Land Acquisition & Slavery in the west Mexican American War

Western Territorial Expansion in the 1840’s In the 1840s, America realized its “manifest destiny” by acquiring all lands to the Pacific Ocean: In 1845, the USA annexed the independent nation of Texas In 1846, the U.S. settled a dispute with England to gain Oregon In 1848, the USA gained new lands in the SW by winning the Mexican-American War https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkdF8pOFUfI

Mexican Independence and Americans in Texas In 1821, Mexico won independence from Spain & the new Mexican gov’t welcomed Americans into Texas by offering cheap land. Stephen F. Austin became one of the wealthiest “Anglos” in Texas

Americans refused to accept Mexican laws They would not convert to Catholicism, would not accept a ban on slavery, and wanted a voice in Mexican government

Texas Revolution & Independence from Mexico (1835-1836) By 1834, Mexican president Santa Anna began to view Anglos as a threat & had Austin arrested In 1835, Texans were in open rebellion against the Mexican government

The Alamo Texans lost at the Alamo, but the battle created inspiration: “Remember the Alamo!” Texans, led by Sam Houston, captured Santa Anna & won their independence in 1836

The Republic of Texas From 1836-1845, Texas was an independent nation; Sam Houston was the first President of the Republic of Texas In 1838, Houston invited the USA to acquire Texas, but the debate over slavery kept America from adding Texas as a state.

James k. Polk – 11th president Democrat James K. Polk won the election of 1844 and became the “Manifest Destiny” President: He urged Congress to make Texas the 28th US state in 1845. Admitted as a slave state He admitted Oregon as a free state

The Mexican American War Reasons for the Mexican-American War When Texas won its independence from Mexico in 1836, the 2 sides disagreed over the territorial boundaries of the Republic of Texas. (U.S.-Rio Grande River/ Mexico-Nueces River) When the US annexed Texas 9 years later, this dispute was not settled. This dispute led to the Mexican-American War

The Mexican American War The dispute led to the Mexican-American War from 1846-1848. In 1846, President Polk sent General Zachary Taylor across the Rio Grande River which provoked Mexico into war. The US quickly won the Mexican War from 1846-1848.

The Mexican-American War ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo in 1848 The USA gained “all” of Texas to the Rio Grande River Mexico gave up (ceded) territory in the Southwest, called the Mexican Cession (California & New Mexico) 5 years later, the U.S. bought the Gadsden Purchase for $10 million to build a southern railroad

the Wilmot Proviso Texas was not annexed for 9 years because its would cause an unbalance in the number of free & slave states The addition of the Mexican Cession after the Mexican-American War gave Southerners hope that slavery would spread to the Pacific Ocean

the Wilmot Proviso In 1846, Northern Congressmen tried to pass the Wilmot Proviso: This law would have outlawed all slaves from the Mexican Cession Rather than voting along party lines (Democrats & Whigs), Congressmen voted according to their region In 1848, the Free Soil party was formed to keep slavery from spreading West

California and the Compromise of 1850 In 1850, California asked to enter the Union as a free state: Southerners did not want more free states & wanted slavery to be allowed in the Mexican territories Northerners wanted to keep slavery out of the SW & wanted other laws to protect slaves who make it to freedom in the North

Compromise of 1850 The Compromise of 1850 solved the sectional dispute between North & South: California entered as a free states The people of Utah & New Mexico could vote to allow or ban slavery (popular sovereignty), The slave trade ended in Washington DC, A stronger Fugitive Slave Law was created that allowed Southerners to recapture slaves in the North

From 1820-1850, sectionalism in America increased due to: Differences in regional economies & the use of slavery Westward expansion & the entry of new states to the Union Growing abolitionism in the North