AP United States History
Mr. M. Pecot
Chapter 17: Manifest Destiny and It's Legacy, 1841-1848
1.
John Tyler, the Accidental President….
a) Tippencanoe kicks the bucket. William Henry Harrison, "Old Tippecanoe" died four weeks into office from pneumonia.
Thus, the "Tyler Too!" part of the ticket ascended to the presidency: John Tyler. Unfortunately, Harrison had been
essentially a figurehead candidate, with Henry Clay running the show in the Senate and Daniel Webster intent on running
the executive branch as Secretary of State. Tyler would not be so easy to control.
b) Tyler, Too! Keep in mind that the Whigs were a catch-all party…they were basically a collection of the various factions
opposed to Jackson. Tyler, a Virginia gentleman, had been on the ticket simply to draw votes from the southern gentry.
As a southerner he was an adherent to the Jeffersonian states' rights faction of the Whigs, which put him in direct
opposition to the Clay-Webster group which was pro-bank, pro-tariff, and pro-internal improvements.
2.
John Tyler, the President without a party…
a) Showdowns with the Whigs. Not surprisingly, a showdown between Tyler and Clay emerged. The Whigs proposed two
bills authorizing a new national bank; both were vetoed. Similarly, Tyler vetoed a nationalistic spending bill which
would have created a high tariff and redistributed funds from the sale of western lands to the states. He did sign a
compromise tariff which reduced rates to the 1832 level of about 32% -- a moderate protective measure.
b) Tyler kicked out of the Party. Tyler was formally expelled from the Whig Party by congressional caucus, and the House
attempted to impeach him. His entire cabinet resigned en masse.
3.
Troubles with Britain
a) Anti-British sentiment running high. British travel journals often ridiculed the "rustic republic" of America, jeering at its
tobacco-spitting, eye-gouging, slave auctioneering, etc.
b) Defaulting on debts. The Panic of 1837 had caused many Americans to default on loans to British creditors. (American
with it's canal-building and other projects was a debtor nation…Britain was a creditor nation).
c) Canadian Insurrection and the Caroline. In 1837, a short-lived insurrection in Canada was started. Many Americans,
despite the attempt of Washington to enforce its neutrality regulations supported the Canadian insurrection. To make
matters worse, the Caroline--an American ship ferrying supplies to rebels across the Niagra River in NY--was attacked and
burned by British forces on the New York side of the river. This sparked protests from the American government.
d) Creole incident. In 1841, Britain once again chafed America when it offered 130 slaves asylum in the Bahamas after they
had revolted and captured the American ship Creole.
e) Maine Boundary Dispute: "The Aroostook War" -- 1842. This involved a bit of disputed territory left over from peace of
Paris signed in 1783 between GB and the US. The issue was pressed by GB's desire to construct a road from Halifax (Nova
Scotia) to Quebec, which would pass through this territory. A lumberjack war erupts involving local militia from both
Canada and Maine. The issue was resolved when GB sent a a diplomat to negotiate (Lord Ashburton) with Sec. of State
Daniel Webster in the Ashburton-Webster Treaty. The disputed territory was split roughly in half--with the US getting
about 7,000 of 12,000 acres and GB getting their road. The Caroline incident was also patched up in these proceedings.
4.
Texas & the 1844 Election.
a) Texas, Britain, and Foreign Fears. What does Texas have to do with Britain, you ask? Everything. Texas has been
independent since 1836. Mexico hasn't intended to just give up on Texas, refuses to recognize the "Lone Star Republic,"
and treats it as a renegade province in revolt. Not knowing when Mexico--which has superior military strength--will
strike, Texas is forced to maintain its military defense by negotiating treaties with foreign nations, which it does
successfully with France, Belgium, and Holland. Britain and other European powers have a certain interest in keeping
Texas independent as a protection against American expansion south and a buffer for their holdings in the New World.
