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They wanted to strengthen the economy and increase their own tax venues. They also said that the settlers would create an effective buffer against US expansion in the region as they believed the settlers would soon become loyal. So they began offering land to immigrants. But friction grew between the settlers and the Mexican government. So when Dictator Santa Anna wiped out their cherished liberties, the Texans rebelled. After the Battle of San Action, Sam Houston was able to make Santa Anna surrender and Texas would become independent.
Now the only controversy was to annex it or not. Oregon With four countries having made claims to Oregon territory, it remained retry much untouched due to the joint occupation treaty. But when missionaries under the idea of Manifest destiny began to come over a try to convert Indians, it sparked much resistance. Americans clamored for “54′ 40 or fight”, but Polk wanted to keep the peace. So Polk was able to propose a compromise which was the 49th parallel. It was accepted because the Senate did not want to war with Britain.
The Westward Migration All migrants were in search of a new life, but of course they all had different visions of what that entailed. Some hoped to find gold while others wanted to take advantage of the land. But still most hoped to establish themselves while some were trying to escape the disease of the cities. Even though life on the trail was tough, families were able to continue dividing tasks along gender line and stick to their traditional views. And some even found it a highly collective experience.
Elections of 1840 and 1844 For the election of 1840 it was Whig candidate William Henry Harrison vs.. Democrat Martin Van reran. John Tyler also ran on the Whig ticket too. Martin Van Burden was the hand-picked successor of Jackson but soon became known as “Martin Van Ruin”. The election of 1 844 was Democrat James Polk vs.. Whig Henry Clay. In preparing for the election both had to take a stand on the issue of annexing Texas. The South wanted to annex Texas while the North feared a disruption of the balance established by the Missouri Compromise.
Polk was a strong believer in expansion and when he became president he sought three goals: annex Texas, Oregon, and California. Tyler had already annex Texas before leaving office, so Polk now tried to compromise over Oregon. After a debate the Senate approved a treaty that fixed the boundary of the US-Canadian border at the 49th parallel. Then he dealt with the boundary dispute over Texas and committed himself to acquiring both New Mexico and California for the US. The Mexican War Polk sent Slider to Mexico to make an offer to buy California, but with the loss of Texas they refused.
Also, the US saw the ROI Grandee as the southern border of Texas while Mexico claimed it was the Ounces River. So when Polk ordered troops south of the Ounces and a clash occurred, Polk urged the Senate to declare war. American forces did well and were able to capture Monterrey, Santa r-e, complete the conquest of California, and then later seized the Mexican capital. After the capital was seized a new government took power and was willing to negotiate a peace treaty. Polk and the Mexican government reached the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
But even though America gained new territory, it also acquired some new issues. Slavery and the New Territories, Sectionalism When new territories were introduced to the United States, slavery’ was a hot topic Of debate in Congress. Adding slave states meant that the slave states vs.. Free states ratio was out of balance. Yet when slave states were not added, there were arguments. For instance, a piece of legislature called the Willow Proviso was introduced to Congress. It passed in the House, but not the Senate. It stated that all new territory in Mexico would be free.
Clearly, many were against this idea. Polk eventually left office and Zachary Taylor took over. He felt that if the new territories reached statehood, then the slavery issue would somehow be resolved. The idea of popular sovereignty and letting the states decide for themselves was dubbed dangerous considering the events of Bleeding Kansas. Thus, Taylor simply wanted the states to be entered as free states. Unfortunately, this upset the balance and was frowned upon, considering many wanted the District of Columbia to be free of slaves as well.
With this rising topic of slavery, sectionalism among the North and South was evident in the years to come. California Gold Rush In January of 1848, James Marshall had found traces of gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. The owner of the mills wanted to keep the discovery quiet, but eventually, word broke out. Hundreds of thousands of people had migrated just to California for the search of gold. The mountains were completely occupied as cities, such as San Francisco, were empty. The majority of these people were men and they were known as forty-inners.
They had abandoned everything they had, ranging from homes to farms to jobs to families. Accordingly, the gold rush had also attracted Chinese migrants. This was the start of the major immigration that Nativities disliked so much. Truly, most of the gold was fool’s gold, or simply, many forty-inners came up successful and didn’t even find gold. Once the rush was over, California was overwhelmingly diverse and populous. The Compromise of 1850 Once time came for admitting new territories as states, a clear compromise was in order. Henry Clay came up with a massive plan for the areas.
