CHAPTER 12 ID’S
1842
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
Pg. 337
Ever since the Revolution, the U.S. and Great Britain had been arguing over the boundary
between Maine and New Brunswick. They brought their cases before the King of the
Netherlands in 1832, but the Senate rejected his compromise. In 1839, fighting broke out.
Finally in 1842, Daniel Webster and Lord Ashburton signed a treaty. The treaty gave over half
the disputed land to the U.S.
1840’s
Oregon Trail
Pg. 340-41
Between 1821 and 1840, the main route to the West was the Santa Fe Trail. The trail ran
from Independence, Missouri to the capital of New Mexico, Santa Fe. The trail was dangerous,
but the profits from its use were great enough to warrant passage. After the Texas revolution,
relations between Mexico and the U.S. declined. The Mexican government limited the use of the
Santa Fe Trail by passing tariffs and prohibiting the export of gold and silver. The Oregon Trail
became the major route to the West. It ran from St. Louis through the South Pass of the Rockies.
The main route then went to the Wilamette Valley of Oregon, but other branches ran to all part
of California.
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-21830’s-1840’s
Mormons/Joseph Smith
Pgs. 341-43
In Palmyra, New York, Joseph Smith announced that he had received a new divine
revelation. He said that the lost tribes of Israel came to the new world in ancient times. They
founded a Christian civilization, but they were destroyed by Indians. Smith wanted to restore the
civilization in the West. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or the Mormons, first
tried setting up communities in Missouri and Ohio, but they were harassed out. In 1839, Smith
led his followers to Nauvoo, Illinois. They had some peace here, but controversy eventually
pushed them out. One of the most controversial issues was the allowance of polygamy. Smith
was killed in 1844 by a mob while he was in prison. Brigham Young rose up to lead the
Mormons to Salt Lake City. They established an industrious, ordered society. The only problem
was its government. When the U.S. took over Utah, they tried to force the Mormons to accept
the American laws. Eventually, the Mormons were assimilated into the U.S.
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-31830’s-1840’s
Manifest Destiny
Pgs. 343-45
During the 1830’s and “40”s, many politicians were calling for the annexation of all areas
in which the U.S. had immigrants. They came up with the idea that the U.S. should occupy the
entire North America continent. This idea was know as manifest destiny. The term Manifest
Destiny was coined by John L. O’Sullivan, a newspaper editor. He said that God was on the side
of American expansionism. He came to his conclusion by looking at the Puritan idea that
equated growth with the divinely ordained success of a chosen people. He also said that
expanding would bring democracy to more people. Finally, he said that the growing population
needed somewhere to go, or the society would end up with socioeconomic classes like Europe.
The only question was whether to achieve manifest destiny slowly or to use diplomacy and the
threat of war.
1841-1844
John Tyler
Pgs. 343-44
John Tyler was the first accidental president. He became president when William Henry
Harrison died after one month in office. Tyler was for states’ rights, from Virginia, and
proslavery. Soon after becoming president, he broke with the Whigs in Congress who favored
Henry Clay’s nationalistic economic plan. Tyler wanted to win the election of 1844, so he
decided to base his campaign for annexation of Texas. He and John Calhoun launched a huge
propaganda campaign for annexation by coming up with a story about the British trying to make
a deal with the Texas Republic. Calhoun went to Texas and negotiated an annexation treaty.
The Senate rejected annexation in 1844. Tyler then tried to get a joint resolution from both
houses of Congress to make Texas a state. That failed as well.
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-41844
Election of 1844
Pg. 343
In the election of 1844, James Polk ran for the Democrats against the Whig Henry Clay
and the abolitionist Libertarian James Birney. Polk became the Democratic candidate because
Van Buren opposed the annexation of Texas. Polk got the nomination because he promised only
to serve one term. Polk was an expansionist. Polk only won by a narrow margin. Because of
the election, Congress voted to annex Texas.
1844-48
James K. Polk
Pgs. 344-45
James Polk was elected to the presidency in 1844. Before his election he had been the
Speaker of the House and the governor of Tennessee. He was a protégé of Andrew Jackson and
a strong expansionist. He only won by a narrow margin, but he used his victory to say that the
American people strongly favored an aggressive foreign policy. See next id’s for what he did.
