MANIFEST MANIFEST DESTINYDESTINY

WESTWARD EXPANSIONWESTWARD EXPANSION

““Our claims are based on the right of Our claims are based on the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole continent which to possess the whole continent which Providence has given us for the Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment development of the great experiment in liberty….” John L. O’Sullivanin liberty….” John L. O’Sullivan

Manifest Destiny = The belief that the Manifest Destiny = The belief that the U.S. had a God-given right to extend its U.S. had a God-given right to extend its boundaries westward to the Pacific boundaries westward to the Pacific Ocean and spread democracy to the Ocean and spread democracy to the less fortunate.less fortunate.

How does this painting explain the attitude of How does this painting explain the attitude of Americans in the mid-1800s?Americans in the mid-1800s?

Spirit of the Frontier/American Progress,Spirit of the Frontier/American Progress, 1872 1872 by John Gastby John Gast

““Go West, Young Man!”Go West, Young Man!”Horace Greeley, New York Tribune – 1845Horace Greeley, New York Tribune – 1845

Why did early settlers flood across the Why did early settlers flood across the country during the mid-1800s?country during the mid-1800s?

The California Gold Rush began in 1848 with the discovery of gold at Sutter’s Mill on the

California River.

Settlers flocked to the Oregon Country in search of fertile land

for farming.

Ranchers moved into areas that buffalo previously inhabited

and began raising cattle descended from Spanish herds.

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RISKS OF MANIFEST DESTINY:RISKS OF MANIFEST DESTINY: In the Great Plains?In the Great Plains?

– INDIANSINDIANS but … but …U.S. more technologicallyU.S. more technologically

advancedadvancedinter-tribal conflictsinter-tribal conflicts

In Texas?In Texas?– MEXICOMEXICO but … but …

politically unstablepolitically unstablelack of settlementlack of settlement

On the Pacific coast?On the Pacific coast?– BRITISH BRITISH but …but …

lack of desire to really fightlack of desire to really fight

Webster-Webster-Ashburton TreatyAshburton Treaty

Aroostook “War”Aroostook “War”– 12,000 miles in dispute 12,000 miles in dispute (since Treaty of Paris, 1783)(since Treaty of Paris, 1783)

Resolved by Lord Ashburton & Sec. of State Resolved by Lord Ashburton & Sec. of State Webster, 1842 in Webster, 1842 in Webster-Ashburton Treaty:Webster-Ashburton Treaty:– U.S. retains 7,000 miles of disputed territoryU.S. retains 7,000 miles of disputed territory– BR get route from Halifax to QuebecBR get route from Halifax to Quebec

U.S. gets bonus …U.S. gets bonus …– BR surrendered area further west (MN) that BR surrendered area further west (MN) that

contained Mesabi iron ore depositscontained Mesabi iron ore deposits

TEXAS - INDEPENDENCE FROM MEXICO

• STEPHEN AUSTIN got a grant from Mexico to bring 300 American settlers to Texas in 1823 …. with conditions:– they had to become

Roman Catholic– they had to obey

Mexican laws .. why a problem?

– NO SLAVERY!

GENERAL SANTA ANNA MX Dictator by 1833; plans

crackdown

Americans failed to become Catholic & broke Mexican law by bringing in slaves

By 1830, Americans outnumbered Mexicans in Texas by 10 to 1

MX cuts off any further immigration

GTT! Typical Texan?

The government of Mexico & the Americans The government of Mexico & the Americans who settled in Mexican-controlled Texas who settled in Mexican-controlled Texas clashed over all of the following issues clashed over all of the following issues exceptexcept

1 2 3 4 5

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1.1. allegiance to Spainallegiance to Spain

2.2. slaveryslavery

3.3. immigrationimmigration

4.4. local rightslocal rights

5.5. Santa Anna raising an Santa Anna raising an army to use against army to use against TexasTexas

Response GridResponse Grid

CountdownCountdown

10

Texans Seek Texans Seek Independence!Independence!

• 1833 - Austin tries to negotiate; thrown in jail for 8 mos. for treason (letter urging TX to organize its own gov’t)

• 1835 – Santa Anna removes all local rights & begins raising army to suppress Texans

• Battle of Gonzales – 1835• Mexicans come to retrieve cannon given to

Texas settlers to protect themselves from Indians

• Texans refuse & adopt “Come & Take It!” motto & are actually the attackers

• Texas declares independence, 1836• Elect Sam Houston as President

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

• 188 Americans at the ALAMO, a mission in San Antonio – trying to hold off Santa Anna & buy time for Houston to build forces

• Feb. 1836, Santa Anna’s 2,000 troops attacked – no reinforcements available

• Takes Santa Anna 2 weeks to win - loses 1,500 men

13 day siege– Near end, Santa Anna has Alamo surrounded– Travis draws “line in the sand…”

Mexicans kill all 187 Texans, including William Travis, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie

Women and children were spared but were ordered to warn other Texans that the Mexican army could not be beaten.

Siege of the Alamo

Then, 400 Texans butchered at Goliad by firing squad after having thrown down their weapons

SAM HOUSTON follows up with victory at San Jacinto– Surprise attack while Mexicans taking a

“siesta”– Battle lasted only 20 minutes but killing goes

on for hours– Captured Santa Anna & forced him to sign a

treaty at sword point recognizing the independence of Texas

Texas thus became the “LONE STAR REPUBLIC” in l836 & sought admission to the U.S.

U.S. kept putting it off – for 9 years! Why? TX begins establishing ties with the BR – why? What reasons fueled BR interest in TX?