California was to enter the Union as a free state which tipped the balance of slave vs.. Free. New Mexico and Utah became new territories and popular sovereignty would be the deciding factor for slavery or not. Texas had boundaries created. Texas was paid $1 0 million for relinquishing its claim to lands east of the ROI Grandee. Accordingly, the Fugitive Slave Act was issued. This placed the authority of the federal government behind capturing and returning fugitive slaves. Last, the slave trade was outlawed in the District of Columbia. The Fugitive Slave Law created anti-slavery feelings. Vocabulary 1 . Civil Disobedience” – It was an essay that was written by Henry David Thoreau. It argues that people should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences, and that people have a duty to avoid allowing such quiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice. 2. “Fifty-four of fight”- a slogan which talked about war over where the Americans hoped to draw the northern boundary of their part of Oregon 3. Adams-Ions Treaty – a treaty between the United States and Spain in 1 819 that gave Florida to the U. S. And set out a boundary between the US. And New Spain 4.
Annexation – the act of annexing, or territories that have been annexed; the legal merging of a territory into another body 5. Annexation of Texas- Texas became a state when Tyler won congressional approval for it before leaving office 6. Battle of San Action- Sam Houston defeated Santa Anna and forced him to surrender. As a result Texas becomes independent 7. Election of 1844-The Lignite States presidential election where Democrat James Knox Polk defeated Whig Henry Clay in a close contest that turned on foreign policy, with Polk favoring the annexation of Texas and Clay opposing it 8.
Forty-inners – In 1 849, men migrated across the country for the California gold rush. This was their nickname. 9. Free-Soil Party ; a former political party in the united States; formed in 1848 to oppose the extension of slavery into the territories 10. Sadden Purchase – a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the Ignited States in a treaty signed by President Franklin Pierce on June 24, 1853, and ratified by the U. S. Senate 11. Gold rush – began on January 24, 1848, when gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Stutter’s Mill, in Colombo, California. 2. Intermediaries- Americans who received sizable land grants from Mexico in return for promising to bring settlers into the region 13. James Polk- Democratic candidate for the election of 1844 who took office and began spreading his ideas of manifest destiny. He wanted to annex Texas, solve the claim to Oregon and California. 14. John C. Fremont- A captain and an explorer who was in California with several dozen well-armed men when the Mexican War broke out. He helped to overthrow the Mexican rule in 1846 by collaborating with Americans who had tried to raise the banner of the California Bear Republic 15.
John Jacob Aster- established a fur trading post in Oregon country where he combined it with farming and recruited Indian labor to compensate for the lack Of workers 16. John L. O’ Sullivan- the editor who gave the movement its name 17. John Slider- Polk turned to diplomacy ND dispatched John, a special minister, to try to buy off California from the Mexicans 18. John Tyler – elected vice president and became the 10th President of the United States when Harrison died 19. Joseph Smith – religious leader who founded the Mormon Church in 1830 20.
Louisiana Purchase – territory in the western United States purchased from France in 1803 for $15 million; extends from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada 21 . Manifest Density- the idea that America was destined by God and by history to expand its boundaries over a vast area, hat included but was not restricted to the continent of North America 22. Mexican Cession – a historical name in the Lignite States for the region Of the present day southwestern united States that Mexico ceded to the U. S. N 1848, excluding the areas east of the ROI Grandee, which had been claimed by the Republic of Texas 23. Missouri Compromise – the new state of Missouri was admitted as a slave state, actually took from 1819 to 1821 to produce. In 181 9 there were twenty-two states divided evenly between slave and free states 24. Monroe Doctrine – a united States policy that was introduced on December 2, 1 823, which stated that further efforts by European countries to colonize land or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed by the united States of America as acts of aggression requiring US intervention 25.
