Manifest Destiny

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Manifest Destiny

• Go West Young Man Go West

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(No Transcript)
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The Beginning of Expansion

• Louisiana Purchase 1803
• Florida Purchase from Spain
• Webster-Ashburton Treaty
• Settled the disputed boundary between Maine and
  Canada

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Manifest Destiny

• Election of 1844
• James K Polk
• Campaigned on the idea of Manifest Destiny
• Base on These Ideas
• Anglo-Saxon racial superiority
• extend free government and free enterprise
• the will of God
• specially ordained mission in the world

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Mexico and Texas

• Policy of the government of Mexico toward Texas
• It encouraged American settlement in 1820's and
  early 1830's.
• Conflict between Mexicos government and settlers
• import duties
• abolish slavery in its territory
• acceptance of the Catholic faith
• power of General Santa Anna

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Texas Annexation

• Delay in annexing Texas
• Opposition in Congress to adding slave states
• Southerners strongly supported annexation
• Mexico charged U.S. had unjustly taken Texas
  refused to recognize annexation
• Acquisition of TX helped remove the Europeans
  from U.S. southern border

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Mexican War

• Polk sought to buy California from Mexico but
  tensions prevented such a purchase
• California gateway to the Pacific
• Texas annexation issue caused Mexico to sever
  diplomatic relations
• Boundary dispute Original boundary was the
  northerly Nueces River Texans claimed southerly
  Rio Grande

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Mexican War

• U.S. claimed against Mexico 3 million in damages
  to U.S. citizens property
• Mexico had formally agreed to assume this debt
  but defaulted
• Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City in late
  1845 to buy California for 25 million
• Mexico refused to allow Slidell to present his
  proposition
• Congress declares war on Mexico

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Mexican War

• Major Consequences
• Long-term Mexican resentment
• Securing Texas southern border
• Increased sectional tensions
• Cession of California and New Mexico

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Mexican War Results

• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Mexican Cession)
• 15 million to Mexico
• Boundary at the Rio Grande
• California
• New Mexico territory
• Important military experience that would be put
  to use in the Civil War

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Opposition to the Idea of Manifest Destiny

• Members of the Whig party in Congress during the
  Mexican War

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Oregon Territory

• 54º40' or Fight
• Slogan in getting Oregon Territory
• Polk negotiated a treaty with Britain
• 49º became northern boundary of US
• Polk abandoned campaign pledge of a 54-40
  boundary "54-40 or fight!"
• Didn't want to ruin fragile north-south political
  balance with new additional northern states.

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James K Polk

• Song

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James K. Polk They Might Be GiantsIn 1844, the
Democrats were split The three nominees for the
presidential candidate Were Martin Van Buren, a
former president and an abolitionist James
Buchanan, a moderate Louis Cass, a general and
expansionist From Nashville came a dark horse
riding up He was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the
Stump
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Austere, severe, he held few people dear His
oratory filled his foes with fear The factions
soon agreed He's just the man we need To bring
about victory Fulfill our manifest destiny And
annex the land the Mexicans command And when the
votes were cast the winner was Mister James K.
Polk, Napoleon of the Stump
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In four short years he met his every goal He
seized the whole southwest from Mexico Made sure
the tariffs fell And made the English sell the
Oregon territory He built an independent
treasury Having done all this he sought no
second term But precious few have mourned the
passing of Mister James K. Polk, our eleventh
president Young Hickory, Napoleon of the Stump