opposition:

  • Many in Congress opposed the war.

  • Some believed Polk forced the U.S. into war, a power reserved for Congress.

  • Others opposed conquering Mexican territory.

• U.S. Advantages:

  • Technological superiority in artillery, rifles, handguns (including the Colt revolver), and communication (telegraph).

  • Population: U.S. had 17 million people compared to Mexico's 7 million.

  • Economic strength: U.S. had a growing economy while Mexico was in debt.

• U.S. Soldiers:

  • Immigrants comprised at least half of the enlisted men.

  • Irish soldiers made up a quarter of enlisted soldiers.

  • Mexicans appealed to Catholic soldiers to switch sides, arguing shared religion.

  • Desertion: 9,207 U.S. soldiers deserted (8.3%).

• Death Toll:

  • 1 in 10 American soldiers died during the war.

  • Disease accounted for 7/8 of deaths.

  • Unsanitary conditions and impure water led to rapid disease spread.

  • 12,518 American soldiers died in the war.

• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848):

  • Ended the war with U.S. victory.

  • Mexican Cession: California, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Arizona and New Mexico ceded to the U.S., fulfilling Manifest Destiny.

• Gadsden Purchase (1853):

  • U.S. bought land in southern Arizona and New Mexico for $10 million$ to build a railroad to the Gulf of California.

• Slavery Question:

  • The major issue after the war was whether slavery would be allowed in the new territories.

California Gold Rush

• Discovery:

  • January 24, 1848: James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill on the American River.

• Gold Rush:

  • Led to a massive influx of miners from around the world seeking riches.

  • By 1849, tens of thousands of people arrived.

  • 2/3 of miners were American; the rest were immigrants from Mexico, China, etc.

• The Real 49ers:

  • Mostly young men seeking quick fortunes to help their families.

  • They endured harsh conditions digging in icy streams.

  • Many intended to return home but stayed in California.

• Effects:

  • San Francisco and Sacramento grew rapidly into boomtowns.

  • Infrastructure developed (roads, churches, schools).

  • California became a free state in 1850 with a new system of laws and government.

• Impact on Native Americans:

  • Warfare and disease reduced their population from 150,000 to 30,000 between 1848 and 1870.

Manifest Destiny

• Definition:

  • Literally