Manifest Destiny

TylerMaineTexas

OregonMexico

California

How Tyler became President

• William Henry Harrison– To be controlled by Clay, Webster (Whigs)

• Spoils plans by dying of Pneumonia 4 weeks after inauguration

– New Pres: VP John Tyler• VA, lone wolf• Anti bank, anti tariff, anti internal improvements

– Agreed to sign law ending independent treasury– Refused to sign new US Bank bill

» Cabinet resigned, except for Webster

Land beyond MO & AR of little interest at first

• Permanent gift to indians– Too dry to farm

• 1840s new wave of W movement– 1820s-30s: fur trappers spread story of fertail valleys,

paths through mnts• Growing desire for trade w/ Orient (On columbia River)• Best harbors: San Diego, San Francisco, Puget Sound• Fear of 4n intervention, esp by Brits in OR, TX, CA• Manifest destiny concept

– Extends area of freedom– Racism: Anglo Saxon race should control region– Implied: political instability south of border due to racial

explanation

His Accidency

• Tyler vetoed proposed tariff– Tariff reduced to 1832 level– Tyler reluctantly signed it

Anti British feeling

• 2 wars

• British travelers in US critical of Americans– Magazines, books mutually insulting of each

other

• US a debtor nation (canals, RRs)

• Brits a creditor nation– Panic 1837 British lost $$ & decry US

borrowers

Canada

• 1837 small rebellion; supported by Americans

• The Caroline (US steamer) attacked in NY, set afire by British

• 1841 British in Bahamas give asylum to 130 slaves in revolt aboard The Creole

Maine

• Some border skirmishes over disputed land w/ English– Lord Ashburton negotiates w/ D Webster

• Ashburton-Webster treaty gave British Halifax-Quebec route; US got ore land north of ME & readjusted border that also gave us Mesabi Range MN

Lone Star of Texas

• Texas built up reinforcements, alliances w/ France, Holland, Belgium in fear of MX

• Annexation of TX avoided

• Polk (expansionist) won 1844 on promise of TX and Oregon– TX annexed 1845

Acquiring TX

• MX indep. S. 1821– Trouble controlling indians

• Invites small # Amers• Stephen Austin: land grant for colony on Brazos River

– Mostly Southern planters

• By 1830s 20,000 Amers & 1000 slaves– Conflicts over MX laws:

– Slavery banned

– Catholicism required

– MX controlled state of Coahuila

• 1830 MX restricted immigration to TX– Stopped slave importation, taxed goods, sent troops to enforce

TX continued

• New pres: Santa Anna- won’t grant TX statehood– TXs want revolution, first under MX constitution

• Mar 1836: claimed indep• Santa Anna TX exterminates Alamo Mission

– Battle of SanJacinto Apr, 36• Sam Houston beat Santa Anna, took him prisoner• Forced to sign treaty of TX indep• MX denounced treaty

– Repub of TX framed Constitution; voters ratify; ask for annexation

• South & West favor; Whigs, abolitionists oppose

TX cont.– Abolitionists say: slaveholder conspiracy to

enlarge empire; open new slave market– Jackson favors but won’t annex

• To help VB win in 36• VB won’t recomment annexation

– TX goes to Europe for recognition in 38• Maybe expand to Pacific; rival US

– Brits favor; want to curb US & get new market– Brit interest reopens annexation debate– Tyler sent treaty to Senate

TX…

– Calhoun sent Brits note advocating slavery as a positive good

– Most senators won’t approve treaty; don’t want war w/ MX

– TX= election issue 1844

Oregon

• Claimed by US & Britain– No of Columbia River, populated by Brits & Hudson

Bay Co• US strong claims south of Columbia R• Oregon Trail= common route 2,000 mi. overland

– Lewis & Clark 1804-6

– Astoria founded on Columbia River 1811 by Jacob Astor’s Pacific Fur Co

• Brits claim Sir Francis Drake disc’d in 1579; Cpt James Cook, George Vancouver there in 18th C

• Disputed land: 42-54th Parallel

– Convention of 1818: left OR free, open for 10 yrs

OR continued:

– 1827 extended indefinitely, proviso: either cd terminate on 1 yrs notice

– Up to 1840s: interest based on Fur trapping– Willamette Valley est’d & immigrants come

• Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Congregationalist missionaries sent to work w/ Indians

• OR fever!• By 1845: 5,000 Amers there; provisional gov est.