British merchants want access to Texas markets since their goods are subject to tariffs in American ports, hope to find a
place to grow cotton for British mills, and British abolitionists seek to drive a wedge in southern slaveholding by
emancipating slaves there.
b) As a result of this, Texas becomes an issue in the 1844 election, with Whigs under Henry Clay opposing annexation, and
Democrats under James K. Polk wildly supporting admission of Texas to the Union with cries of "Texas or Disunion!"
c) When Polk won the election, Tyler acted on what he saw as a voter mandate to annex Texas. He successfully did so
through a joint resolution of the House and Senate (which required only a majority of votes) and in 1845 Texas was
admitted as the 28th state.
5.
"Manifest Destiny!" and the 1844 Election.
a)
Expansion as an election issue. Expansion was the issue in the 1844 election. The American impetus for
expansion stemmed from a growing sense that Americans were destined (presumably by God) to expand across the
hemisphere. In the process, Americans would spread our "superior" ideals and institutions (democracy, Christianity,
individualism, capitalism) across the North American continent, and perhaps to South America too. In essence, this was
the perfect marriage of "land greed" and idealism…"empire and liberty."
b)
c)
d)
6.
a)
b)
7.
Aspects of the Democratic platform. The Democratic platform in 1844 called for the annexation of Texas and
the complete occupation of the Oregon Territory (which had been jointly occupied with Great Britain since 1818.) The
rallying cry of this desire for annexing Oregon would later become "54°40' or Fight!" since the border negotiated with
Russia set the southern-most claim of Russia at 54°40'.
The Whig Platform -- an attempt to straddle the fence. Henry Clay, the Whig candidate, attempted to
straddle the election. His contradictory statements were designed to appease both the proslavery south (whom he
informed he favored annexing slaveholding Texas), and the antislavery factions of the north to whom he argued that he
wanted to "postpone" the annexation of Texas. In the end, he wound up alienating the ardent antislavery factions who
flocked to the anti-slavery (and anti-Texas) Liberty Party.
A "nailbiter" in 1844. Polk nudged past Clay by a slim margin. Electoral votes: 170 to 105; Popular votes:
1,338,434 to 1,300,097. In fact, the election could have swung to Clay if he had won NY…which he lost by a scant 5,000
votes. Interestingly, the Liberty Party polled over 16,000 votes in NY, which cost Clay the election, and assure Texas'
annexation.
James K. Polk's Presidency
"Young Hickory" -- a hickory chip off the old block? While voter's were quick to label Polk as Young Hickory" (he was a
Tennessean who ran with AJ's blessing), the similarities between JP and AJ stop there. Polk was methodical, and hardworking.
Rather than a man of bold vision like AJ, he established four goals and stuck to them.
The Four Pillars of James K. Polk. Polks objectives were as follows:
Lower the Tariff. He accomplished this with passage of the Walker Tariff of 1846, which lowered the rates of the 1842
Tariff from 32% to 25%. Despite nationalist cries that this would ruin industry, it passed and wound up to be an
excellent source of revenue.
Restoration of the Independent Treasury. Accomplished in 1846.
Acquisition of Oregon. This was done by virtue of a compromise with Great Britain which set the Oregon border at the
49° parallel in 1846.
Acquisition of California. This was accomplished with a bit more difficulty…the Mexican War and the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded California along with other Mexican territory to the US in exchange for $15 million. (See
Section 7)
California and the Mexican War
a) California Dreamin'. Why did Polk want to acquire California? In 1845, the region was home to about 7,000 Mexicans,
about 70,000 Indians, and less than 1,000 Americans of questionable reputation. Yet the promise of California, with its
verdant valleys, and--more importantly--splendid harbor at San Francisco led many expansionists to believe (correctly)
that in California lie America's future gateway to the Pacific.
b) Negotiations with Mexico. These had become problematic. Prior to the Oregon Treaty of 1846, rumors were circulating
that Britain was about to buy or seize California from Mexico--a direct violation of the Monroe Doctrine. As a preemptive
measure, Polk sent James Slidell to Mexico to offer $25 million for California and some territory east in late 1845. Mexico,
angered by the United States' recent annexation of Texas and involved in a prolonged boundary dispute with the US over
the southern border of Texas (the original border had been at the Nueces River, but land-hungry Texans claimed their
border lay on the more southerly Rio Grande instead), rejected the offer.
