Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy:1841 – 1846
Notes Chapter 17
Background:
The ascension of Tyler to the Presidency:
 Daniel Webster and Henry Clay – true leaders of the Whig Party
o Wanted to control Harrison
o Did not publish a platform during the 1840 election
 Wm. Henry Harrison died after 4 weeks in office
 Tyler became president
o By accident
o Former democrat - Anti – Jackson
o Became part of the minority faction of the Whig party (states’ rights and southern gentry)
How did Tyler become “a man without a party”?
What was the U.S. relationship with Great Britain?
Anti – British passions:
 2 wars
 pro-British Federalists were gone
 British travels looked down upon the American “rabble” and wrote insulting articles
 U.S. was a debtor nation and Great Britain a creditor
 Panic of 1837 –

Canadian insurrection
o Caroline incident –
o McLeod affair –

1841 Creole –

Boundary Issues –
o Maine
o Oregon
How did the rivalry with Britain affect the American decision to annex Texas? Why did the issue
arouse such controversy?
Indicate how the issues of Oregon and Texas became central in the election of 1844 and why Polk’s
victory was seen as a mandate for “Manifest Destiny”.
 The election of 1844

Manifest Destiny

Polk and the Democrats:
What were Polk’s goals as president? Evaluate his effectiveness.
 Tariff

Independent treasury

Oregon

California and the Texas boundary
What caused the Mexican War? Did Polk Provoke the Texas-boundary conflict in order to gain
California or expand slavery, as war opponents like Lincoln charged?
Evaluate the effect the Mexican War had upon the United States: