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Manifest Destiny

• Westward expansion (1803-1853)

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Manifest Destiny

• What does John L. OSullivan mean by the term,
  Manifest Destiny?
• What part of the document best exemplifies that
  meaning?
• Who would have believed this idea during the 19th
  Century? Why?
• Is this idea still relevant today?

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Manifest Destiny

• The 19th-century political and philosophical
  belief that it was America's divinely assigned
  mission to expand westward across the North
  American continent and to establish democratic
  and Protestant ideals
• John O'Sullivan, a journalist from the United
  States Magazine and Democratic Review, coined the
  phrase in a 1845 newspaper editorial about the
  annexation of Texas, in which he spoke of
  America's "manifest destiny to overspread the
  continent allotted by Providence for the free
  development of our multiplying millions." 

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Why did Americans move westward during the 19th
Century?

• Escape religious persecution
• Find new markets for commerce
• Claim land for farming, ranching and mining
• Locate harbors on the Pacific
• Seek employment and avoid creditors after the
  Panic of 1837
• Spread the virtues of democracy

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How did Americans move westward?

• Santa Fe Trail
• 780 miles long started at Independence, Missouri
  and ended at Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Each spring Missouri traders loaded covered
  wagons with cloth, knives and guns for trade
• After 150 miles traders banned together in groups
  of 100 to defense against native attacks by Kiowa
  or Comanche
• At night the traders formed wagons into squares
  with their wheels interlocked to form a corral
• Teamwork ended with Santa Fe in sight

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How did Americans move westward?

• Oregon Trail
• Started in Independence, Missouri and ended in
  Portland, Oregon traced similar route as Lewis
  and Clark
• In 1836 Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, Methodist
  missionaries, made way into Oregon Territory
  where they set up mission schools to convert
  natives to Christianity
• Their letters east talked about fertile soil and
  attracted 100s of others
• Some pioneers bought wooden wheeled covered
  Conestoga wagons most walked or pushed handcarts
• Trip took months fever, diarrhea, and cholera
  killed many
• By 1844, about 5000 American settlers had arrived
  in Oregon

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How did Americans move westward?

• MormonTrail
• Mormons, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
  Saints were founded by Joseph Smith in western NY
  in 1830
• Decided to move west and settled in Nauvoo,
  Illinois in 1839 within 5 years had 20,000
  followers
• Persecuted because of practice of polygamy
  Killed by mob in 1844
• Brigham Young, Smiths successor, led the Mormons
  westward in 1846-1847 to Utah where they could
  live and worship without interference

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Texas

• Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821
• In 1821 there were only 4000 Tejanos in Texas to
  defend the province
• Mexico decided to encourage American expansion
  into Texas in hopes that Americans would provide
  an economic boost to the region and help Tejanos
  defend against Native Americans.
• In return for cheap land grants, Americans had to
  agree to three things
• Americans had to agree to become Mexican citizens
• Americans had to worship as Roman Catholics
• Americans had to accept the Mexican constitution,
  which banned slavery

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Texas

• Led by empresarios (land grant agents) like
  Stephen F. Austin, Americans began to settle as
  far east as San Antonio
• By 1835, 30,000 Americans (Anglo-Texans) lived in
  Texas. Outnumbered Tejanos 6-1.
• Tensions quickly rose between Americans and the
  Mexican government
• In 1834, general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and
  his followers took control of Mexico favored
  strict, authoritative government rule over Mexico
  (Texas)
• In 1835, Texans rebelled against this rule and a
  year later declared independence from Mexico as
  the Lone Star Republic

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Texas

• To crush the rebellion, Santa Anna led Mexican
  army north into Texas
• March 1836 attacked small Texas military garrison
  in San Antonio, known as the Alamo
• After 12 days of cannon fire, Mexican troops
  overran the Alamo and Santa Anna ordered all of
  the defenders of the Alamo killed. Victims
  included Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett
• Remember the Alamo
• Sam Houston led Texas resistance after the Alamo
• April 1836, Mexican Army defeated by Texans at
  Battle of San Jacinto 630 killed to only 32
  Texans 730 Mexicans captured, including Santa
  Anna

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Texas

• Santa Anna forced to sign treaty that granted
  Texas independence
• Border between Texas and Mexico became huge
  debate for the next ten years.
• Texas claimed the Rio Grande River as
  southern/western border Mexico insisted the
  Nueces River

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James K. Polk

• First "dark horse" President
• Born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in
  1795.
• graduated with honors in 1818 from the University
  of North Carolina.
• Served in the Tennessee legislature, and became a
  friend of Andrew Jackson.
• In the House of Representatives, Polk was a chief
  lieutenant of Jackson in his Bank war.
• Served as Speaker between 1835 and 1839, leaving
  to become Governor of Tennessee.

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Presidential Election of 1844

• In 1844 both Martin Van Buren, who was expected
  to win the Democratic nomination for President,
  and Henry Clay, who was to be the Whig nominee,
  disagreed with the idea of expansion
• Polk said that Texas should be "re-annexed" and
  all of Oregon "re-occupied."
• James K. Polk, campaigned on the idea of
  "Fifty-four forty or fight"
• The Democrats chose Polk and "Manifest Destiny
  when he was nominated on the ninth ballot
• Polk defeated Clay by a thin margin in the
  general election

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James K Polk Inaugural Address March 4, 1845

1. How does Polk address the issue of sectionalism?
2. How does Polk justify U.S. expansion into Texas?
   
3. How does Polk justify U.S. expansion into Oregon?
4. If you had listened to Polk deliver the address
   would you have agreed with his expansionist
   views? Explain.