American Life 4/14

Exam Preparation

• Importance of Homework

• To achieve a passing grade, a minimum score of 75 is required.

• Importance of completing homework and taking exams seriously, as poor performance makes it hard to pass the course.

• Opportunities for additional points through extra credit assignments.

Final Exam Structure

• The final exam is usually held during the last class rather than the designated exam week (CEP week).

• Homework and extra credit are due during the CEP week.

• Plans can change based on unforeseen circumstances, but the current arrangement is likely to remain.

Expansion and Territory Issues in American History

• Historical context of American expansion, particularly Manifest Destiny, the belief that Americans had the right to expand across the continent.

• Discussion of events from the 1830s and 1840s, focusing on territorial expansion, including the Louisiana Purchase and issues of slavery.

• Missouri Compromise established geographical boundaries for slavery in the Louisiana Purchase region.

• The line was drawn at 36 degrees 30 minutes latitude.

• Discussion of James K. Polk's presidency, his expansionist agenda, and the drive toward conflict with Mexico for territorial gains.

• Polk was a significant figure in securing Texas, Oregon, and California for the United States.

Texas as a Focal Point

• Texas was unique as it was the only state to be an independent republic prior to joining the United States.

• Settlers, many of whom were enslavers, moved into Texas during the early 1800s due to land value despite the Mexican prohibition of slavery.

• The Texan Revolution (1836) resulted in independence from Mexico after the Alamo and other confrontations.

• Texas operated as an independent nation until its annexation in 1845.

Mexican-American War

• The war began in 1846 over disputes regarding Texas's southern boundary and territories wrested from Mexico.

• The conflict was driven by ambitions of territorial expansion by the U.S. government known to many as imperialism.

• Disputed boundary between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River; differing claims by both countries ignited hostilities.

• The Wilmot Proviso, introduced to prohibit slavery in territories acquired from Mexico, highlighted the political tensions between free and slave states regarding the expansion of slavery.

• Proviso did not pass the Senate, showing the Southern hold over legislative decisions.

Political Divisions

• The antebellum period was characterized by regional tensions over slavery, with Northern states primarily anti-slavery while Southern states held strong pro-slavery sentiments.

• Northern Whigs and abolitionists united against the war, seeing it as unjust and motivated by the desire to expand slavery into new territories, while many southerners supported the war for expansionist reasons.

Long-term Impact and Legacy

• The outcomes of the Mexican-American War significantly shifted the U.S. landscape and fueled the debate over slavery, leading to further political fragmentation and setting the stage for the Civil War.

• The annexation of Texas and the debate over slavery highlighted the growing divide between North and South in the U.S., foreshadowing conflicts to come.

Geographic Significance

• Overview of how territorial claims, climatic differences, and economic conditions shaped settlement patterns and were tied to the labor system (e.g., slavery) in various regions.

• Discussion on how geography influenced the agricultural and economic viability of regions within Texas and how Texas played out differently in relation to slavery compared to other states.

Future Considerations

• Understanding the historical context will be crucial for discussing the Civil War and its causes in future sessions, especially regarding the implications of slavery and territorial disputes.