Chapter 17: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy

1. Chapter 17: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy

2. The Accession of “Tyler Too”

3. Harrison hounded by Whig spoilsmen at inauguration

4. Harrison tells Clay that He is President and would run the country

5. Dies 4 weeks into administration thus spoiling Clay and Webster’s plans to run the government

6. Tyler now President • Virginian • Man of principle • Left Democrats for Whigs

7. Democratic-Whig • Had Jeffersonian states righters • Against the Whig platform • Pro-bank • Pro-protective tariff • Pro-internal improvements

8. John Tyler: A President Without a Party

9. Platform comes out after victory

10. Financial Reform • Law ending independent treasury-Tyler signs into law • New Central Bank • Pushed by Clay • Opposed by Tyler and he vetoes it • Whigs pass a Fiscal Corporation and Tyler vetoes that also • Democrats happy that Whigs were not working together and supporting their policies

11. Financial Reform (continued) • Whigs disown Tyler • Whigs expel from Party • Cabinet resigns except Webster because of negotiations with England

12. Tyler vetoes the new Tariff law • Did not like that the money was to be distributed to the states

13. Tyler signs new tariff without state distribution • 1842 Tariff reduces tariffs to 1832 levels of about 32% • Country gradually comes out of depression • New wife • Party in White House

14. A War of Words with England

15. Americans not liking England particularly well during this time • 2 Wars were at bottom of it all • Pro-British Federalists had died out • British writers wrote about the bad parts of American society and stirred anger • British magazines wrote of American shortcomings • Creates a “third war” of words with England • Dickens wrote against Americans for not sending him his royalties

16. Americans not liking England particularly well during this time (continued) • Americans had borrowed heavily from Britain • Natural resentment of lenders • Americans defaulted on some of their loans • Americans support a small insurrection in Canada • Americans could not uphold weak neutrality laws

17. Americans not liking England particularly well during this time • Carolina was burned by British for carrying supplies to insurgents in Canada • Only 1 American killed • McLeod-arrested for his part in the Caroline • Britain called for war if he was executed • Freed by New York jury because of a good alibi • Britain gives asylum to Virginia slaves who had captured the American ship Creole

18. Manipulating the Maine Maps

19. Aroostook War • Britain wants to build road west from Halifax to Quebec for defensive purposes • Entered the disputed territory of Aroostook • Lumberjacks fighting for control of river valley • Britain sent Lord Ashburton to settle problem (married to American woman)

20. Aroostook War (continued) • Webster-Ashburton Treaty- • Both sides gave up and gained • Boundary set • Britain gets its road • Caroline affair patched up • America inadvertently gains Minnesota’s Mesabi iron ore deposits

21. The Lone Star of Texas Shines Alone

22. Mexico refused to recognize Texas’s independence and threatened the US with war if they thought of annexing it

23. Texas forced to negotiate with England and France for protection • Keeping expensive military for defense • Mexico did give 2 weak raids

24. Britain • Interested to stop growth of Americans and economic threat • British abolitionists hoped to inflame other southern blacks into a revolt • Important free-trade market to off set high American tariff • Relieve British of their dependence on American cotton

25. France hoped for fragmentation and militarization of America

26. The Belated Texas Nuptials

27. Tyler annexes Texas • Polk won 1844 election with platform to gain Texas • Tyler pushes through joint resolution to gain Texas (requires simple majority • 1845 Texas invited to become the 28th state

28. Mexico upset that America would annex Texas • Mexico couldn’t reconquer Texas anyway • Left Texas fate dangling • Too much foreign intrigue influencing Texas anyway • America did not rush into Texas but had waited 9 years

29. Oregon Fever Populates Oregon

30. Oregon a big territory north of California • Boundary at 54’40” • Claimed by US, Britain, Russia and Spain at one time

31. Spain gave up claims in Florida Treaty of 1819

32. Russian retreated to 54’40” by treaties

33. British claims to Oregon • Prior discovery and exploration • Treaty rights • Occupation • Hudson Bay Company was trading profitably with Indians

34. American Claims to Oregon • Exploration and occupation • Robert Gray in 1792 • Missionary settlements south of Columbia into Willamette River Valley • Stimulated interest in the country

35. Peaceful Joint occupations adopted pending further settlement

36. Oregon Fever seizes Americans in the 1840’s • Americans come over the Oregon Trail to settle Oregon • By 1846 5,000 new settlers arrived

37. Britain loses population race and begins negotiations for a settlement • Became issue in 1844 election • Dispute over small area in NW Washington

38. A Mandate for Manifest Destiny

39. Election of 1844 • Clay-Whigs • Polk-Democrats

40. Polk (Dark Horse) • Speaker of the House • Tennessee • Supported by Jackson

41. Manifest Destiny • Sense of mission, believed that God had manifestly destined the American people for a hemispheric career and spread their democratic institutions over entire continent and maybe South America as well • Joined empire and liberty

42. Democrats in favor of expansion • Supported reannexation of Texas • Reoccupation of Oregon • Called Clay a corrupt bargainer and slave owner

43. Whigs would not be out sloganed and condemned Polk

44. Clay tries to appeal to North and South by series of confusing letters supporting annexation but not now

45. Results • Polk wins 170-105 • Clay lost NY by 5,000 votes • Liberty Party absorbed 16,000 votes which most would have gone to Clay • Anti Texas Party actually brought the annexation of Texas

46. Democrats and Polk claim a mandate by the People to claim Texas and Oregon • Tyler agrees and annexes Texas before Polk becomes President

47. Polk the Purposeful

48. Polk • Not impressive figure • Unwilling to delegate authority • Developed a four point program and carried it out • Lower Tariff • Sec of Treasury Robert J. Walker lowered tariff to revenue 25% • Walker Tariff of 1846 successful because it followed boom times and heavy imports

49. Polk (continued) • Restoration of the independent treasury • Won in 1846 • Acquisition of California • Settle Oregon dispute • Polk offers Britain boundary at 49’ but Britain rejects offer • Little Englanders (anti-expansionists Brits) changed mind about importance of Columbia River

50. Polk (Continued) • Why fight over this distant land? • British now propose 49’ • Polk gives to Senate • Accept because of threat of war with Mexico • No 54’40” or fight • Some opposed because we did not get ALL of Oregon • Polk got large territory without a fight