1. The Impending Crisis
Chapter 13

2. Missouri Compromise
Westward Expansion complicated the issue of slavery
Missouri Compromise
Line drawn across the Louisiana Purchase. North of the line was ant-slavery, South of the line had slavery
The compromise failed to answer the questions of the West

3. Drive to go West
Many factors contributed to American’s desire to move West
New, fertile lands
Economic opportunities—gold, minerals, agriculture, ranching
Manifest Destiny—nationalism
Racial Justification—”American Race” was superior to Indians
Henry Clay and others felt that western expansion would divide the country on the issue of slavery—the Civil War was NO surprise!

4. Americans in Texas Mexico controlled Texas until 1830’s
US tried to buy Texas
Mexico encouraged Americans to immigrate to Texas
1826 Texas tries to secede from Mexico forming their own country called Fredonia
Mexico bans American immigration but by 1835, 30,000 American’s live in Texas
The Fredonian Flag

5. Tensions Between US and Mexico
Americans in Texas wanted to legalize slavery (Mexico had outlawed slavery years earlier)
1830 General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna takes control of the Mexican government and begins to push Americans out of Texas
Battle of the Alamo—Santa Anna uses force to push Americans out.
Sam Houston, at the battle of San Jacinto defeated Mexican Army and captures Santa Anna
Mexico sings treaty granted Texas independence
Texans want to be ANNEXED by the US but Northerners don’t want another slave state and many feared Texas would split the Union
Texas is its own country for a while

6. Oregon
Territory includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
US and Britain fight over sovereignty of the territory
Protestant Evangelists move to the territory to spread Christianity to the Native Americans and fight French Catholic expansion into the territory from Canada
Thousands of white settlers head out on the Oregon Trail
They bring with them measles which devastates the Indian population

7. The Oregon Trail

8. Expansion and War
Democratic Party selects James K. Polk as their nominee for president because he supports the annexation of Texas
Polk wins the election due to his support of allow Texas (slave) and the Oregon Territory (Free) into the Union
President Tyler, before leaving office believes Polk’s election a mandate from the people and pushes through Congress a bill making Texas a state in 1845
The boundary of America and Canada is set at the 49th parallel in a treaty with Britain.

9. The Southwest and California
When Texas was admitted into the Union Mexico broke diplomatic ties with the US
Texas and Mexico argued over their borders.
Polk sends a small army commanded by Zachery Taylor to Texas to defend its border from Mexico
Control of Texas meant control of the area that would be one day New Mexico and California
Lots of public interest in these lands, so Polk did everything in his power to take them from Mexico
Polk sent order to Naval commanders in the region to seize California ports if they declared war

10. The Mexican War
Diplomatic talks broke down and Polk ordered American troops to move towards the disputed lands
May 13, 1846 the US declares war on Mexico
Many Whigs argued that Polk had deliberately orchestrated war to gain lands in the region
War was fought in Texas, Mexico, and parts of California
Polk feared that Taylor was too hesitant to carry out his plan to take Mexico city and could become a powerful political opponent, so he ordered General Winfield Scott to march towards Mexico City
Scott was so successful that the Mexican government was overthrown before he could get to the City and negotiations began.
On February 1, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed giving the US control of California and New Mexico and set the Rio Grande River as the boundary between Mexico and Texas

11. Slavery and the Territories
The Wilmot Proviso—a bill argued in Congress in years that forbade slavery in any territories gained from Mexico.
Congress could not agree on the slavery issue
Democrats and Whigs try to avoid the slavery issue in the election of 1848
Polk bows out of the race due to poor health, the Democrats nominate Lewis Cass of Michigan, but Zachary Taylor (Whig) of Louisiana wins the White House.
Abolitionists, unsatisfied with either choice, form the Free Soil Party—and anti-slavery party that includes both Democrats and Whigs