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WESTWARD EXPANSION

WESTWARD EXPANSION. CHAPTER 11 (300-323). TYLER’S TROUBLES. John Tyler became president after Harrison died He was stubborn and proud, and worshipped consistency He was not aggressive, believing the president should defer to congress He was a state’s rights Southerner

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WESTWARD EXPANSION

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  1. WESTWARD EXPANSION CHAPTER 11 (300-323)

  2. TYLER’S TROUBLES John Tyler became president after Harrison died He was stubborn and proud, and worshipped consistency He was not aggressive, believing the president should defer to congress He was a state’s rights Southerner He was a Whig and did not get along with Henry Clay – when Tyler vetoed Clay’s bank bill, the whole cabinet resigned except for Webster Tyler attempted to create his own party but was unsuccessful and political squabbling was the norm during his term in office

  3. THE TEXAS QUESTION The Transcontinental Treaty of 1819 excluded Texas from US domain – but in 1821, Stephen F. Austin began settling Americans in the area At the same time, Mexico became an independent nation John Q Adams had offered $1 million to Mexico, Jackson had offered $5 million but Mexico would not sell By the late 1820’s, American settlers were in trouble– they were not Catholics, they cheated the prohibition against slavery, and generally felt no loyalty to Mexico, especially to the New Santa Anna government – as soon as the Mexican government cracked down, the Americans sought independence

  4. THE TEXAS QUESTION Before too long, in 1835, the Alamo happened, 187 men held out against Santa Anna’s 6000 troops long enough for Sam Houston to rally the Texas troops and eventually win victory at San Jacinto in 1836 Houston was elected president of the Republic of Texas and soon they sought annexation by the US Jackson steered clear of it fearing a war with Mexico, but recognized the Republic – Van Buren left it alone also – Tyler attempted to use it to regain political relevance, but it ultimately became a slave issue and was rejected in 1844 by most western and northern senators

  5. MANIFEST DESTINY Americans had been expanding west for nearly 200 years, slowly but surely with a few startling changed like the Louisiana Purchase along the way As gradually as this expansion occurred, a mindset developed – that the whole country, from sea to sea, would be theirs – in 1845, John L. O’Sullivan coined the term “manifest destiny” – Americans came to believe that it was their right to own all the land from the Atlantic to the Pacific

  6. CALIFORNIA AND OREGON In the 1840’s increasing numbers of Americans were moving to California (Mexican territory) and Oregon (also claimed by Britain) Thousands went west on the Oregon Trail, a five-month journey full of hard labor, discomfort, and uncertainty – all for about $600 dollars In 1835 Jackson attempted to buy San Francisco from Mexico – all eastern merchants recognized the importance of it, as well as San Diego and the Puget Sound area – that they were each owned by another country only heightened the Americans’ desire to have it

  7. THE ELECTION OF 1844 Henry Clay won the Whig nomination and ignored the Texas issue Van Buren was expected to be the Democrat nominee, but Calhoun rallied many southerners with the idea of making Texas a slave state – however, James K. Polk ended up as a compromise nominee Polk was a good Jacksonian and was called “Young Hickory” – Democrats wanted “re-annexation” of Texas and “reoccupation” of Oregon Polk won election 170-105 and Tyler persuaded Congress to annex Texas – which could create a many as four new states from its territory – in 1845 Texas became a state ( along with Florida)

  8. POLK AS PRESIDENT Polk was a hard worker with a strong will and a tough skin Polk was committed to expansion – in addition to Texas he wanted to add Oregon and the Southwest – which he succeeded in doing As for Oregon, Polk informed Britain that he intended to terminate joint occupation and asked for a compromise boundary at the 49th parallel – the current border between the US and Canada east of the Rockies – eventually it was accepted except that Vancouver Island was left to the British

  9. WAR WITH MEXICO Expansionist spirit, along with Mexican pride regarding the loss of Texas, and the fact that Mexico had defaulted on debts owed the US, brought them to war Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to defend the border of Texas against Mexico – only the border was disputed – Texas claimed to the Rio Grande, Mexico claimed up to the Nueces River, 150 miles north In the meantime, Polk had sent a secret envoy to Mexico – John Slidell – to attempt to negotiate the disputed territory and to attempt to purchase California and New Mexico for $30 million – Mexico refused and their new leadership strongly claimed the disputed lands

