1. Essay
In Ramon Eduardo Ruiz’s MANIFEST DESTINY AND THE MEXICAN WAR: Explain the various American Interpretations of MD and the reasons why Americans believed in this idea.
What contradictions were evident in this Westward expansion and the War with Mexico that resulted in US of most of the continent. Include the political issues that were involved in this timeframe.
Your essay must reflect this reading.

2. The Second Party System
The Whigs
The Whig/Democrat Thing……
The Democrats
Martin Van Buren
Depression
Election of 1840
Harrison/Tyler

3. Manifest Destiny and Expansionism
Texas
Oregon
Election of 1844
Polk/Clay/Birney
----Texas becomes a state.

4. The Mexican War Election of 1844>>>>>> Polk
Zachary Taylor
April US Invasion
The War in Short: Col. Stephen Kearny Capt. John C. Fremont Gen. Z. Taylor Gen. Winfield Scott
Result: Treaty of Hildalgo (FEB 1848)……..
As for Oregon…..

5. Reaction to Territorial Gain
“Slave Power Conspiracy”
August 1846—Wilmot Proviso
State Sovereignty

6. Election of 1848
Democrats >>>Lewis Cass and Gen. William Butler>>>>Polk said once was enough
Whigs>>>Gen Zachary Taylor and Congressman Millard Fillmore
Free-Soil Party (MVB)
Voting breakdown

7. Compromise of 1850 California----Gold Rush 1849
Clay and Stephen A Douglass
5 Basic aspect to the Deal
Not really a decision as it was an evasion
2 Problems: popular sovereignty?
Fugitive Slave Act
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852
Underground Railroad

8. The Election of 1852 and the Collapse of the Compromise
Dems/Franklin Pierce v. Whig Winfield Scott
Pierce Wins because of sectional strife
FSA and its enforcement
Other notes on the collapse.