Ounces River- this is what Mexico claimed should be the border, it was to the north of the ROI Grandee 26. Oregon trail- the major route west which stretched from independence across the great Plains and through the South pass Of the rocky Mountains on which migrants traveled 27. President Jackson-feared annexation of Texas might cause sectional controversy and even a war with Mexico 28. ROI Grandee- the Texans claimed this as their western and southern border 29. Sam Houston-general who defeated the Mexican army and took Santa Anna prisoner at the Battle of San Action.
Also after Texas gained its independence, he becomes the new president of Texas. 30. Santa Anna- Mexican dictator who wanted to seize power and impose a new autocratic regime on the nation and its territories 31 . Stephen Austin- an immigrant who established the first legal American settlement in Texas. He was successful at recruiting immigrants to Texas and with other intermediaries he created centers of power in the region that competed with he Mexican government. 32. Stephen Carney- led a small army which captured Santa Fee with no opposition.
He then proceeded to California where he joined the Bear flag revolution and completed the conquest of California. 33. Stutter’s Mill – a sawmill owned by 19th century pioneer John Suttee. It was located in Colombo, California, at the bank of the American River. Stutter’s Mill is most famous for its association with the California Gold Rush 34. Tariff of Abominations – a protective tariff passed by the Congress of the United States on May 19, 1828. It was labeled the Tariff of Abominations by its southern detractors because of the effects it had on the antebellum Southern economy 35.
The Alamo and Global-rallying cries in war for Texas independence 36. Trail of Tears – the relocation and movement of Native Americans, including many members of the Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, and Choctaw nations among others in the United States, from their homelands to Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) in the Western United States 37. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo- a treaty by which Mexico agreed to cede California and New Mexico to the US and acknowledge the ROI Grandee as the boundary of Texas and in return the US promised to assume any financial claims its new citizens had against Mexico and to pay the Mexicans $15 million. 8. Webster Sagebrush Treaty – a treaty resolving several border issues between the United States and the British North American colonies, particularly a dispute over the location of the Maine-New Brunswick border 39. Willow Proviso ; one of the major events leading to the Civil War, would have banned slavery in any territory to be acquired from Mexico in the Mexican War or in the future, including the area later known as the Mexican Cession, but which mom proponents construed to also include the disputed 40. Winfield Scott- the commanding general of the American army and its finest soldier.
He seized the Mexican capital. 41 . Zachary Taylor- led a small army to Texas to protect it against a possible Mexican invasion after Polk accepted the Texas claim that the ROI Grandee was their western and southern border Essay Question #1 Discuss the impact of territorial expansion on national unity between 1800 and 1850. From the beginning of its creation, Americans have always had the lust for expansion. During colonial times, colonists fought Native Americans off their and for more territory. Purchases, such as the Louisiana Purchase, expanded the country into the Midwest.
A term used by John Sullivan, Manifest Destiny, was the belief that the united States was destined to expand across the continent and conquer all territories. Truly, it would be a country that went from “sea to shining sea. ” After purchases and the Mexican War, Congress needed to decide the futures of certain states. The hot topic of slavery was on everyone’s minds, and inevitably was the main subject. Although expansionism helped with national unity, it also stirred up the abate between free and slave states which created extreme sectionalism between the North and South.
The promise of new territory was the goal for most Americans. Mexico had control over the southwest. To increase their economy, they invited Americans to migrant and settle in their territory. Eventually, Mexican leader Santa Anna turned against the immigrants that did not become loyal. Texan rebels surfaced and they fought for their independence. Independence was eventually granted and America saw that Texas Was an opportunity they could not pass up. In between the strife in the southwest, Polk settled with Britain the 49th Parallel for Oregon, another conquest achieved.
All that was left was the California and New Mexico territories, but Mexico refused to these regions the US. Polk issued soldiers to go past the Ounces River which the Mexican government recognized as their border. The government issued an attack on the Americans and the Mexican War had begun. With this, Congress started debating on whether or not they should stick with the war. Unfortunately, this caused some unrest within the country, but the fight for territory was still the main focus. In the end, California was conquered. In 849, Californians existence was overwhelmingly convenient.
At Stutter’s Mill, gold was discovered and this created the mad gold rush. Forty-inners left their homes, families and jobs in the search for gold. Resulting from this event was the increase of immigration. California became an extremely diverse and populous state. Therefore, the newly expanded nation felt triumphant and was proud of their accomplishments. However, the United States had many decisions to make over these new territories that ultimately resulted in sectionalism. The Missouri Compromise of 1 820 created a balance between free states and slave states.
