immigration, expansion, and sectional conflict 1840-1848
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Immigration, Expansion, and Sectional Conflict 1840-1848. Chapter 13. Newcomers and Natives. Immigration Statistics 1840-1860 = 4.2 million 1845-1854 = 3 million Largest influx in US history (pop. proportion) Mainly Irish, German ¾ Irish or German Reasons for Expectations - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Chapter 13
Immigration, Expansion, and Sectional Conflict 1840-1848
Newcomers and NativesImmigration Statistics
1840-1860 = 4.2 million1845-1854 = 3 millionLargest influx in US
history (pop. proportion)Mainly Irish, German
¾ Irish or German
Reasons for ExpectationsReligious freedom
Mormons, QuakersEconomic opportunity
American “Utopia”
RealityEmbarkation
Process difficultExpensiveswindlers
Farming problemsLacked capitalDifferent that
European FarmingReality
Lived in citiesWorked in factories
PatternsIrish
Boarded at Liverpool“Coffin” ships
No $ for farmingPhysically weak
Clustered in NE, NY, PA, NJ2 surges
1815s – War of 18121845-1850s – Potato Famine
Bottom of workforceMainly factoriesDomestic servants
ConflictFree blacksWhites
NorwegiansWisconsinfarmers
GermansCotton trade in New
OrleansSettled Upper Miss., Ohio
River ValleyDidn’t support slaveryWide range of social
classes/occupationsSkilled tradesmenEasily found jobs25% farmers
CultureCommon languageGerman unityLots of voluntary
associationsDiversity promoted
solidarityEconomically self-sufficient
ResentmentEconomic successclannishness
Unrest in America
Anti-CatholicismIrish immigration
revived anti-catholic sentiments
NativismSocieties
American RepublicansUnited Order of AmericansOrder of Star Spangled
Banner (know-nothings)Fed on fear and
discontentScared of “popery”Threats to protestant jobsIrish were hard-drinking
and half-civilized
Labor ProtestGeorge Henry Evans
National Reform Association
“Vote yourself a farm”neo-JeffersonianAnswer to “wage-
slavery”Appealed only to artisans
Labor UnionsIrish supported them
Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)Mass. Supreme courtsTrade unions not illegal
TensionsEthnic and religious
issues
Immigrant Politics
Immigrants starting to become politically active
Supported DemocratsFeared for jobsMore sympathetic to
working classValues of Whigs
threatened immigrantsImportance of National
issues
The West and BeyondThe Far West
Adams-Onis Treaty 1819Oregon still vague
Western TradeTrading centers on west
coast1790s-1820s – exchange of
goods1820s- Hudson Bay CompanyBeaver Trade- Colorado, Utah
Santa Fe TrailTrade with Mexico from St.
LouisPanic of 1837- needed silver
Growing tensionsLand/religion
American Settlement of Texas to 18351820- US settlements in
Eastern TexasWelcoming
Mexico encouraged settlement
Protection against IndiansMission had failedEmpresarios- Stephen
AustinReversal
Closed Texas and forbid slavery
More white farmers than Mexicans
ConcernsSanta Anna
US Population 1840
Remember the AlamoTexas Revolution
1836Stephen AustinSanta Anna invades 18351836- San Antonio
The Alamo187 die
Sam Houston“Remember the Alamo”Lone Star Republic established
1836
American Settlement in Cali, New Mexico, and OregonIncreased immigrationAmerican culture, not
native
MormonsMovement westwardPersecutionDeath of Joseph Smith in MissouriBrigham Young leads Mormons to desert
Little persecutionNot really inhabitedBy 1846: 12,000 in UtahDeveloped irrigation systemAnnexed to US: 1850Mormon War:1857
Politics of Expansion
Should US annex Texas?
1840-42: main issue still economy
Whig AscendencyWilliam Henry Harrison
1840Controlled House and
SenateHenry Clay’s American
SystemRepealed Independent
TreasuryProtective tariffs
Tyler dashes hopes of WhigsDisaster for WhigsVetoed:
National bank- 1841Banking billPostponing of tariff
reduction
Expansion
Maine1842Daniel WebsterWebster-Ashburton
Treaty
TexasIssue of Slavery1843
Propaganda campaign for annexation of Texas
1844President Tyler, John C.
