Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 1841

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Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 18411848
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• Key Concept 5.1 The United States became more
  connected with the world as it pursued an
  expansionist foreign policy in the Western
  Hemisphere and emerged as the destination for
  many migrants from other countries.

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• Key Concept 4.3 The U.S. interest in increasing
  foreign trade and expanding its national borders
  shaped the nations foreign policy and spurred
  government and private initiatives.
• Key Concept 5.1 The United States became more
  connected with the world, pursued an expansionist
  foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, and
  emerged as the destination for many migrants from
  other countries.
• I. Popular enthusiasm for U.S. expansion,
  bolstered by economic and security interests,
  resulted in the acquisition of new territories,
  substantial migration westward, and new overseas
  initiatives.

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• Theme American expansionism gained momentum in
  the 1840s, leading first to the acquisition of
  Texas and Oregon, and then to the Mexican War,
  which added vast southwestern territories to the
  United States and ignited the slavery question.
• Theme American international prestige grows as
  the United States expands. Successful military
  campaigns against Mexico along with
  well-negotiated treaties with Britain force
  Europe to respect America more, while Latin
  America begins to be wary of the Colossus of the
  North.

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Manifest Destiny

• Term coined by John L. OSullivan in 1845
• The belief that the United States had a divine
  mission to expand and spread civilization across
  North America
• 1840s and 1850s- Surge in enthusiasm for
  expansion
• Nationalism, population growth, economic
  development, technological advances, and reform
  ideals all contributed

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Map 14-4 p301
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Westward Migration, 1840s
Western Trail Number of Settlers Destination When
California Trail 2,700 California 18421848
Mormon Trail 4,600 Utah 18471848
Oregon Trail 11,500 Oregon 18421848
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Territorial Expansion

• 1842 Northern Maine (Webster-Ashburton Treaty)
• 1845 Texas Annexation
• 1846 Oregon (negotiated)
• 1848 Mexican Cession (Mexican War)

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Texas

• Mexico won independence from Spain
• 1823 Mexico granted land to Stephen Austin
• American pioneers moved into the area
• The issue of slavery resulted in tensions
• Mexico, which emancipated its slaves in 1830,
  prohibited further importation of slaves into
  Texas
• 1836 Texans declared their independence

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• 1836 Santa Anna wiped out the American garrison
  at the Alamo (Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett were
  among the dead)
• Sam Houston then defeated Santa Anna and forced
  him to sign a treaty recognizing Texas
• 1837 the U.S. recognized Texas
• Anti-slavery crusaders opposed the annexation of
  Texas

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Polk Economic Policy

• Lower tariff
• tariff-for-revenue bill that reduced average
  rates of Tariff of 1842 from 32 to 25
• With strong support from low-tariff southerners,
  Walker Tariff bill made it through Congress
• Complaints came from middle states and New
  England
• Bill proved to be excellent revenue producer
• Independent treasury restored

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• Polk wanted California
• Dispute with Mexico over Texas

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American Blood on American (?) Soil

• Polk decided to force a showdown
• January 13, 1846, he ordered 4,000 men
• Under General Zachary Taylor to march from Nueces
  River to Rio Grande hoping for a clash
• When nothing happened, he informed cabinet (May
  9, 1846) that he proposed to declare war because
  of
• Unpaid claims
• Slidell's rejection
• News of bloodshed arrived same night
• Mexican troops crossed Rio Grande and met Taylor

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• The strong desire to establish peace with Mexico
  on liberal and honorable terms, and the readiness
  of this Government to regulate and adjust our
  boundary and other causes of difference with that
  power on such fair and equitable principles as
  would lead to permanent relations of the most
  friendly nature, induced me . . . to seek the
  reopening of diplomatic relations between the two
  countries.... An envoy of the United States
  repaired to Mexico with full powers to adjust
  every existing difference. But though present on
  the Mexican soil by agreement between the two
  Governments, invested with full powers, and
  bearing evidence of the most friendly
  dispositions, his mission has been unavailing.
  The Mexican Government not only refused to
  receive him or listen to his propositions, but
  after a long-continued series of menaces have at
  last invaded our territory and shed the blood of
  our fellow-citizens on our own soil.
• -Polks War Message, 1846

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• In the meantime we have tried every effort at
  reconciliation. The cup of forbearance had been
  exhausted even before the recent information from
  the frontier of the Del Norte. But now, after
  reiterated menaces, Mexico has passed the
  boundary of the United States, has invaded our
  territory and shed American blood upon the
  American soil. She has proclaimed that
  hostilities have commenced, and that the two
  nations are now at war.
• As war exists, and, notwithstanding all our
  efforts to avoid it, exists by the act of Mexico
  herself, we are called upon by every
  consideration of duty and patriotism to vindicate
  with decision the honor, the rights, and the
  interests of our country.

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Lincolns Spot Resolutions

• Whether the spot on which the blood of our
  citizens was shed, as in his messages declared,
  was or was not within the territory of Spain, at
  least after the treaty of 1819, until the Mexican
  revolution.
• December 22, 1847, House of Representatives

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• Polk sent vigorous war message to Congress
• Congress overwhelmingly voted for war
• In message to Congress, Polk was making
  historynot writing a balanced account
• Spot resolutionby Abraham Lincoln demanded
  information as to precise spot on American soil
  where American blood had been shed
• Did Polk provoke war?
• California was imperative in his program
• Mexico would not sell it at any price
• January 1847 House voted 85-81 to censure Polk
  (Whigs controlled the House)

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Map 17-3 p371
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• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
• Confirmed American title to Texas
• Yielded enormous area stretching to Oregon, the
  ocean, embracing California (Size of U.S.
  increased by 1/3)
• Total expanse was about ½ of Mexico
• United States agreed to pay 15 million for land
  and to assume claims of its citizen against
  Mexico (amount 3,250,000)
• War marked a negative turning point in relations
  between the U.S. and Latin America

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• War aroused slavery debate that not stop until
  Civil War
• David Wilmot of Pennsylvania introduced amendment
  that slavery should never exist in any
  territories wrested from Mexico
• Wilmot Proviso never became law, but
• Endorsed by legislatures of all but one of free
  states
• Came to symbolize burning issue of slavery in
  territories

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• More than any other issue, debate over slavery in
  new western lands divided North South
• From perspective of history, opening shots of
  Mexican War were opening shots of Civil War
• Mexico will poison us.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson

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