1. Mexican-American War

3. "The United States will conquer Mexico, but it will be as the man swallows the arsenic; Mexico will poison us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson (Transcendentalist)

4. Aim: Did the Mexican-American War unite or divide the nation?
Key Terms:
President Polk ( )
Mexican-American War ( ) (California 1849; Oregon 1846 and 1849)
Rose Revolt – civil disobedience, Thoreau
Wilmot Proviso
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo (1848)
Gadsden Purchase, 1853–1854
The Gadsden Purchase: an agreement between the United States and Mexico, finalized in 1854, in which the United States agreed to pay Mexico $10 million for a 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico that later became part of Arizona and New Mexico. Gadsden’s Purchase provided the land necessary for a southern transcontinental railroad and attempted to resolve conflicts that lingered after the Mexican-American War.
Kansas Nebraska Act 1854
Homestead Act 1862
Essential Questions:
What are the arguments for and against the Mexican-American War?
Do you agree with the decision to go to war? Why/why not?

6. US Territorial Expansion
When?
1848
From Where?
Mexico
G - Mexican Cession
Why?
Polk offers to buy G from Mexico & they refuse
War!
US wins
In Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, US offers $15 million for G F A C B G E D 6

7. Mexican American War
Texas rebellion against Mexican government and US admitting it as a state – undermined Mexican government.
US offered 30 million dollars for the land, so US sent troops to Tex/Mex border.
Mexico didn’t recognize the Texas border. Fought over the territory.
US military was near the Rio Grande River, Mexico wanted the soldiers out of there. US felt like a threat to Mexico.

8. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848 (Treaty forced on Mexico…)
Mexico gave up claims to Texas above the Rio Grande River.
Mexico gave the U. S. California and New Mexico.
U. S. gave Mexico $15,000,000 and agreed to pay the claims of American citizens against Mexico (over $3,500,000).

9. Results of the Mexican American War
The 17 month war cost 100 million dollars and 13,000 lives (mostly due to disease).
Brought new land into the union (1 million square miles including TX), which brought slavery into the forefront of American national politics.
Upsets balance of power b/w north and south.
Created two popular Whig generals who ran for President.
Manifest Destiny realized.

11. Evolution of Major Political Parties
Year
ca. 1792
Hamiltonians
Jeffersonians
Federalists
Death of Federalists
Democratic-Republicans
ca. 1816
ca. 1820
Republicans
One party: Era of Good Feelings
ca. 1825
National Republicans
Democratic-Republicans
(Jacksonian Democrats)
1834
Whigs
Democrats
1854
Republicans
To Present
To Present

12. Democrats vs. Whigs Democrats Whigs
Led by Andrew Jackson, Proposed to:
limit role of government
abolish Bank of the U.S.
set tariffs at low levels
sell government land at low rates
didn’t want national government to meddle in state affairs (SLAVERY)
Led by Henry Clay & Daniel Webster
Wanted:
higher tariffs
high prices for government land
Wanted to use this money to build and maintain roads and other internal improvements.

13. The Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay, U.S. senator from Kentucky, was determined to find a solution. In 1820 he had resolved a fiery debate over the spread of slavery with his Missouri Compromise. Now, thirty years later, the matter surfaced again within the walls of the Capitol. But this time the stakes were higher -- nothing less than keeping the Union together.
There were several points at issue:
The United States had recently acquired a vast territory -- the result of its war with Mexico. Should the territory allow slavery, or should it be declared free? Or maybe the inhabitants should be allowed to choose for themselves?
California -- a territory that had grown tremendously with the gold rush of 1849, had recently petitioned Congress to enter the Union as a free state. Should this be allowed? Ever since the Missouri Compromise, the balance between slave states and free states had been maintained; any proposal that threatened this balance would almost certainly not win approval.
There was a dispute over land: Texas claimed that its territory extended all the way to Santa Fe.
Finally, there was Washington, D.C. Not only did the nation's capital allow slavery, it was home to the largest slave market in North America.

