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MANIFEST DESTINY AND ITS LEGACY, 1841-1848

MANIFEST DESTINY AND ITS LEGACY, 1841-1848. Chapter 17. THE ACCESSION OF “TYLER TOO”. Clay and Webster’s presumptuous assumption. Webster was Sec. of State. Clay the leader of the party in Congress. Harrison’s reaction

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MANIFEST DESTINY AND ITS LEGACY, 1841-1848

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  1. MANIFEST DESTINY AND ITS LEGACY, 1841-1848 Chapter 17

  2. THE ACCESSION OF “TYLER TOO” • Clay and Webster’s presumptuous assumption. • Webster was Sec. of State. Clay the leader of the party in Congress. • Harrison’s reaction • Clay leads party in power and is ready to finally put his policies into law • Harrison dies 40 days into presidency. • Tyler takes over. Wm. Henry Harrison Shortest Term of any President.

  3. John Tyler • First vice president to take over for a president who died in office. • Why is he on the ticket. • Tyler is an old-school Virginian. • Why did he leave the Democratic Party for the Whigs? • Part of the minority wing of the Whig party that adhered to State’s rights. • His views are quite different from Clay and Webster.

  4. Tyler at Odds with Clay • Unofficial platform of the majority of the party • Tyler’s views on unofficial platform • Whigs accuse him of being a Democrat in Whig clothing • Another defeat for Clay. Henry Clay: foiled again

  5. John Tyler: A President Without A Party • Whigs try to get their agenda enacted into law. • Repeal Independent Treasury. Passed. • Second part: Renew the Bank of the US. • Tyler’s reaction. • “His Ascendancy” • What do Whig’s do to Tyler? • What does his cabinet do?

  6. A War Of Words With England • British-American relationship erupted in war of words in 1842. • Causes? • Caroline affair. • Lumberjack war—Aroostook Valley, Maine. Maine boundary vague • Webster-Ashburton treaty

  7. Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842

  8. Texas Shines Alone • Texas in a precarious position. • US had spurned request for annexation. • Mexico still claims Texas as its Territory, • Threatened to take it back and threatened war with US if US annexed. • Many European countries were courting Texas • Britain especially was very interested. • Why?

  9. The Belated Texas Nuptials • Texas becomes a leading issue in election of 1844. • Dem. James K Polk vs. Whig Henry Clay. • Democrats position. • Whigs position. • Polk wins. • What does Tyler do as a result.. • Mexico angry and accuses US of theft. • Is Mexico right?

  10. Oregon Fever • Oregon Territory: everything North of California, West of the Rockies up to 54-40. • Both US and Brit have claims to the Territory. • Treaty of 1818: Joint occupation. • In 1840s,Oregon Trail. • 5000 American in Oregon by 1846. Brits had only 700 • Only a small areas really in dispute. Columbia river north to the 49th Par.

  11. Map 17.2: The Oregon Controversy, 1846

  12. A Mandate For Manifest Destiny • Election of 1844 Clay (Whig) against James K. Polk (Dem.). • James K Polk of Tenn. • First “dark-horse” nominee • Had been Speaker of the House and governor of Tenn. for two terms. • Jackson sponsored him. • Dems publicized him as a young Jackson. • Southern expansionist

  13. Issues in 1844 • Dems expansionist. Platform was for annexation of Texas and taking Oregon all the way up to 54-40. “54-40 or Fight” • Dems campaigned on Manifest Destiny • What is “Manifest Destiny” • Whigs were mostly against annexation of Texas, equating it with an expansion of slavery, but Clay couldn’t win without votes in the south. • He tried to be both for and against annexation, and his waffling hurt him • Other issues: tariff, slavery, the bank and internal improvements.

  14. Polk Wins • Polk won in a close election. • New York the key state. • Clay lost there by 5000 because Liberty Party not split the vote. • Why did Clay loose votes to Liberty Party? • Tyler saw the election results as a mandate to annex Texas and started the ball rolling before he left office.

  15. Polk The Purposeful • Polk not dynamic or impressive physically. • Serious and worked very hard. • Not brilliant, but was dogged, shrewd and well organized. Did not delegate much. • Four-point program for his presidency • Only one-term President to make the list of Top-10.

  16. Polk’s Four Goals • One: Reduced Tariff. Succeeded in reducing the tariff from 32 to 25%. • Two: Restoration of Independent Treasury. Accomplished. • Three: Settlement of Oregon. • Polk and southern Dems. didn’t want all of Oregon, despite platform. Why? • Brits recognize that they must compromise. • Why? • Brits agree to divide at 49th Par.

  17. California • Acquiring California Polk’s fourth goal. • Why does he want it? • US likely to get eventually through settlement, but Polk doesn’t want to wait. • Why? • Offers to buy from Mexico. Mexico doesn’t want to sell. • Ongoing disputes with Mexico

  18. American Blood On American Soil • Polk’s strategy to get Mexico? • Continuing dispute with Mexico over border of Texas. Nueces or Rio Grande? • Polk sends Zachery Taylor’s troops across the Nueces into disputed Terr. • Mexican troops cross Rio Grande and attack Taylor. • Polk asks for a declaration of war claiming that US troops attacked on “US” soil.

  19. The Texas Revolution, 1835-1836

  20. Question: • How did rivalry with Britain affect the American decision to annex Texas, the Oregon dispute, and lesser controversies of the period?

  21. Going to War • America catches war fever • Spot resolution. • What? • Who? • Many Whigs vehemently against the war. • Why? • Mexican’s spoiling for war, as well. • Why? • Assessing Polk’s actions

  22. Mexican-American War • Santa Anna dupes the US • Steven Kearny, Santa Fe 1846 • John C. Fremont (Great Pathfinder), Bear Flag Rebellion • Zachery Taylor defeats Santa Anna at Battle of Buena Vista Zachery Taylor

  23. Capturing Halls of Montezuma • Polk leaves Taylor where he is. Why? • Winfield Scott (“Old Fuss and Feathers”) Vera Cruz and March on Mexico City. • One of the most brilliant campaigns in US history. Captures Mexico City. • Scott hero during the war of 1812. • Best general produced by US between Rev. War and Civil War.

  24. Treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo • 2/2/1848. • Terms? • American title to Texas confirmed with Rio Grande the border. • Mexico yielded Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada to US. (with Texas, is about ½ of Mexico.) Land referred to as Mexican Cession. • US to pay 15 Million and assume claims of citizens there against Mexico worth about 3 Million. (18.5 Mill compared to 25 Mill. prepared to pay for Cal. before the war.)

  25. Consequences of War • Identify the short and long-term consequences of the war.

  26. Question: • What caused the Mexican War? Did Polk provoke the Texas-boundary conflict in order to gain California or expand slavery, as war opponents like Lincoln charged? • What were the benefits and costs of the Mexican War both immediately and in the longer run of American History?

  27. Wilmot Proviso • Wilmot Proviso • Mexican American War was the opening chapter on events that led to the Civil War because of the new territory added. • Foreshadows the Civil War: • Practice for military leaders • More land to dispute over slavery

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