– Demand exclusive jurisdiction

POLK on OR

• Promised not to back down– Didn’t want war w/ Eng while on verge of war

w/ MX– Notified Richard Packenham (Br minister, DC)

• Willing to divide OR at 49th par. P. rejects• Polk w/d offer, launched cry of 54 40 or fight Dec

45• Congress terminates joint occupation• Br 4n office decides diff between Columbia R &

49th par not worth a war– Most beaver gone anyway

OR… the end

• Sent Sec State Buchanan a draft proposal to divide OR at 49th par. – US to get harbor at Puget Sound– Polk sent to senate

• Should they back down on demand for whole OR?– Most US happy… approved

Election 1844

• Henry Clay (Whig) 3rd try

• James K Polk (Dark horse Dem)– Speaker of House 4 yrs– Gov TN 2 terms– Young Hickory (sponsored by AJ)– Advocated Manifest Destiny: US should

expand to Pacific O– Polk wins close race on platform of expansion

Tyler’s last act

– Proposed both houses approve TX annexation as joint resolution

• To pass by simple majority not 2/3 in Senate• Tyler signs by Mar 1; 45• Polk approves• Dec 45 TX admitted to statehood

Polk’s acts

• Lowered tariff

• Restored independent treasury 46

• Wants to acquire CA & settle OR dispute

• Election promise; Dems got TX, lost interest in OR

• Brit proposed treaty: 49th parallel: Senate approved– Angry people: why all TX but NT all OR?

Misunderstandings w/ MX• Polk wanted CA

– MX recalled 4n minister; defaulted on payments of $3 mill to US

– Claimed N. border: Rio Grande, not Nueces R• Us sent John Slidell to MX City to buy CA for $25

mill– MX govt refused to meet w/ him– Snubbed Slidell?

– Polk ordered 4k men under Z Taylor to march from R.G. to Neueces R

• Provoked MX troops- killed 16 N of RG

War declaration

• Opposed by group in DC led by ‘Spotty Lincoln’:– Show me the spot where Amer blood spilled!

CA part I• Spain tried to control region w/ Cath missions on

coast– Large scale farms w/ indian labor– MX gov w/d land grants from Indians; mission system

crumbled– MX pop sparse: 7,000 in 1846

• Amer contact s. 1820s– Whalers resupply

– Some sailors desert, settle in CA

– Mountain men reach CA on trapping trips

– 1830s, Amers go to CA to trade w/ Indians, MXs

– OR trail travelers follow CA trail off Snake R to Sacramento Valley & Sutter’s fort

» Helps immigrants get supplies, land grants

» By 1845: 700 Amers

California, pt II

• Polk’s goal– Santa Anna told US if he cd return to MX, he’d

end war, give us CA• lied.

• Stephen W. Kearny led 1700 troops from Leavenworth to Santa Fe– John C. Freemont led Bear Flag Revolt in CA

Bear Flag Revolt

• John C Freemont, in charge of rebels– Navy docked at Monterey & raised Amer flag

prematurely– Kearny arrives late in 46 to subdue pockets of

resistance around Los Angeles• All over by Jan 47• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo makes it official

MX

– MX unprepared: outdated weapons, short supplies

• Poor resources, incompetent generals

– US has reg army: 8,000 60,000 volunteers• Gifted commander: W. Scott• New equipment

MX War: Campaign 1

• Z. Taylor (Old Rough & Ready)– Crossed Rio Grande, captured Matamoros

• Pushed to Monterey• Pummels MX garrison

– Lets it w/d not surrender.. Too cautious, too political– Hoping for nomination in 48

• Polk took half his army & sent it to Vera Cruz

– Santa Anna moves to attack Taylor’s weakened forces

• B of Buena Vista• Taylor wins; forces S.A. to w/d to MX city

– End of war in North

MX War, campaign II

• Kearny moves into NM

• Fremont takes CA – Before treaty signed w/ MX… ooops

• Kearny sent part of troops to Taylor to assist, took rest to CA

MX, campaign 3

• To get MX to accept the loss of territories– Gen Scott lands at Vera Cruz– 18 day siege

• Surrender; drives toward MX city from Coast• Defeats Santa Anna at Cero Gordo, Apr 17-18

1847

– Sept, Scott invades MX city & MX surrendered

Peace

• Nicholas Trist sent to bribe Santa Anna w/ $10,000 & get armistice

• Trist ordered home; ignored– Stayed till Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo set

• Feb 2, 1848• US got all MX territory from TX to CA, N. of Rio Grande for

$15 mill

– Whigs opposed war; some people wanted all MX• Polk asked senate to approve – willing to pay 25 mill for CA;

got all plus Gadsden purchase: $18.25 mill

Impact of MX war

• US lost 13,000 lives– Good practice for Civil War– Rbt E Lee, US Grant: experience– Earned some international respect– Acquired more land the south expects to open to

slavery

• Wilmot Proviso (David Wilmot, PA) said slavery omitted in all territories taken from MX– Passed House 2x; failed in Senate– MX resentful… to them: Civil War= Santa Anna’s

revenge