Looking Westward

1
Looking Westward

• pp. 348-359

2
Manifest Destiny

• Writer John OSullivan coined the phrase in 1845
• Destined by God history to expand from coast to
  coast
• Fit w/ nationalism movement
• Racial motives for expansion
• Racial purity superiority of the American
  race
• Expansion opposed by some, including Clay
• Would re-open debate of spreading slavery
  westward

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4
Texas

• 1803Claimed by U.S. in LA Purchase
• 1819Given to Spain as part of Adams-Onis Treaty
• 1821Becomes part of Mexico as Mexico gains its
  independence, American settlement is encouraged
• 183530K Americans living in Texas
• 1836Americans in Texas declare their
  independence from Mexico/Texas gains independence
• 1845After much debate, the U.S. annexes Texas
  Mexico breaks diplomatic ties w/ U.S.
• JQA AJ had both tried to purchase TX previously

5
Oregon Territory

• Claimed by both Brits (George Vancouver) the
  U.S. (Robert Gray)
• 1818Agreed to joint occupation
• 1820s/1830sFew white settlers, mostly fur
  traders
• 1836Marcus Narcissa Whitman est. mission
• 1843Oregon Trail popularized 5K settlers w/in
  next 2 yrs.
• 1846Despite 54 40 or Fight, Polk settles
  border at 49 N (same as today)
• 1847Cayuse Indians attack kill Whitmans

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Election of 1844
Polk ran on a pro-expansion platform Clay
avoided the issue of annexing Texas
7
Trails

• Oregon Trail
• California Trail
• Mormon Trail
• Santa Fe Trail
• See map on p. 353

8
Life on the Trail

• Jumping off towns
• Independence, MO St. Joseph, MO Council
  Bluffs, IA
• Mostly family units until Gold Rush hired guides
• 2,000 miles 4-6 months
• Various hardships
• Weather, disease (cholera typhoid fever),
  rugged terrain
• Native Americans often acted as guides trade
  partners occasional conflict, but often
  sensationalized
• More deaths from accidental gunshots than Native
  attacks

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Mexican War

• Mexico refused to recognize Texas independence
• Border dispute (Rio Grande or Neuces?) see map
  on p. 356
• Polk sends Zachary Taylor to TX tells navy to
  capture CA ports if Mexico declares war
• Polk then offered to buy disputed areas (Slidel,
  25 million for NM CA)
• War declared in May of 1846 overwhelmingly
  supported by Congress
• War had many critics
• Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Henry David
  Thoreau
• See quotes on p. 357

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Mexican War

• Stephen Kearny captured Santa Fe w/ no opposition
  (1846)
• Kearny Fremont captured California (1846)
• Bear Flag Revolt
• Winfield Scott captures Mexico City (1847)
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
• Mexican Cession (see map on p. 358)
• U.S. paid 15 million
• Some wanted All Mexico!

12
Wilmot Proviso

• What is the status of slavery in the newly
  acquired territory?
• David Wilmot, from PA, anti-slavery Democrat
• Proviso prohibited slavery in new territory
• Passed House, but not Senate
• Debate lingered sectionalism intensified