1. American Expansion

2. A. Van Buren

3. Aroostook War Border conflict between Maine & Canada
Canadians wanted to build a road through disputed territory
Lumberjacks (Ca &Am) entered the territory to claim it and a dispute erupted
Not an actual war

4. Webster-Ashburton Treaty (1842)
Negotiations to end the dispute began in 1841
Signed the Treaty in 1842 – did not just effect ME, but also MN

5. B. Election
of 1840

6. William Henry Harrison
The Candidates
Martin Van Buren
Democrat
William Henry Harrison
Whig

7. Martin Van “Ruin”

8. “Tippecanoe & Tyler Too”
Democratic newspaper editor insulted the West:
Harrison should be content with a pension, a log cabin, & a barrel of hard cider
Log Cabin & Cider campaign appealed to commoners

9. “Stop That Barrel”

10. The Result
Harrison won

11. The Death of William Henry Harrison (1841)
Prominent Whigs (Clay & Webster) sought to control Harrison
Problem?
Harrison died 4 weeks in
1st time a president died in
office
Who would take over?
No presidential succession

12. John Tyler as President
A southern Democrat who didn’t like Jackson, so he ran with the Whigs
On every issue, he was at odds with the Whigs
Tyler vetoed every major Whig bill passed in Congress
Expelled from the Whig party
His entire cabinet resigned (except Webster)

13. C. Texas

14. U.S. Settlement 1821: Mexico becomes independent
It wants to settle TX
Easiest group willing to go…
AMERICANS!!
Rules from Mexico:
Had to be Catholic
Had to be Mexican citizens
After 1830, slavery outlawed
Land grant given to Stephen Austin
Texans ignored all of the rules Mexico established
1835 – General Santa Anna sends army to enforce Mexican laws

15. The Republic of Texas Texans declare their independence in
1836 from Mexico
Sam Houston led the fight against
Mexico
Santa Anna was captured and signed
two treaties
One recognized the border at the
Nueces River
The second recognized the border at
the Rio Grande

17. American Annexation Texas did not want to be independent
Settled by Americans who wanted to be AMERICANS
Applies to be annexed in 1836
Jackson & Van Buren refuse to annex TX
Why?
Issue of Slavery
Disputed territory could lead to war with Mexico
Texas remains independent until 1845

18. D. Manifest
Destiny

19. What is Manifest Destiny?
The U.S. had a God given right & duty to expand the country to the Pacific Ocean
Would expand Christianity
Would expand Democracy
In the 1840’s & 1850’s
massive migration began
BEYOND the Mississippi
River
Between 1840 and 1860,
more than 250,000 people made the trek westward

20. Trails Westward Main destinations were Oregon & California
Traveled by wagon caravans from Nauvoo, Independence or St. Louis
Deadly & dangerous journey
1/10 died
Oregon Trail became the country’s longest graveyard

21. The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt 1869

22. The Center of Population in the Country Moves WEST

23. Oregon Settlement spurred by the promise of free land
Created “Oregon Fever”
Mainly settled in the Willamette Valley
Problem: Britain also had a claim on the land
Dispute arose between the U.S. and Britain over the territory

24. California Settlers also traveling to California
Began arriving in the 1830’s
Settled mainly in the Northern area (Sacramento-San Francisco)
Most notorious group to travel was the Donner Party in 1846
Problem with California?
It belonged to Mexico

25. E. Election of 1844

26. The Candidates
James K. Polk
Democrat
Henry Clay
Whig

27. Issues of the Campaign Polk running on a platform of expansionism
Annexing Texas
Gaining control over all of Oregon
54º 40’ or Fight!
Clay was against expansion
Saw sectionalism as a problem
More concerned with economic issues

28. 1844 Election Results

29. Texas Annexation
Tyler approved the annexation of Texas before he left office in 1845
Annexed through a joint resolution in Congress
Not the normal method of joining the Union
Northern Congressional members worried about sectional balance & Mexico dispute

30. Goals of Polk’s Administration
Lower the Tariff
Resolve the Oregon Boundary
Restore the Independent Treasury (Whigs had repealed the “Divorce Bill”)
Acquire California

31. Oregon Treaty (1846)
Polk had vowed to fight Britain for all of the territory
In reality – he was unwilling to fight for it
Instead, negotiated over the territory
49th Parallel extended to become the new border
Northerners angered
Polk willing to fight for TX, but not OR

32. F. War with Mexico

33. Causes
Annexing TX
- Mexico angry, land between Nueces & Rio Grande in dispute
Bear Flag Revolt (1845)
- John Fremont led a revolt in CA & declared their independence from Mexico
Slidell Mission
- John Slidell sent to Mexico to negotiate the border of TX & buy New Mexico and CA ( ½ of Mexico’s territory)

34. General Taylor
- Sent to TX (1845) to defend if necessary
- Initially ordered to the Nueces River
- Ordered to the Rio Grande
- Mexicans believe the U.S. is invading and fire on Taylor
- 11 Americans killed
May 13, 1846 the U.S. declares war on Mexico

35. Spot Resolutions Not all in Congress believe Polk’s version of events
Whigs opposed
Abraham Lincoln led the Whigs in the HOR to investigate the incident leading to war
Wanted to know the exact spot where American blood had been spilled
On American territory or Mexican territory?
Known as the “Spot Resolutions”
Objections overruled & war ensued

36. The Mexican War ( )

37. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)
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).

38. The Mexican Cession

39. Effects of the War 13,000 Americans died mainly because of disease
Size of the U.S. rapidly increased
Ugly turning point in U.S. foreign relations with Latin America
Seen as the “Colossus of the North”
Gained war experience that will be valuable in the Civil War

40. Wilmot Proviso (1846) Proposed by David Wilmot
Proposed that slavery be banned in all territories gained from Mexico
Voting not based on party affiliation, but by sectionalism
Was defeated, but the battle over slavery growing

41. Free Soil Party
New political party forms as a result of growing controversy over slavery
Only issue was to stop the EXPANSION of slavery

42. The Gold Rush (1849) In 1849 Gold was discovered in the hills of CA
Starts explosive migration to the territory
Population will increase by 200,000
1850, CA applies to become state

43. Gadsden Purchase (1853) Land purchased from Mexico
Land for a proposed RR
Completed Continental U.S. expansion