Manifest%20Destiny

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Manifest Destiny

• Chapter 9

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American expansionists had their eyes on Texas.
Only 4,000 Hispanic Tejanos lived there in 1821.
Mexico sought to defend and to develop Texas by
inviting settlers. They offered inexpensive land
on three conditions. Settlers had to

• accept Mexican citizenship.
• worship in the Catholic Church.
• follow the Mexican Constitution, which did not
  permit slavery.

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American settlers arrived, but tensions grew as
Americans ignored the Mexican government.

• Led by Stephen F. Austin, 30,000 Anglo-Texans
  outnumbered the Tejanos six-to-one by 1835.
• Many brought slaves and ignored the Church.
• In 1834, Antonio López de Santa Anna seized
  power in Mexico City, seeking greater centralized
  control. But Texans wanted more autonomy.

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• In 1835, Texans declared independence for the
  Lone Star Republic.
• Santa Anna personally led a siege of Texan forces
  at the Alamo in San Antonio.
• After twelve days, he stormed the mission and
  executed any surviving defenders, including Jim
  Bowie and Davy Crockett.

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Several weeks later, Santa Anna took Goliad and
again executed prisoners, in an attempt to
frighten Texas into surrender.
Instead, Santa Anna created a set of martyrs.
Remember the Alamo, became the Texans rallying
cry. Many Southerners were inspired to volunteer
and joined the Texans.
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Sam Houston led a counter-attack.At the Battle
of San Jacinto, Santa Anna was defeated and taken
prisoner. Houston later became president of the
Lone Star Republic. After statehood in 1845,
Houstonserved as governor and then asU.S.
Senator from Texas.
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Fearing execution, Santa Anna signed a treaty
expanding the Texas border to the Rio Grande and
giving half of New Mexico to the Texans.

• The Mexican government refused to honor this
  treaty demanding a return to the original border
  at the Nuecos River.
• Fighting would persist for ten years over the
  disputed borderlands.

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In 1844, expansionist James K. Polk was elected
president on a promise to obtain both Oregon and
Texas. In Congress, northern Democrats
reluctantly agreed to annex Texas if all of
Oregon was also added.
Britain did not concede all of the territory.
Rather then fight, Polk made a deal to split
Oregon and extend the 49th parallel border with
Canada to the Pacific Ocean. Northerners felt
betrayed.
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• President Polk claimed all land as far as the
  Rio Grande, tripling the previous size of Texas.
• General Zachary Taylor was sent to occupy these
  border lands.
• Mexico objected to the granting of statehood to
  Texas and saw statehood as an invasion of
  Mexican territory.

The United States annexed Texas in 1845, leading
to war with Mexico.
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When Mexican patrols killed American soldiers,
Congress declared war on Mexico.

• Southern Democrats favored war, while Northern
  Whigs felt that Polk deliberately provoked
  Mexico.
• The war was popular in the United States.
• Whigs dropped their opposition, fearing they
  would be labeled disloyal as the Federalists were
  for opposing the War of 1812.

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The United States easily defeated Mexico.
The U.S. had many advantages, including greater
wealth and a better-equipped military. General
Winfield Scott led an overwhelming campaign in
Mexico from Veracruz to Chapultepec, forcing
Santa Anna to abandon his capital Mexico City and
the war.
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Halls of Montezuma

• Polk was excellent military planner
• Taylor occupied northern Mexico and John C.
  Fremont established independent Republic of
  California
• Winfield Scott and troops advanced toward Mexico
  city while enduring tough battles

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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

• Nicholas P. Trist was peace commissioner
• Mexico accepted Rio Grande as border with Texas
  and ceded New Mexico and Upper California to the
  US
• US paid Mexico 15 million
• Polk wanted more but to get hed have to continue
  fighting an unpopular war
• Senate ratified for similar reasons

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Slavery Question

• New territories would be free or slave?
• David Wilmot proposed anti-slavery laws in any
  land from Mexico. Wilmot Proviso didnt pass
  Senate since southerners had power
• Calhoun argued Congress couldnt control
• Two compromises offered
• Polk and southerners liked plan to extend
  Missouri Compromise line to Pacific
• Senator Lewis Cass said let local leaders decide
  (popular sovereignty)

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Election of 1848

• Whigs- Zachary Taylor
• Democrats- Lewis Cass
• Free Soil- Van Buren (Barnburners)
• Taylor won election with 1.36 million to Casss
  1.22 million. Van Buren got 10
• Slavery issue never discussed

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Gold Rush

• Between 1849-60 over 200,000 people went to
  California looking for gold
• Spanish population now minority
• Order difficult to keep, few women
• Taylor wanted California as state and letting
  people decide on issue of slavery
• Outlawed southerners angry since tipped balance
  in Senate to North

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Compromise of 1850

• Clays Proposal-California admitted as free
  state-SW territory had no mention of
  slavery-Southerners could bring in slaves-Slave
  trade (not slavery) over in DC-Congress pass
  more effective fugitive slave law
• Caused greatest debate in history of Senate

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• Calhoun demanded North yield on every point and
  wanted right of states to secede from Union
• Webster defended Clays proposal
• Taylors death and Milard Fillmore taking over
  paved way for compromise
• Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois pushed each
  measure through Senate separately

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