• Oregon (Britain)• Texas & War with Mexico

“…our manifest destiny [is] to overspread the continent allotted by providence for the free development of our yearly multiplying millions.”

—John O’Sullivan, editor of The Democratic Review (1845)

[Greenberg, p. 98]

(rationale for U.S. to annex Oregon & Texas)

the underrated James Knox Polk

• 11th president• major objective:

acquiring Texas & California for the United States

James Polk & his cabinet, 1845(first known photo of a presidential cabinet &

first known photo taken inside the White House)

Oregon Boundary Treaty (1846)

where to draw border btw. U.S. & British North America (later Canada)? U.S.: “54-40 or Fight” Britain: 42nd parallel (top of California) compromise: 49th parallel (Minnesota to Pacific)

James K. Polk,Inaugural Address (March 4, 1845)

(Greenberg, document 23, pp. 93–95)

“In the earlier stages of our national existence the opinion prevailed with some that our system of confederated States could not operate successfully over an extended territory . . . As our population has expanded, the Union has been cemented and strengthened. As our boundaries have been enlarged and our agricultural population has been spread over a large surface, our . . . system has acquired additional strength and security. . . . It is confidently believed that our system may be safely extended to the utmost bounds of our Union, so far from being weakened, will become stronger.”

JOURNAL ENTRY 12a

• What kind of power do you think the United States’ “agricultural population” had?—and—Why did Polk think that power should be spread to other places?

Texas, Mexico, & the U.S.• 1821: Mexico became

independent from Spain• 1820s : U.S. tried to buy

Texas from Mexico • 1824–1830: Mexico invited

people to immigrate to Texas– by 1830: 70% Americans

• 1836: Americans in Texas declared it independent from Mexico

• 1836–1845: Texas was independent country

• 1845: became a U.S. state

the Alamo, in San Antonio, Texas, site of 1836 battle between

American settlers & Mexican forces

Mexican War (1846–1848)• U.S. wanted more western land, offered to buy it from Mexico• debate about where Texas-Mexico border was– Polk sent troops to defend against attack from Mexico

• first-ever invasion by U.S. Army• Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)– acquired 40% of Mexican territory

(950,000 sq. miles, parts of 10 future states)– U.S. paid Mexico $15 million

• new Americans: 75,000 Spanish-speaking Mexicans & 150,000 Indians

Carl Nebel, “Genl. Scott’s Entrance into Mexico (City)” (painted in 1851)

JOURNAL ENTRY 12b

• based on Nebel’s (pro-U.S.) painting:– What kind of “presence” did the

U.S. army/cavalry have in Mexico City?– What kind of city is Mexico City?– What were “average” Mexicans like?

slavery debate continued

• Wilmot Proviso (1846)– territory acquired from Mexico should be free states – (didn’t pass U.S. Senate)

• Compromise of 1850– slavery in territory won from Mexico decided on

by white men living there – California admitted as free state [gold discovered (1848)]– slave trade (but not slavery) abolished in D.C.– Fugitive Slave Act (all Americans had to turn in suspected

runaway slaves)

territory = trouble

• Gadsden Purchase (1853)– from Mexico to put railroad on it– all territory in present-day continental U.S.

had been acquired

• more territory = more “sectional” trouble– decided not to acquire:

Cuba, more Mexico, Latin American countries, Hawai‘i, Canada, etc.

Absolut vodka ad for a Mexican audience (2008)