Chapter 17 – Manifest Destiny & Its Legacy
1. President William Henry Harrison dies of pneumonia 4 weeks into his term
a. John Tyler (VP, Whig) is now the President, without Whig directions
b. Whigs were pro-protective tariff, pro-bank & pro-internal improvements – not Tyler
c. 1837 there was almost a 3rd war for American independence with Britain = tension
d. 1842 “Aroostook War” of lumberjacks for Maine ended with the Webster-Ashburton
Treaty (a compromise with Britain) + US got some of Minnesota/Mesabi Range (ore )
2. Manifest destiny – god willed that the US should own the continent from coast to coast (!) –
this made people land hungry and caused more expansionist efforts, the term was coined by
journalist John L. O’Sullivan in 1845
3. Texas annexation – Mexico had not recognized the independence of Texas
a. this led to possible Mexican/US war; Britain was also interested in Texas (greed?)
b. (1844) Texas was a leading issue in the presidential campaign. Foes of expansion
assailed annexation but southerners cried, "Texas or Disunion."
c. eager to win the election, Tyler pushed a treaty for Texas to be apart of US, approved
in 1845 = Texas became the 28th star on the US flag
4. James K. Polk (mr. expansionist, 11th president) ran against incumbent Tyler, Polk was the
“dark horse” (not expected to win)
5. Oregon boundary (p. 380 map) – Russia & Spain backed away from land grabbing of
Oregon, so Americans and British lived side-by-side via the Treaty of 1818, “Oregon fever”
of the 1840s brought thousands of settlers via the Oregon Trail starting at Independence
(Missouri), 1846 US & Britain agreed to divide the territory along the 49th parallel
6. Mexican War (1846-48) – US tried to offer $ for land (Manifest Destiny) but John Slidell
failed, so, America “created” a problem, war followed, US was on the offensive, after taking
battles from the unorganized Mexican army (with Santa Ana), the US finally took Mexico
City = Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo to end the Mexican-American War = US gained the
Mexican Cession (this is another large territorial acquisition (see page 382 map), US paid
Mexico $15 million + assumed $3.25 million of Mexican debts to American citizens with
Nicholas Trist (+$10,000 bribe to Santa Ana)
7. California was one of the great prizes (ports, coastline, resources, location)
8. Slavery produced sectionalism – north versus south, and more expansionist efforts
9. Wilmot Proviso (1846+) – David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed the idea of NO
SLAVERY with the Mexican Cession, passed the House of Representatives (twice) but
failed in the Senate = produced more anger over the issue of slavery…is civil war brewing?
10. Early US imperialism western migration & cultural interaction produced many results,
but the quarreling over slavery intensified