For instance, Missouri became a slave state and Maine was introduced as a free state. Furthermore, slavery north of the 3630 line was prohibited. Many anti-slavery congressmen proposed that the new territories would be free states. David Willow, a congressman from Pennsylvania, proposed the Willow Proviso. It stated that all new territories from Mexico would be declared as free. This piece of legislature passed in the House but not the Senate. Finally, in 1850, Henry Clay proposed a bill that would cover the bases that both the North and South wanted to see.
The Compromise of 1850 consisted of many factors involving slavery. California would enter the Union as a free state. In the new territories of New Mexico and Utah, popular sovereignty was issued. Accordingly, the Fugitive Slave Act was created. This placed the authority of the federal government behind capturing and returning fugitive slaves. Last, the slave trade was outlawed in the District of Columbia. Although the North and South typically got what they wanted out of the compromise, the entire idea of slavery still affected increased the feelings of sectionalism.
Therefore, manifest destiny seemed to be a foolproof expansion plan for he United States when on paper. However, it truly exploited the weaknesses and controversies that were simply waiting to boil over for the North and South. Essay #2 The issue of territorial expansion sparked considerable debate in the period 1800-1855. Analyze this debate and evaluate the influence of both supporters and opponents of territorial expansion in shaping federal government policy. The idea of Manifest destiny emerged in the sass’s and said that the people Of America were chosen by God to control the North American continent.
But as Americans pushed West in hopes of territorial expansion, they encountered many problems. The North and South became increasingly belligerent towards each other specifically over the controversies of slavery. Due the nation annexing new lands, the status of slavery was on everyone’s minds. The Missouri Compromise which was supposed to settle this debate failed to prevent the conflict. So a dangerous crisis occurred. Although territorial expansion reflected the hopeful wishes of God, it only sparked a huge debate over slavery.
Those who opposed Manifest destiny feared it would bring up the controversial issue of slavery and threaten the Union. Specifically, the North was synonymous for its abolitionist movement and thus would not compromise until slavery was eliminated. On the other hand, the South defended the institutions of slavery by saying it was “a positive system for white southerners who needed a labor force”. However on the positive side of Manifest Destiny, many saw this expansion as a symbol of nationalism. The proponents agreed with its idea but there were mixed opinions on if they should use force and how far should the nation expand.
The Democrats favored the use of force to extend the border while the Whig favored extension through diplomacy. Henry Clay, a Whig and solid opponents of territorial expansion, feared like the people of its potential to aggravate the issue of slavery. The Missouri Compromise had divided up the Louisiana Purchase and said all the territory’ north would not permit slavery while those in the south would. Yet this only fueled more debate when settlers were trying to spread from “sea to shining sea,” thus overstepping the boundaries of the compromise.
So with Americans in Texas, Oregon county, New Mexico and California, the debate became even more heated. In Texas, after declaring its independence from Dictator Santa Anna, the debate was to annex it or not. Still everyone was questioning the issue of slavery. When Calhoun presented the annexation treaty to congress it was rejected and thus became the issue during the election of 1844. But before leaving office, John Tyler was able to accomplish one of Poll’s goals: the annexation Of Texas. Additionally there were disputed claims in Oregon.
With many countries claiming their rights to the land, the United States ended up compromising to the 49th parallel in order to stay clear of a war. But when the government as pushed into a The Mexican War, they were ultimately victorious. Therefore, through the constant debate over territorial expansion many aspects of the government were changed. To avoid war, the united States settled on a series of compromises throughout the era of Manifest destiny. But also it shaped the issues of the presidential elections. With the people disagreeing on slavery, it was ultimately up to the President to decide what to do.
With the number of slave states equaling that of the free states, the admission of new states such as California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah would upset the balance. Thus the controversy continued while Americans were acquiring new lands. Now it was up to the power holders, specifically the government to decide the fate of the territories and the issue of slavery. Multiple Choice 1) Which of the following best describes the attitudes of Southern whites toward slavery during the mid-nineteenth century (ca. 1835-1865)? A) Slavery was a necessary evil.