1. Manifest Destiny
Pageant Chapter 17

2. 1. Politics of the 1840s
The key theme of the 1840s is WESTWARD EXPANSION
Dramatic things take place in the 1840s
William Henry Harrison is the first president to die in office in He only serves a month in office.
The new president – John Tyler from Virginia
Tyler was a Democrat – he advocated for states’ rights; rejected ideas for a new Bank of the U.S.
Also, we have more trouble with Britain in the 1840s
We thought they were snobs; they thought we were dirty
Tensions mounted when a small revolution against Britain took place in Canada and some fiery Americans got involved
More tensions mounted when the U.S. and Britain got into a boundary dispute
Britain’s Lord Ashburton and the U.S. Secretary of State Daniel Webster worked it out, and settled the issue over what is today Maine.

3. 2a. Texas and Oregon Texas
Belonged to Mexico, then declared independence and became an independent republic
Then applied for statehood into the United States
This was an issue in the Election of 1844, and the man who would solve this was James K. Polk (D)
The Democrats wanted expansion, the Whigs, who nominated Henry Clay, didn’t
Tyler left office, and his last act was to admit Texas to the Union in 1845
This angered Mexico who still claimed Texas as theirs

4. President John Tyler

5. The United States

6. 2.b. Texas and Oregon
The British, as we just saw on the map, still owned land in North America
Oregon Territory
A wave of curiosity and exploration overcame many Americans in the 1840s who took to the Oregon Trail
The British who were already there, saw themselves highly outnumbered by excited settlers and avoided a boundary dispute
So, the United States claimed Oregon as their territory, setting up the present day northern boundary with Canada along the 49th parallel

7. 3.a., b. War With Mexico
Texas was a good addition, but many Americans wanted the rich and spacious territory of California.
Polk offered to buy California from Mexico and sent lawyer John Slidell to do the deed but relations were too embittered and Mexico insulted the offer.
Deadlock with Mexico also continued over Texas’ boundaries
The disputed claim was over the boundaries of the Rio Grande and Nueces Rivers
Polk orders General Zachary Taylor to march 4,000 men dangerously close to Mexican forces along the disputed boundary…why?
April 25th, 1846 – Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and attacked, killing 16 American troops
Did Polk provoke war?
Bottom line – He could have worked it out, but he wanted California and didn’t want to wait to negotiate…

8. 3.c. War With Mexico
General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led the forces of Mexico
For the U.S. – Stephen W. Kearny and John C. Fremont
Kearny and Fremont helped secure California
General Zachary Taylor won a big battle in the city of Buena Vista in 1847
General Winfield Scott won the major battle that took Mexico City in late 1847
The Mexicans were outmatched by the U.S. Army

9. 4. Consequences of the Mexican War
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war in 1848.
It confirmed America’s title to Texas
It gave the U.S. California
Mexico got $15 million
Lives lost – 13,000 American lives were lost
American Military – It was here that the U.S. Army learned how to fight – soldiers gained priceless experience
Latin Americans - America was seen as a greedy and untrustworthy bully by Latin America

10. 4. Consequences of the Mexican War
Probably another significant effect of the War was that it brought the issue of slavery up to the forefront again.
With most of the land gained BELOW the 36/30 latitude agreed upon in the Missouri Compromise, the Northern states were upset about the addition of many more slave states
Enter David Wilmot and his great idea that never was to be
The Wilmot Proviso – Proposed that all land won from Mexico would be slave free
Significance – It proved that the issue of slavery and sectionalism in the U.S. was far from over…

11. President James K. Polk