c) Polk fabricates a war. To force a showdown, Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor ("Old Rough and Ready") into the
disputed territory between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, provocatively close to Mexican troops. That was in January. In
April, Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande and clashed with American forces, resulting in 16 US soldiers killed and
wounded. Polk immediately sent a war message to Congress declaring "that 'despite all our efforts' to avoid a clash,
hostilities had been forced upon the country by the shedding of 'American blood on American soil.' An inflamed Congress
declared war on Mexico.
d) American war strategy.
Intrigue with Santa Anna. American wanted California, not a war, and was willing to do anything it could to quickly
achieve its objective. Initially, American intrigued with General Santa Anna--who was exiled in Cuba with his teenage
bride. Anna had convinced the US government that, if they could slip him back into Mexico (past the American naval
blockade) he would orchestrate a coup d'etat and make peace with the United States. Once in Mexico, however, Santa
Anna proceeded to rally his countrymen to fight the hated yanquis.
Take California out of play. Captain John C. Fremont had been dispatched to California even before the outbreak of war,
and as soon as hostilities erupted was there to support the Americans in California to rebel against the Mexican
government there. This rebellion resulted in the short-lived Bear Flag Republic established in 1846.
Take Mexico City. Gen. Zachary Taylor's efforts in the Mexican desert earned him a reputation--at the Battle of Buena
Vista (Feb. 22-23, 1847) his 5,000 men repulsed a force of 20,000 under Santa Anna--but could not deliver a decisive
victory. As a result, America forces under General Winfield Scott ("Old Fuss and Feathers") landed at Vera Cruz in
early 1847 and battled its way toward the Mexican capital, which was reached by Sept. 1847.
e) Ending the War: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty, agreed upon in February 1848, gave the US territory
totalling about 1/2 of Mexico. The terms were as follows:
Recognize the US title to Texas
The US gains California and all of American territory south of Oregon including current-day Arizona and
New Mexico.
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f)
8.
a)
b)
The total gains from the Mexican war (if you include Texas) provided an addition of territory larger than that
of the Louisiana Purchase…an increase of about 1/3.
Significant Results of the Mexican War. In addition to territorial gains, the Mexican war had other long term
consequences:
More Manifest Destiny! A sharp increase in the spirit of expansionism followed in the wake.
A dress rehearsal for Civil War leaders. The Mexican War has been called the "blood-spattered schoolroom of the Civil
War" because it provided important field experience for officers who would become leading generals in the next great
conflict (R.E. Lee and U.S. Grant, for instance).
Increased prestige among European nations. the war increased international respect for the Yankee fighting ability,
particularly Britain. The war was prosecuted without serious errors despite numerous obstacles.
Lowered prestige among Latin American nations. America becomes the "Colossus of the North" in the eyes of Latin
American nations. Suspicion of America as a greedy bully takes hold.
The War "rearoused the snarling dog of the slavery issue." (See Section 8)
The Mexican War and the Slavery Issue
The Wilmot Proviso and the slavery fight. Shortly after the war began, Polk requested $2 million in funds from the Congress
in an effort to buy peace from Mexico. Rep. David Wilmot (Democrat - Pa.), introduced a fateful amendment to that
appropriations bill: The Wilmot Proviso. The Proviso, borrowing language from the Northwest Ordinance of 1785, stated that
"neither slavery, nor involuntary servitude" shall ever exist in any of the territories gained from the Mexican War. This was an
effort to quell the fears of anti-slavery factions that the Mexican War was being fought by the southern slavocracy simply to
gain more territory for the slaveholding states. The amendment passed the House twice, but was defeated in the Senate each
time.
Foreshadowing Civil War. The division caused by the Wilmot Proviso foreshadowed deepening sectional divisions within the
United States. All but one of the free states legislatures endorsed the amendment, which was kept off the books only by the
delicate sectional balance in the US Senate.