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-51845-46
Fifty-Four Forty or Fight
Pgs. 345-47
Fifty-four forty or fight was originally coined by the Whigs to mock the Democratic
expansionists. It became a rallying cry for all those who wanted to annex Oregon. In Polk’s
inaugural address, he laid claim to all of Oregon. He did this because he though that it would
bluff the British into giving the U.S. greater concessions. In 1845, the U.S. offered the British a
border at the 49th parallel. The British rejected this because they wanted Vancouver Island.
After that, the U.S. ended the agreement providing for joint occupation of Oregon. This almost
pushed us over the brink of war. The final accepted plan was border at the 49th parallel veering
south at the west end so the British would get Vancouver Island.
1845
Nueces Rio Grande Rivers
Pg. 347
After Texas won its independence from Mexico, the two countries started disputing their
borders. Texas claimed the land between the Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers. Mexico claimed
the same land. When the U.S. annexed Texas, the Mexican government broke off diplomatic
relations and prepared for war.
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-61846
John Slidell
Pg. 347
After Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with the U.S., President Polk sent John
Slidell to Mexico City to see if he could resolve the boundary dispute and get New Mexico and
California. The Mexicans refused to see Slidell because they had suspended diplomatic
relations. While Trist was in Mexico City, Polk sent General Zachary Taylor to invade Mexico.
1846
John C. Frémont
Pg. 347
Polk thought that a quick and decisive war with Mexico would enable the U.S. to get
California and New Mexico. He sent John Frémont into California under the auspices of an
exploring expedition. Frémont’s real job was to help start foster dissent against Mexican rule.
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-71846
Colonel Stephen Kearney
Pg. 348
At the same time Polk sent Fremont into California, he sent Colonel Kearney to New
Mexico. Kearney’s job was to invade New Mexico and take over Santa Fe. He did so and
proclaimed the annexation of New Mexico to the U.S. After that, he marched into California
where he found that the settlers had already revolted against the Mexicans. The navy had
captured Monterey. With Kearney’s help, the Americans were able to take possession of all of
California.
1847-48
Nicolas P. Trist/treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Pgs. 347-58
Nicolas Trist was a diplomat sent with Winfield Scott’s army into Mexico. Trist was
supposed to negotiate a treaty with the Mexicans whenever the U.S. won the war. Even after the
war was over, Trist still had trouble getting everything the U.S. wanted. Polk ordered Trist to
return to the U.S., but Trist kept negotiating. Finally, he signed the Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo. The treaty gave the U.S. everything it wanted. New Mexico and California were given
to the U.S. for $15 million. The Rio Grande was established as the border between Texas and
Mexico. Finally, the federal government would assume the substantial claims of American
citizens against Mexico.
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-81853
Gadsden Purchase
Pg. 348
After the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the U.S. came into conflict again over the
southern boundary of the cession. The conflict was resolved by the Gadsden Purchase which
gave the U.S. the southernmost parts of Arizona and New Mexico.
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Name ________________
Period _______________
CHAPTER 12
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Circle the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1.
The “Young America” idea came to be identified primarily with young Democrats who sought to purge their party of
its traditional
a.
endorsement of high tariffs.
b.
fear of the expansion of commerce and industry.
c.
opposition to the institution of slavery.
d.
scorn for European literary models and themes.
e.
support for territorial expansion.
2.
In the 1820’s and 1830’s, California
a.
contained huge agricultural estates and large herds of cattle.
b.
contained a large proportion of Indians who enjoyed a peaceful, profitable coexistence with Hispanic
inhabitants.
c.
did not impress American visitors as suitable site for expansion.
d.
all of the above.
e.
none of the above.
3.
By 1829, American settlers in Texas had displaced Mexican authorities by
a.
refusing to emancipate their slaves.
b.
evading import duties on goods from the United States.
c.
failing to convert to Catholicism.
d.
all of the above.
e.
none of the above.
4.
Which of the following events of the Texas Revolution is true?
a.
Stephen F. Austin was imprisoned by Texans for his refusal to support revolution against Mexico.
b.
