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Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 1841

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Title: Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 1841


1
Chapter 17
  • Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy, 18411848

2
I. The Accession of Tyler Too
  • Old Tippecanoe enters office and is bombarded
    with Whig spoilsmen.
  • Although president of the Whig party, the real
    leaders were Daniel Webster and Henry Clay.
  • William Henry Harrison, trying to prove that he
    wasnt as old and frail as he looked decided to
    give his incredibly long inaugural address out in
    the freezing cold without a coat bad decision.
    He got pneumonia and died 4 weeks in to his
    administration.

3
  • John Tyler would be the first Vice President to
    take over the office. The ex-Democrat Tyler was
    probably still a bit more Democrat than Whig, but
    his named rhymed with Tippecanoe so what are
    you going to do?

4
II. John Tyler A President Without a Party
  • After a hard fought victory, the Whigs were
    excited to outline their strong nationalistic
    programs.
  • Pro-Bank
  • Pro-Protective tariff
  • Pro-internal improvements
  • Clay pushes Fiscal Bank through Congress to
    establish a new bank of the United States. Tyler
    vetos it for both practical and constitutional
    grounds.

5
  • Whig leaders tried once again to pacify their
    party president by passing a Fiscal Corporation
    bill, but the president still vetoed it.
  • Democrats were ecstatic!
  • Whigs officially expel Tyler from their party and
    the majority of his cabinet resigns.
  • Tyler does sign the Tariff of 1842 after it was
    scaled back considerably. He didnt like the
    protective tariff, but realized the need for
    additional revenue.

6
V. The Lone Star of Texas Shines Alone
  • After 1836, Mexico still refused to recognize
    Texas as independent.
  • And threatened war if the U.S. allied itself with
    Texas.
  • Texas was forced to maintain an expensive
    military in order to protect itself from an
    attack from Mexico that could come at any time.
  • Texas then looked to Britain and France for
    protection.

7
  • In 1839 and 1840, Texas made treaties with
    France, Holland, and Belgium.
  • Britain was very interested in an independent
    Texas.
  • Having influence over Texas would enable them to
  • check U.S. expansion
  • Manipulate Texas to move against the U.S.
    creating a diversion so Britain could move into
    the Americas and challenge the Monroe Doctrine

8
VI. The Belated Texas Nuptials
  • The topic of Texas became the leading issue
    during the Presidential campaign of 1844.
  • Pro-expansion Democrat James K. Polk wins the
    election over Whig Henry Clay. Many see this as
    a mandate to acquire Texas.
  • The Lame duck president Tyler couldnt get the
    two-thirds vote in the Senate, so he arranged for
    annexation by a joint resolution.
  • This required only a simple majority in both
    houses of Congress.
  • The resolution passed in 1845, and Texas was
    invited into the Union.

9
VII. Oregon Fever Populates Oregon
  • Oregon country was a huge wilderness that
    stretched from California to southern tip of
    Alaska.
  • British claims to Oregon stemmed from
  • Prior discovery and exploration
  • Treaty rights
  • Actual occupation (Hudsons Bay Company)

10
  • American claims could also point to
  • Past exploration
  • Captain Robert Gray in 1792 finds and names
    Columbian River.
  • Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806
  • Actual occupation (missionaries and other
    settlers)
  • Americans had proposed dividing the territory at
    the 49th parallel, but the British refused
    because they wanted the Columbia River. They
    then agreed on joint occupation.

11
  • By 1846 the American number had reached about
    5,000 settlers just south of the Columbia River
    and was rising, while the British were only able
    to increase their number to 700 (just north of
    the river.)
  • The British saw the importance of coming to a
    peaceful settlement line.
  • British offer the Columbian River
  • Americans offer 49th parallel

12
VIII. The Campaign of 1844 A Mandate for
Manifest Destiny???
  • The campaign of 1844 was influenced by the
    emotional surge of Manifest Destiny.
  • Henry Clay (whig) loses to pro-expansionist James
    K. Polk.
  • During the 1840s and 1850s people felt a sense of
    mission, they believed that God had destined them
    to spread democracy over at least North America,
    possibly South America too.

13
p367
14
  • During the campaign of 1844, expansionist
    Democrats were calling for the Oregon territory
    shouting All of Oregon or None!
  • Fifty-four forty or fight begins two years
    later in 1846.
  • They also pointed out that Clay was a dirty
    slaveowner they didnt say anything about the
    slaves that Polk owned though.
  • Polk came in with 170 to 105 in the Electoral
    College and 1,338,464 to 1,300,097 in popular
    vote.

15
  • Whether it was a mandate or not who knows, but
    Tyler passes the resolution just the same.

16
IX. Polk the Purposeful
  • One of Polks goals was a lowered tariff. He had
    his secretary of treasury Robert Walker reduce
    the Tariff of 1842 rates from 32 to 25.
  • The Walker Tariff made its way through Congress
    and proved to be an excellent revenue producer.
  • The main reason however, was because it preceded
    a booming economy with heavy imports.

17
  • Another of Polks major objectives was to restore
    the independent treasury dropped by the Whigs in
    1841.
  • The third and fourth points Polk wanted to
    accomplish were to acquire California and to
    settle the dispute in Oregon.
  • Once the southern Democrats had annexed Texas,
    they began losing interest in fighting for the
    northwest.
  • We offered the 49th parallel and Britain insisted
    on the Columbia River. We say 54 40 or fight and
    Britain says, how about the 49th parallel?

18
Map 17-2 p368
19
X. Misunderstandings with Mexico
  • The population of California was mixed.
  • 13,000 Spanish Mexicans
  • 75,000 Natives
  • Less than 1,000 foreigners
  • Polk wanted to buy California from Mexico, but
    relations between the U.S. and Mexico were
    strained (they threatened war if the U.S. allied
    with Texas.)

20
  • The U.S. had claims against Mexico for the tune
    of 3 million in damages against American
    citizens property.
  • Mexico, after threatening war if the U.S. allied
    with Texas, recalled its minister from Washington
    so all communication was cut off.
  • The southwestern border of Texas had been the
    Nueces River. But the expanding Texans claimed
    the border was actually the Rio Grande (they were
    full of it.)

21
  • The Mexicans didnt really care what the Texans
    claimed because to them all of Texas was still
    theirs anyway.
  • Polk was fighting rumors that Britain was about
    to buy California from Mexico, so he sent John
    Slidell to Mexico City with orders to buy
    California for a maximum of 25 million.
  • Mexico wouldnt even allow Slidell to present his
    insulting proposition.

22
XI. American Blood on American (?) Soil
  • Polk was ready for a showdown.
  • Jan. 13, 1846, he ordered 4,000 men under General
    Zachary Taylor to march from the Nueces River to
    the Rio Grande.
  • Polk hoped that the Mexicans would fire on the
    troops so a war would break out it didnt
    happen.
  • Polk then started drafting a request for congress
    to declare war on Mexico because of the (1)
    unpaid claims and (2) Slidells rejection.

23
  • As fate would have it, April 25th, 1846, Mexican
    troops cross the Rio Grande and attack Taylors
    troops.
  • A giddy Polk sends a message to Congress
    declaring, despite our best efforts to avoid
    war, we are forced into it by the shedding of
    American blood upon the American soil.
  • Lincoln calls for a spot resolution He wanted to
    know the spot American blood was shed.

24
Map 17-3 p371
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Map 17-4 p375
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