Manifest Destiny

1. Manifest Destiny The American Pageant: Chapter 17

2. The shortest presidency • Harrison (Whig elected) • Bad president: Clay ran most of show • Died 4 weeks after being elected • John Tyler replaced him • Switched from Jacksonian Democrat to Whig • was from minority party • “Tyler Precedent”

3. Harrison and Tyler

4. Texas • Mexico believed that Texas was a territory in revolt • Texas negotiated with Britain and France. • Britain wanted an independent Texas to control American southward expansion. France was thinking the same thing. • Texas was also an area without Tariffs.

5. Texas Statehood • The North against the south for • Before Polk took office, he called for a joint resolution to annex Texas because he could not get a 2/3rds Senate vote. • A joint resolution meant that each house must have a majority vote (a simple majority) to pass an annexation. • Texas was invited into the Union in 1845.

7. Oregon • Oregon was a territory under much dispute with Spain, Russia, Britain, the US, • Spain backed out after the Adams-Onis Treaty (Florida Purchase) and the Russians backed above the 54*40’ line after treaties with Britain and the US. • Treaty of 1818 – Joint territory • Population increase in the U.S. • The issue was tossed into the election of 1844.

8. Oregon Territory

9. Manifest Destiny • James A Polk • Speaker of the House • supported by Jackson - called “Young Hickory • Democrats were passionate about Manifest Destiny • (expansion from east to the west and the north to the south) • Whigs tried to condemn them by bringing up the spread of slavery issue. • Democrats treated this as an “OK” from the voters to take Texas.

11. California? • If Mexico wasn’t mad at the US, Polk could have bought California • Mexicans thought Texas was just revolting. • There was also a rumor that California was being eyed by the British. • If the British acquired it, then the Monroe Doctrine would be violated • Polk sent John Slidell to Mexico City to propose up to $25 million to buy CA. • The Mexicans felt insulted by this act.

12. War with Mexico • Polk sent Taylor to Mexico • April 25, 1846 - Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and attacked Taylor’s group, 16 casualties • Congress agreed to war and the war machine was started. • Polk lied about bloodshed • feared that California would be claimed by somebody else • Dispute over who started war

13. Mexican – American War

14. Taylor and Winfield Scott • California fell easily • Zachary Taylor was where all the action was in Texas where he fought his way south into Mexico. • At Buena Vista, the Americans managed to fight off a force of 20,000 with only 5,000 weakened men later leading Taylor into a presidency. • General Winfield Scott was sent to Mexico City • Underprovided for but made it to the city.

15. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo • Trist signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on Feb 2, 1848, and sent the treaty back to Washington. • Terms gave Texas and California to America, cutting Mexico to half size. • America would pay $15 million for the land and assumed the claims of its citizens in amount of $3,250,000

17. Profit and Loss in Mexico • Small war, big end. • West Point and Annapolis were founded • Foreign countries had respect for U.S. • The Mexican war was a factor that led to the Civil War • Wilmot Amendment – an amendment that would prevent slavery in any of the new territory. • Not passed