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The Civil War Era Unit Overview ( )
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Big Picture The thirst for territorial expansion in the 1840s epitomized Manifest Destiny in the United States. Diplomacy, border disputes, annexation, and cession defined this decade and more importantly rekindled the sectional fires of The flames of the 1840s would be much harder to extinguish however, and grew like a crescendo over the following decade…a crisis was impending.
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The Democrats and Expansion
Election of 1844 Question: Land acquisition Whig—Henry Clay Democrat—Martin Van Buren? James K. Polk Dark horse Supported expansion Wins nomination Polk wins: 170—105 Liberty party Swings NY Martin Van Buren opposed expansion and upset many Southern Democrats.
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Polk’s “Must” List The Walker Tariff (1846)
Reduces tariff of 1842 to 25% Successful Reenacting the Independent Treasury Accomplished in 1846 Acquisition of California Settling the Oregon dispute Hudson Bay Company—influence waning
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California Population (1845) Americans Polk tries to purchase
13,000 Mexicans Several western Indian tribes 75,000 natives Americans Whaling ships traded in port Merchants Pioneers—Sacramento Valley Polk tries to purchase John Slidell + 25 million Mexico rejects offer New Mexico Trade routes Americanized communities Another Texas? Less than 1,000 “foreigners” in California in 1845.
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Expansion Texas and Oregon Texas: 1845 Oregon: 54’ 40” or fight!
Annexed by John Tyler Polk’s election mandate Oregon: 54’ 40” or fight! British territory dispute War? Polk offers 49th parallel 15 June 1846
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The Mexican War Border dispute in Texas Opposition and critics
U.S.-Mexican diplomatic relations Rio Grande v. Nueces River Zachary Taylor and troops Congress declares war: 13 May 1846 Opposition and critics Whigs “Spotty” Lincoln Oregon!
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Battle Tactics Taylor’s offensive Stephen W. Kearny Winfield Scott
Monterrey to Mexico City? Polk’s conundrum Stephen W. Kearny Santa Fe Bear Flag Revolt John C Frémont Winfield Scott Vera Cruz to Mexico City Checkmate!
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Battle of Chapultepec—north of Mexico City
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Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
02 February 1848 Nicholas P. Trist CA and NM to U.S. Rio Grande border U.S. assumes debt to Mexicans Pays $15 million to Mexico Extreme factions of expansion vote against the treaty.
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Slavery and the Territories
The Wilmot Proviso (1846) David Wilmot (PA) Outlaws slavery in Mexican Cession Fails to pass the Senate Property rights
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