CHAPTER 13: IMMIGRATION, EXPANSION, & SECTIONAL CONFLICT

1840-1848

Section 1

Focus Question: How did immigration in the 1840’s influence

the balance of power between the Whig & Democratic parties

Big Picture: Texas independence Immigration & territorial gain = political change

Expectations & Motivations

Desire for religious freedom & better economic conditions. Unsafe boat rides, fake tickets, goal to find

close knit groups. Arrival: NE & South

Irish—no $ for farms & worked in urban NE. Germans—Spread from N.O. up Miss. River

Cities demanded & welcomed immigrant labor

Germans

1860—Germany contained diverse groups, religions, & origins. Farmers & professionals. Levi Strauss

Language connector German-American Communities: own

schools, companies, doctors… Did not go outside their communities. Struggled to gain political positions.

Irish

1815-1820—mostly Protestant & small land owners

Mid-1840’s—poor & Catholic 1815-1845—800,000 immigrated to the

US “Great Famine” Worked in construction, textiles, &

servants

Nativists & Policy

Anti-Catholic Protestants = Nativists

Feared job loss George Henry Evans—

National Reform Association Tried to gain land for

newcomers Unions organized to

attract workers Commonwealth v Hunt

1842—allowed Unions Mass.—fired union

workers

Democrats German & Irish support due

to focus on jobs Tried to push expansion &

banking/tariffs to group “Forty-Eighters”

Whigs Turned off immigrant

support Supported Abolitionism (job

competition) Supported Moral behavior

(temperance & education). Thought G/I were spreading

bad behavior to public.

Section 2

Focus Question: What economic and political forces fed

westward expansion during the 1840’s?

Big Picture: “West”—land W. of the Appalachians & Miss.

River.

Land & Trade

Transcontinental Treaty or Adams Onis Treaty (1819)—Parts of “Oregon” territory split between US & BR.

1820—Mexico gains independence & takes TX & NM

Mexico territory undisputed.

LAND

Land & Trade

Merchants sailed around S. America to trade with California.

“Californios” Catholic & Spanish

Trails & trade links: St. Louis, MO to Santa

Fe, NM Silver Peso Beaver pelts

TRADE

Conflict with Mexico

Stephen Austin owned land in Texas, passed down from his father

He led a group of 300 Americans to Texas to start a small colony

Americans were told they could stay IF they agreed to become Mexican citizens and worship in the Roman Catholic Church

Growing Conflict

Thousands more flooded into Texas Disregarded Mexican law

Brought slaves and were Protestants 1830 Mexico banned further U.S.

settlement and tried to enforce its laws Began to levy heavy taxes on U.S.

imports

Declaring Independence

In Mexico there was a movement for a more democratic government

1833 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna took control of government Over turned

constitution and began a dictatorship (one person rule)

1836, under urging of Austin, Texans declared independence from Mexico

What Did Mexicans Want?

What did the Americans want?

Texans at war

Santa Anna attacked the Alamo, a mission where Texans and Mexican Texans (Tejanos) were gathered

The Texans and Tejanos held out for 12 days under heavy cannon fire before Mexican forces overran it

Results of the Alamo

All the defenders killed in battle or executed afterwards

Inspired by their bravery, many American volunteers joined the Texan Army

Later Sam Houston, commander of the Texan Army led a surprise attack on Santa Anna at San Jacinto

Captured Santa Anna and forced him to recognize Texan independence

Beginnings of the Mexican-American War

Polk offered Mexican government cash to settle the border dispute, purchase California and the rest of New Mexico

This angered Mexico and they refused Polk then tried to provoke the Mexicans

Sent General Zachary Taylor into the disputed land

Mexicans ambushed them and Polk asked Congress for a declaration of war

Settlement & Trails to the West By 1840—small groups settled in CA, NM, &

OR. Overland Trails

4 month trip Supplies: guns, but shot themselves by accident Traveled in groups: starvation, hypothermia… “Donner Party”

1840: 11,500 immigrated & only 2,000 made it

“Californios” issues…

Trails WestwardTrails Westward

The Doomed Donner PartyThe Doomed Donner Party

April, 1846 – April, 1847

April, 1846 – April, 1847

The Doomed Donner PartyThe Doomed Donner Party

James Reed & WifeJames Reed & Wife

Margaret Patrick John Breen Breen Breen Margaret Patrick John Breen Breen Breen

Of the 83 members of the Donner Party, only 45 survived to get to California!

Of the 83 members of the Donner Party, only 45 survived to get to California!

CANNIBALISM ! !

CANNIBALISM ! !

Section 3

Focus Question How did westward expansion threaten

war with Britain & Mexico?

Big Picture: Annex Texas? CA? NM? OR? Economic Recovery

Whigs

1840—William Henry Harrison Goal to stimulate

economy Revise tariffs for

internal improvements Dies = John Tyler VP

Secret Democrat Vetoes Whig programs

like Compromise 1833 to lower tariffs

Raises tariffs to give to North (sim to Jackson

Whigs

1842—Webster Ashburton Treaty Settled disputes

between Maine & Canada

Tyler thought support would lead to support for annexing TX

Northern conspiracy

Great Britain

“Manifest Destiny”“Manifest Destiny”

First coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845.

First coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845.

".... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federal development of self-government entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full

expansion of its principle and destiny of growth."

".... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federal development of self-government entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree to the space of air and the earth suitable for the full

expansion of its principle and destiny of growth."

A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure emerged.

A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure emerged.

“American Progress” by John

Gast, 1872

“American Progress” by John

Gast, 1872

Manifest Destiny

1849 John O’Sullivan “Manifest Destiny” or “Sea to Shining Sea” Justification by “God”

Spread “influences” Democracy, religion, slavery

Democratic Expansionists “New Party” Supported by Irish & Anti-slavery advocates

Over expansion = ungovernable empire

Annexing Texas and Oregon

Election of 1844 Election was between Henry Clay (Whig)

and James K. Polk Polk won by promising to annex Texas

and Oregon

Tensions with Mexico Mexico had never formally

recognized Texan independence Treaty Santa Anna signed set

boundary at Rio Grande Mexican government claimed

boundary was further north

Annexation Before Polk took office President Tyler

called for admission of Texas as state As President, Polk negotiated a treaty

with Britain to divide Oregon (Now states of Washington, Oregon, and parts of Idaho) (49th Parallel)

Section 4

Focus Question: How did the outcome of the Mexican-

American War intensify intersectional conflicts?

Big Picture: Gaining CA & NM = slavery issues!

The Mexican American War

War with Mexico popular with most Americans Support was strongest

among Westerners and Southerners who wanted more land

 http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/timeline_flash.html

Why would Southerners want more land?

How would the belief in “Manifest Destiny” make people support the war?

Why would Westerners want more land?

Many Northerners argued that Polk had provoked the war How had Polk “provoked” the war?

Polk

Rebellion in California

Polk ordered troop under the command of Stephen Kearny to invade and capture Santa Fe, New Mexico

Settlers near San Francisco had begun their own revolt against Mexico

They raised a grizzly bear flag and declared California an independent republic

John C. Fremont took control of the “Bear Flag Rebellion”

Quickly captured major cities of California (Monterey and San Francisco)

Fremont

He then moved on to join forces with U.S. troops under the command of Kearny

Kearny’s troops captured Santa Fe and San Diego

United with naval units to occupy all of southern California

Kearny

Invasion of Mexico

General Zachary Taylor and General Winfield Scott swept through Mexico with stunning victories even though they were often outnumbered

How do you think they still won?

Scott’s campaign ended at Chapultepec, a stone palace above the capital of Mexico City

The Mexican troops fought bravely to defend Chapultepec, but most were killed

How is this similar to the American experience at the Alamo?

After Americans won the capital city, Santa Anna fled

The U.S. had won the war

Achieving Manifest Destiny

The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

Under the treaty, Mexico recognized the annexation of Texas and gave the U.S. large amounts of territory

Mexican Cession included present day California, Nevada, Utah and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico

U.S. also paid $15 million for this land

In the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, U.S. paid Mexico $10 million for a narrow strip of present day Arizona and New Mexico

The Mexican CessionThe Mexican Cession

How did Each Person Help bring Mexican land under u.s. control?

A. General Kearny

B. General Zachary Taylor

C. General Winfield Scott

D. John Fremont

E. President Tyler

F. President Polk

G. Stephen Austin

H. Sam Houston