Calhoun send treaty to congress for
annexationo Defeated in Senateo 1845 Congress
approves joint resolution to admit Texas as a state
Election of 1844Nominees
DemocratsMartin Van Buren
Opposed slaveryWhigs
Henry ClayProslavery, proannexation
The “Dark Horse”James K. Polk, Tennessee“fifty-four forty or fight!”Appealed to westerners
and southernersResults
Polk wins electoralVERY close popular voteQuickly confirms
expansionism with inaugural address
Manifest DestinyJohn O’ Sullivan
Invoked God, divine missionSuperiority of white cultureCalled on Americans to resist
foreign powers limiting out destiny
Pushed by:NationalismPopulation increaseRapid economic developmentTechnological advancesReform ideals
SolutionsTo agricultural issuesPreserve identity, valuesAnti-factoriesJefferson’s worries void
Polk and OregonUS claimed based on:
Discovery of Columbia River
Lewis and Clark expeditionFur trade established by
AstorOregon Fever
ThreatsBritish
Claim- Sir Francis Drake 1579
“All or nothing”49th parallel
NegotiationsCome discontent
Ratification1846, SenatePushed by war in Mexico
Oregon TrailOverland Trails
-4 month journey -Difficult travel-Donner party, 1846 -Increased cooperation-1841 wagon trains begin -1843 over 1,000
Mexican- American War
OriginsFailure of Mexico to pay
$2 million in debtAnimosityMexican fears of US
domination1845
Senate ratifies AnnexationPolk’s actions
Supports Texans claims to Rio Grande River
Moved Troops to Corpus Christi, under Zachary Taylor
Wants California
WarNegotiations
John SlidellGovernment too weakSanta Anna troops attack
Polk declares warOpposition
John C. Calhoun, WhigsWar of 1812, “patriots”
ExpectationsMexico would winArmy 4X larger than US
armyUS didn’t expect
Mexicans to fight
Mexican-American War
LeadersZachary “old rough and
ready” TaylorBuena Vista victory, 1847
Col. Stephen KearnyNew Mexico, California
Gen. Winfield ScottTook over for TaylorVera Cruz, Mexico City
victories, 1847John D. Sloat
New Mexico, CaliforniaJohn C. Fremont
California rebellionBear-flag Republic, 1846
SuccessMexico City 1847
Led by ScottHeroes:
Robert E. LeeUlysses S. Grant
AdvantagesSanta Anna’s mistakesSuperior artillery,
military organizationTreaty of Guadalupe-
Hidalgo1848Mexico paid $15 millionRatified 1848, senate
Opposition: Whigs, Democrats
Problems on the horizon
Sectional conflictPolk restored Independent
TreasuryJacksonian policies
Tariff of 1846Slashes dutiesVetoes Rivers and Harbors Bill
1846Slavery debate
Wilmot Proviso1847No slavery in new
territoriesDefeated in senate
(passed house 2X)
Proviso’s ProblemsBrings up discussion
of slavery againFree-Labor party
emergesCalhoun questions
constitutionality of prohibiting slavery in new territories
Northerners defend by quoting Land Ordinance of 1787 and Missouri Compromise
Manifest Destiny to the SouthOstend Manifesto
Polk offered to buy Cuba from Spain for $100 million dollars
Spain refused1852- secret treaty to buy
SpainToo much anger in US,
Northerners think “pro-slavery”
Walker ExpeditionWilliam Walker led group into
Baja California in 1853unsuccessful
Tried to take Nicaragua 1855Recognized by US
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty 1850Ambition to build canal in
Central AmericaTreaty b/w Great Britain
and U.S. Neither nation would take
exclusive control of canal and route in Central America
Gadsden Purchase1853Southwest
Arizona, New Mexico borderLand for railroad$10 million dollars
Election of 1848Problems for the Whigs:
Polk’s Policies successfulIndependent treasuryLow tarrifs
Problem’s for DemocratsWilmot Proviso
NomineesDemocrats
Lewis Cass“Squatter Sovereignty”
WhigsZachary TaylorWar hero with no platformSouthern slaveholder
Major IssueSlavery
Barnburners- NY“Conscience” Whigs
Free Soil PartyFree trade, free labor,
free speech, free menNominate Martin Van
BurenOutcome
Taylor victoriousFree Soil party has
strong grass-roots showingSends message to
Democrats and Whigs
Gold Rush1848
John Marshall discovers Gold in Sierra Nevada mts.
9 days before Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo
Technological DevelopmentsHydraulic mining operations
ConsequencesPopulation of California
1848: 15,0001852: 250,000
Culture clashDiverse mix of cultures, peopleChinese discrimination
SlaveryShould California allow it?
ViolenceCommittees of vigilanceCrowding, disease, fire,
rowdiness
Gold Rush 1849