JOHN TYLER – “THE JOHN TYLER – “THE PRESIDENT WITHOUT A PRESIDENT WITHOUT A

PARTY”PARTY” Log Campaign of 1840 – Log Campaign of 1840 –

Tippecanoe & Tyler Too!”Tippecanoe & Tyler Too!” Harrison died one month into Harrison died one month into

office & Tyler succeeds to office & Tyler succeeds to presidencypresidency

Tyler is NOT a Clay/Webster Tyler is NOT a Clay/Webster puppet as Harrison was expected puppet as Harrison was expected to beto be

Vetoes Clay’s bank bill; Cabinet Vetoes Clay’s bank bill; Cabinet resignsresigns

High protective tariffHigh protective tariff Webster-Ashburton Treaty with Webster-Ashburton Treaty with

BRBR Calls for annexation of TX but Calls for annexation of TX but

Senate rejects treatySenate rejects treaty Finally, 1844, annexes it by joint Finally, 1844, annexes it by joint

resolution – officially admitted in resolution – officially admitted in 18451845

The LegacyThe LegacyThe San Jacinto monument stands even higher than the Washington monument.

Texas was prohibited from making the obelisk higher than the monument in D.C., so they added a star that made it bigger.

OREGON OREGON FEVER!FEVER! Jointly occupied –BR & US

– Also claimed over time byRussia – retreated in 1824/5

- And Spain - lost it in Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819

Extended from Pacific to Rockiesand from AK to CA

Two primary reasons for OR fever:

BEAVER TRADEBEAVER TRADE– “Mountain Men”– opened passageways west

but also weakened and corrupted Indians – how?

FERTILE SOILFERTILE SOIL

Overland Trails WestOverland Trails West

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Conestoga WagonConestoga Wagon“Prairie Schooner”“Prairie Schooner”

Reports from Christian missionaries sent back east praising the fertile soil!

OREGON TRAILOREGON TRAIL Expensive, $600/family

of 4 2000 miles Left from MO May to November Traveled only 2 mi. in

an hour 5,000 Americans in OR

by 1846 “Overlanders” The Donner Party

By 1846--By 1846--Oregon divided Oregon divided between Great between Great Britain and U.S. Britain and U.S. at the 49th at the 49th parallelparallel

Why was Why was President Polk President Polk willing to willing to negotiate this negotiate this boundary with boundary with Britain?Britain?

A Timeline of American A Timeline of American ExpansionExpansion

Revolutionary War (1776) Revolutionary War (1776) Proclamation of 1763Proclamation of 1763 Louisiana Purchase (1803) Louisiana Purchase (1803) from France — $15 millionfrom France — $15 million War of 1812 – War of 1812 – designs on Canada and Floridadesigns on Canada and Florida Monroe Doctrine (1823) Monroe Doctrine (1823) Hands off the Western Hands off the Western

HemisphereHemisphere Indian Removal Act (1830) Indian Removal Act (1830) Trail of Tears, 1838Trail of Tears, 1838 Texas Revolution (1836) Texas Revolution (1836) Annexation of Texas, 1847Annexation of Texas, 1847 Mexican War (1846) Mexican War (1846) Polk used a border dispute to Polk used a border dispute to

justify justify expansionexpansion Mexican Cession (1848) Mexican Cession (1848) California, Nevada, New California, Nevada, New

Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona, Gadsden Purchase (1853) Gadsden Purchase (1853) from Mexico — $10 millionfrom Mexico — $10 million Purchase of Alaska (1867) Purchase of Alaska (1867) from Russia — $7.2 millionfrom Russia — $7.2 million Hawaii Annexation, 1898Hawaii Annexation, 1898

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Dems --> James K. Polk

“54º 40’, or Fight!”“54º 40’, or Fight!”

• Good Jacksonian• “Young Hickory”• Opposed the B.U.S.• Opposes high tariffs• Favors westward• expansion

Whigs --> Henry Clay

“Who is James

K. Polk?”

“Who is James

K. Polk?”

Liberty Party --> James Birney

Kept Clay from winning NY

“Texas Coming In”

Texas (the beast): I fear I cannot carry you into the Presidential Chair.Polk: Dear Texas, I knew you cannot—I wish I had rode some other horse but it is too late to repent.

1844 Election Results

“JAMES K. POLK”by They Might Be Giants

In 1844, the Democrats were splitThe three nominees for the presidential candidateWere Martin Van Buren, a former president and an abolitionistJames Buchanan, a moderateLewis Cass, a general and expansionistFrom Nashville came a dark horse riding upHe was James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump!

“JAMES K. POLK”by They Might Be Giants

Austere, severe, he held few people dearHis oratory filled his foes with fearThe factions soon agreedHe's just the man we needTo bring about victoryFulfill our Manifest DestinyAnd annex the land the Mexicans commandAnd when the votes were cast the winner wasMister James K. Polk, Napoleon of the Stump!

“JAMES K. POLK”by They Might Be Giants

In four short years he met his every goalHe seized the whole southwest from MexicoMade sure the tariffs fellAnd made the English sell the Oregon TerritoryHe built an independent treasuryHaving done all this he sought no second termBut precious few have mourned the passing ofMister James K. Polk, our eleventh president“Young Hickory,” Napoleon of the Stump!

1. Lower the tariff.

2. Resolve the Oregon boundarydispute.

3. Restore the independent treasury.

4. Acquire California & Texas.

Goals of Polk’s Administration

“The 4 Pillars of Polk”

Our Greatest One-Term President?