Juan Seguin led the Mexican attack on the Alamo.
c.
The defeat at the Alamo leads the United States government to negotiate a truce.
d.
Texan executed an army of 350 Mexicans at Goliad in a desire to avenge Texan deaths at the Alamo.
e.
San Jacinto proved to be the decisive battle of the war due to the capture of Santa Anna by the Texan army.
5.
During its years as the “Lone Star Republic,” Texas
a.
attracted ever increasing numbers of American settlers with free grants of land.
b.
suffered economic devastation following the Panic of 1837.
c.
expanded trade with Mexico along the Santa Fe Trail.
d.
received offers of financial aid from Britain in return for a pledge to abolish slavery.
e.
demanded increased federal representation.
The members of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints (Mormons)
a.
accepted the teaching of Brigham young, founder of the church following a divine revelation in 1830.
b.
encountered hostility from neighboring “gentiles” because of their unorthodox beliefs and practices.
c.
abandoned the settlement of Nauvoo, Illinois because of economic bankruptcy.
d.
welcomed United States administration over the territory of Utah.
e.
wanted to establish their church on the eastern seaboard to help it spread to urban areas.
6.
7.
John Tyler could be characterized as a (n)
a.
antislavery advocate.
b.
“accidental” president, profoundly out of sympathy with the rest of his party.
c.
typical Whig who favored a strong national government in support of economic expansion.
d.
opponent to the annexation of Texas.
e.
a President with strong Presidential appeal.
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-28.
The major issue of the election of 1844 concerned
a.
recharter of the Bank of the United States.
b.
territorial expansion.
c.
abolition of slavery.
d.
nullification of the tariff.
e.
states’ rights.
9.
Which of the following factors contributed to the defeat of Whig candidate Henry Clay in the election of 1844?
a.
A substantial number of Whigs defected from the party to support the independent candidacy of President
John Tyler.
b.
Clay made a “gentlemen’s agreement,” with Van Buren to avoid discussion of territorial expansion during the
campaign.
c.
Clay failed to develop an adequate platform concerning proposals for economic recovery.
d.
Clay refused to attack his opponent’s foreign policy.
e.
Clay waffled on the issue of Texas annexation, losing the support of northern antislavery Whigs to the
Liberty party.
10.
A basic argument offered in support of Manifest Destiny was the idea that
a.
God favored American expansionism.
b.
American expansion would mean an extension of democracy.
c.
population growth necessitated territorial acquisitions.
d.
all of the above.
e.
none of the above.
11.
The United States and Great Britain agreed to
a.
a permanent joint occupation of Oregon in 1827.
b.
allow the United States sole possession of Oregon up to the 54° 40’ parallel.
c.
submit the dispute over Oregon to international arbitration in 1845.
d.
a compromise arrangement splitting Oregon at the forty-ninth parallel.
e.
allow Great Britain the majority of Oregon for increased lands in the North West Territories.
12.
The U.S. war with Mexico was
a.
provoked by the Mexican slaughter of Texans at the Alamo.
b.
an unexpected and unwelcome development for the Polk administration.
c.
longer than expected because Mexico refused to make peace despite a succession of military defeats.
d.
prolonged by the attempt of the United States to capture control of all of Mexico.
e.
considered a defeat because America lost territory.
13.
Factors accounting for economic advancement in the United States from 1830 to 1860 included all of the following
except
a.
technological innovation and mass production techniques.
b.
rapidly increasing European immigration to the United States.
c.
a declining interest in agriculture.
d.
new techniques for the gathering and control of private capital.
e.
strong ties to Britain and their Industrial Revolution.
14.
Most European immigrants to America from 1840 to 1860 came from
a.
Ireland and Germany.
b.
Switzerland and the Netherlands.
c.
Sweden and Norway.
d.
Poland and Italy.
e.
Britain and France.
15.
The invention of the telegraph by Samuel F.B. Morse
a.
resulted fro the inventor’s study of art.
b.
ensured a successful political career for the inventor.
c.
produced few economic changes for the country during the inventor’s lifetime.
d.
helped create a stronger sense of connection among Americans.
e.
assisted in American foreign policy because of increased communications with Europe.
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