14. On January 29, 1850, the 70-year-old Clay presented a compromise.
According to the compromise, Texas would relinquish the land in dispute but, in compensation, be given 10 million dollars -- money it would use to pay off its debt to Mexico.
Also, the territories of New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah would be organized without mention of slavery. (The decision would be made by the territories' inhabitants later, when they applied for statehood.)
Regarding Washington, the slave trade would be abolished in the District of Columbia, although slavery would still be permitted.
Finally, California would be admitted as a free state. To pacify slave- state politicians, who would have objected to the imbalance created by adding another free state, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed.
Of all the bills that made up the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial.

15. The Mexican American War/Manifest Destiny
PRO
CON
Easier and more timely to trade with Russia and China, on the other side of the Pacific.
The new land we acquired is fertile for farming. Very easy to settle.
Land is able to support large population of people. Many precious metals there. GOLD.
Boosted America’s power, bigger country, not as new, puts America on the global map of power (military power, economic power)
The US almost as big as Europe.
More land to govern, can bring up more potential problems.
Millions of dollars were paid for land and many died.
Mexican American War creates political division:
Democrats believed this sent a message that you can’t kill US citizens on our soil.
Whigs believed it cost America too much money and America was at a disadvantage after the war
No benefit from this war.
Further divisions/disagreements over slavery – the northerners and southerners fought equally in the war.

19. Sectionalism
From 1840 to 1860, the United States experienced a surge in western territorial expansion and increasing sectional tensions between the North and South.
Manifest Destiny led to the acquisition of Texas and Oregon and a war with Mexico resulting in new territories in the southwest. As western territories grew in population and new states applied for statehood, sectional tensions grew over issues of regional power in the Senate.
A devotion to the interests of one geographic region over the interests of the country as a whole ultimately led to the civil war between the North and the South in the early 1860s

20. Things to keep in mind about a DBQ essay…
Think of it as if you’re writing a FREE RESPONSE essay but you’re using the documents to support points you would make anyway.
You must refer to specific parts of the document.
You must explain HOW those parts support YOUR argument. “Don’t just include a quote and think that we know why you included it.”

21. DBQ Advice
Start with OUTSIDE information, what you know, what claim (thesis) you want to prove.
Figure out what position each document takes.
Are you going to use the document as further evidence to support your point?
Are you going to use the document by REFUTING it and pointing to its weakness/bias/inaccuracy?
What EXACTLY are you using from the document? Which words? Statistics? Facts?

22. Example of Summary vs. Analysis
DOCUMENT
SUMMARY
ANALYSIS
DOCUMENT 5: Newspapers Comment on the Mexican American War
Newspaper reporters communicate distinct viewpoints regarding the Mexican American war. The Whig newspaper argues that the acquisition (taking) of this new territory will only lead to more trouble. The US is wasting its money by acquiring this land, it is not advantageous in any way.
The Democratic newspaper argues that while the war has cost the US millions of dollars and, more importantly—the lives of its people, it was a direct result of another country trying to attack the United States. This war is more than just the acquisition of land. It is acting to secure that we have a safe future.
The sources in this document are noted as being Whig and Democratic Newspapers which shows that the authors have an agenda. The Whigs—proponents of internal improvements by raising prices of government lands, would clearly be in opposition of a war. Meanwhile, the Democrats—opponents of a strong centralized government, would be in favor of a war because it would enable them to expand the practice of slavery into new territory.
The differing viewpoints of the political parties made its way into the nation’s newspapers which shows that Americans were divided over the issue of war. These newspapers would appeal to the audience by which they are written to target. This contributed to a growing sense of division in the country.

23. Oh, DBQ! Outside information Decide the position Bring in quotes
Quotes get explained.

24. Create a thesis statement based on your summary and analysis of the documents.

25. Essay Question:
Evaluate the extent to which the Mexican American War ( ) helped unite or divided the nation.

26. Causes of Louisiana Purchase
Why the US was interested:
MORE LAND
Use of Mississippi River and the Port of New Orleans
Get France, under Napoleon, out of North America
People living in overcrowded cities can move west

27. Louisiana Purchase Effects of Louisiana Purchase:
Doubles the size of the US
Added all or part of 13 future states
Removed French threat
Promotes a sense of national identity
Possible extension of slavery to southern planters & take over more Native American land

28. Northwest Ordinances 1784,1785,1787
A way to gain money for the government
Encouraged settlement (for white males)
Prohibited slavery north of the Ohio River