Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 1841-1848

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Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 1841-1848

• John Gast, American Progress (1872)

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 Changes in 1840s America

• Massive Expansion and Growth
• Population
• Immigration
• Irish 
• Potato Famine 1840s
• 2 million Irish to America 1830-1860, primarily
  to northeastern cities
• Greeted by Nativism and Anti-Catholicism
• Anti Catholic Riots in Boston and Philadelphia
• Maria Monks Awful Disclosures - 1836
• Stereotypes Bridget McBruiser and Paddy

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• Germans
• 1.5 million 1830-1860
• Refugees from crop failures and failed democratic
  revolution in 1848
• Wealthiermove to Midwest to farm
• Contributions Conestoga Wagon, Kindergarten,
  Continental Sunday
• Response Nativism
• Know-Nothing Party (aka American Party)

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• National Market Economy Emerges
• Regions linked in trade and development
• Aided by new technology
• McCormicks Reaper
• Cotton Gin
• Transportation Turnpikes, Steamboats, Canals,
  Railroads
• 1828 first RR 1860 32,000 miles of RR (3/4
  in N)
• RRs limited by different gauges and lack of
  safety
• Samuel Morse Telegraph 1844
• Patents
• 1800-1810 360
• 1850-1860 28,000

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• Industrialization
• Slow to come to American b/c of cheap land, lack
  of for investment
• Bright future raw materials, labor, consumers
• Textiles Americas first industry
• Samuel Slater 1791
• Eli Whitney Cotton Gin 1793
• Issac Singer Sewing Machine
• Legal free incoporation
• Charles River Bridge Case 1842
• Workers wage slaves
• 12 hr days the norm
• Jacksonian Workingmens parties call for
  reforms
• Early unions 300,000 trade unionists by 1830
• Hurt by Panic of 1837
• Commonwealth v. Hunt 1842 unions NOT
  conspiracies
• 10 hr day for Fed Govt workers in 1840.

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• Urbanization
• 1790 2 cities over 20,000 (NY Phila)
• 1860 43 cities over 20,000
• Conditions bad!
• Overcrowding
• Tenements
• No professional police or fire departments
• No water treatment, no sewers, no garbage pickup
• Roaming herds of pigs, rats, and dogs
• Cholera outbreaks in 1830s

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Foreign Affairs

• During the 1840s the US runs into issues with
  Mexico and Britain

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Dont Mess with Texas

• How did Texas become the Lone Star Republic
• Mexico declares independence from Spain in 1821
• Mexican govt invites Americans to settle there
  to secure Texas.
• Stephen Austin leads 300 families
• By 1830, there would be over 30,000 Anglos
  (Americans)
• Texas is dominated by Americans and has a strong
  American identity.
• Mexico outlaws slavery in 1829 Texans settlers
  ignore this, so Mexico attempts to crack down
  bars further American immigration.
• Texas declares its independence from Mexico in
  1835 after a year of fighting Mexico backs
  down.
• Texas then asks to be annexed to the US.
• President Jackson refuses to annex TXdoesnt
  want to start another fight over adding a slave
  state.
• Republic of Texas (Lone Star Republic) would
  remain independent until 1844.

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Trouble with Britain

• Anti-British sentiment running high.
• Britain upset at American slavery
• Americans owed money to British banks, but
  default on loans after the Panic of 1837.
• The Caroline Incident 1837
• A small Canadian insurrection begins in 1837.
• US policy neutrality, but many Ams support the
  rebellion because they hate Britain.
• Caroline--an American ship ferrying supplies to
  rebels across the Niagara River in NY--attacked
  and burned by British forces on the NY side of
  the river. This sparked protests from the
  American government.
• The Creole Incident 1841
• Slaves on board an American ship revolt Britain
  offers them asylum in the Bahamas.