  10. WAR WITH MEXICO Meanwhile Taylor had advanced to the Rio Grande near Matamoros and when a US patrol was attacked, Polk asked Congress to declare war – Congress voted to raise and supply 50,000 troops Within a week the Mexicans had been driven back across the Rio Grande taking significant losses to the better equipped and better trained American army

  11. TO THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA Polk was heavily involved in the war strategy and planning – but he was afraid of Taylor and Winfield Scott (both Whigs) getting too much attention The plan was to occupy Texas, then take possession of California and New Mexico, then march on Mexico City Taylor swiftly overran Mexico’s northern provinces In 1846, the Bear flag of the Republic of California was raised and Monterrey and San Francisco were captured in 1846 By 1847, the US had control of most of Mexico north of the capital city

  12. TO THE HALLS OF MONTEZUMA Fearing Taylor’s popularity, Polk put Scott in charge of the Mexico City offensive Scott was politically motivated, from an old Virginia family, and a well respected officer who had been largely responsible for modernizing the army– he had even been considered for president in 1840 Scott obtained the surrender of Veracruz in less than three weeks with only 10,000 men and hardly any losses – on Sep 14 Scott took Mexico City

  13. THE TREATY OF GUADALUPE HIDALGO Polk sent Nicholas Trist to negotiate with Mexico who was authorized to pay $30 million for New Mexico and Upper and Lower California Mexico accepted the Rio Grande boundary, and ceded New Mexico and Upper California to the US in return for $15 million and the assumption of about 3 million in debts The treaty was easily ratified 38-14

  14. SLAVERY: STORM CLOUDS GATHER Once again expansion returned slavery to the spotlight– Southerners who defended slavery were labeled heroes, northerners who opposed it were rewarded with votes The Wilmot Proviso – new territory obtained from Mexico must be barred from allowing slavery – passed the house but was defeated in the senate – Calhoun countered with resolutions arguing that the government could not bar slavery from the territories – which never made it out of the House These two viewpoints threatened the Union

  15. SLAVERY: STORM CLOUDS GATHER Two compromises were offered: 1. Extend the Missouri Compromise to the Pacific – not supported by northerners 2. Allow each territorial legislature to determine the issue individually – this became known as popular sovereignty– this appeared to be democratic but it allowed Congress to pass off dealing with the issue

  16. THE ELECTION OF 1848 Slavery was barred from Oregon in 1848 However, the election was once again devoid of issues – Zachary Taylor won the Whig nomination despite having no real ambition The Democrats nominated Lewis Cass (popular sovereignty) and Van Buren combined with the antislavery Liberty Party to form the Free Soil Party Taylor barely won the election

  17. THE GOLD RUSH In 1849 25,000 Americans rushed to California by ship, 55,000 overland, and thousands of Mexicans, South Americans, and Europeans joined in Armed with picks and shovels, these men worked long hours to find gold – in every stream, cave, and hillside By 1860 nearly 200,000 people crossed into California – almost overnight the Spanish American population was reduced to minority status – blacks were treated poorly, and the Indian population was practically wiped out By 1849, California was ready with its constitution which outlawed slavery, to be admitted – but this changed the balance of power in the Senate (no other territories were close to statehood) and would doom the South to wither away surrounded by hostile non-slave states

  18. THE COMPROMISE OF 1850 Henry Clay, over 70 and in bad health came to the rescue – He proposed several compromises which were naturally refuted by an equally old and feeble Calhoun but which ultimately carried and saved the Union for the time being • California must be admitted as a free state • The rest of the Southwest would become a territory • The US would take over Texas’ pre-annexation debts • The slave trade would be abolished in DC • A more effective fugitive slave law would be enacted

  19. THE COMPROMISE OF 1850 The results: 1. The Mexican cession was divided into two territories – New Mexico and Utah 2. California became the 31st state 3. Texas was given $10 million and accepted a narrower western boundary 4. The slave trade was abolished in DC 5. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was amended and strengthened – slaves were to be returned to the South without trial by the submission of an affidavit by the owner

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