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• The Aroostook War (1842)
• Boundary dispute over northern Maine.
• Lumberjacks and militia start fighting.
• Resolved by Webster-Ashburton Treaty 1842.
• Oregon Boundary
• US-Britain jointly occupied Oregon and have
  disagreed about the border since 1824.
• 54º40 northern borderUS wants this all of
  Oregon.

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• Creole Incident (1841). GB offers 130 slaves
  asylum in the Bahamas after they had revolted and
  captured the American ship Creole
• Maine Boundary Dispute "The Aroostook War" --
  1842.
• GB's desire to construct a road from Halifax
  (Nova Scotia) to Quebec in disupted territory
• Lumberjack war erupts involving local militia
  from both Canada and Maine.
• resolved by the Ashburton-Webster Treaty (1842).
  
• The disputed territory was split roughly in
  half--with the US getting about 7,000 of 12,000
  acres and GB getting their road.
• The Caroline incident was also patched up in
  these proceedings.

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Manifest Destiny

• Manifest Destiny phrase coined by John
  OSullivan in 1845.
• Americans destined to expand, spread "superior"
  ideals and institutions (democracy, Christianity,
  individualism, capitalism) across the continent
• the perfect marriage of "land greed" and
  idealism"empire and liberty.
• Expansion Key issue in 1844 Election.
• Democratic platform
• Annex TX
• Occupy all of Oregon (54-40 or Fight!)
• Acquire California from Mexico

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 "Manifest Destiny!" and the 1844 Election.

• Manifest Destiny phrase coined by John
  OSullivan in 1845.
• Americans destined to expand, spread "superior"
  ideals and institutions (democracy, Christianity,
  individualism, capitalism) across the continent
• the perfect marriage of "land greed" and
  idealism"empire and liberty.
• Democratic Platform in 1844
• Annex Texas occupy all of Oregon (5440 or
  fight!)

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James K. Polk

• Voters label Polk as Young Hickory
• An expansionist.
• Effective at achieving his goals
• Annex Texas
• This is done immediately after his election in
  1845.
• Occupy Oregon.
• He negotiates with Britain. Doesnt succeed in
  taking all the territory to 54-40, but instead
  compromises and agrees to extend the 49 parallel
  border to the coast.
• Acquisition of California.
• This was accomplished with a bit more
  difficultythe Mexican War and the Treaty of
  Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded California along with
  other Mexican territory to the US in exchange for
  15 million.

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Mexican War

• Causes/Events Leading to the War
• Slidell Mission Rejected
• Sec. State James Slidell
• Offers 25 million for California.
• Mexico, upset about US annexation of TX, rejects
  the offer
• Polk provokes Mexico into attacking the US
• Moves troops into disputed territory between the
  Nueces River and the Rio Grande.
• Mexico attacks US troops, Polk proclaims
  American blood has been shed on American Soil
• Opposition to the War
• Abolitionists
• Conscience Whigs
• Propose numerous Spot Resolutions asking Polk
  to show where blood had been shed to prove it
  was not on American soil.
• Spotty Abe Lincoln earns nickname because he
  proposes the resolution so many times.

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Texas Boundary Dispute
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Consequences of the Mexican War

• Vast new territory gained
• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
• US gains the Mexican Cession (Cali, Arizona,
  Utah, Colorado, New Mexico) gives Mexico 15
  million
• Mexico gives up claims to Texas Rio Grande
  becomes the border.
• Gadsden Purchase (1853)
• Small strip of land south of the Mexican Cession
  purchased for 10 million.
• Provides a pass through the mountainsthe US
  wants to build a railroad there.

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• Gadsen Purchase (1853)

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Consequences of the Mexican War

• Boosts the idea of Manifest Destiny.
• Provides training and experience for future Civil
  War generals.
• Reputation of the US in Europe increased (the US
  seen as a serious world power) reputation of
  the US in the Americas decreased (the US seen as
  a bullying menace)
• Reignites the issue of slavery.
• Will slavery extend into the new territories?
• The Wilmot Proviso
• California and the Compromise of 1850