Cover Slide
The American
Pageant
Chapter 17
Manifest Destiny
and Its Legacy,
1841-1848
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Battle of Buena Vista, by Samuel Chamberlain, 1847
Battle of Buena Vista, by Samuel Chamberlain, 1847
An American private, Samuel E. Chamberlain, made this drawing of the Battle of Buena Vista.
Present at the battle, Chamberlain watched as Mexican forces overran an artillery
emplacement. The Americans eventually turned the tide and the battle came out a draw. Even
so, troops under Santa Anna were forced to retreat into the Mexican interior, spoiling the
general's hope for a quick and easy victory against the invading Americans. (San Jacinto
Museum of History Association)
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Congressional Scales, 1850
Congressional Scales, 1850
The question of how a war with Mexico
might unbalance the nation politically
weighed heavily on people's minds as
the nation entered the 1850s. In this
cartoon, lithographer Nathaniel Currier-who later would found the famous
graphic art company Currier and Ives-illustrates the problem. Trying to balance
the Wilmot Proviso against Southern
Rights, the president seeks to keep
congressional representatives from the
North and the South in balance as well.
(Library of Congress)
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Daguerreotype of Soldiers in Mexican American War
Daguerreotype of Soldiers in Mexican American War
This photograph shows General John F. Wool (in the center, wearing a heavy coat)
and his staff at Saltillo, the capital of the Mexican state of Coahuila, in 1846 or 1847.
Wool respected individual Mexicans as soldiers, but noted Mexico's lack of unity.
"Had the nation [Mexico] been united," he wrote, "we could not have gained a single
victory." (Library of Congress)
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Election of 1844, artist unknown
Election of 1844, artist unknown
An unknown artist depicted, in rich detail, the election campaign of 1844. A team of
Polk supporters offers a campaign handbill to the seated voter. Passions were so high
and party organization was so extensive that door-to-door politicking became the
norm. (Courtesy of Nathan Liverant and Son)
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James K. Polk by George Peter Alexander Healy, 1846
James K. Polk by George Peter
Alexander Healy, 1846
Lacking charm, Polk bored even his
friends, but few presidents could match
his record of acquiring land for the
United States. (James K. Polk Memorial
Association, Columbia, Tennessee)
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Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832
Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832
The San Gabriel Mission was founded in 1771 in southern California, partly with the
intent of converting the local Indians, shown here settled in a thatched hut, to
Catholicism. In 1781 the Spanish governor set out from this mission to found El
Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles' Porciúncula, now usually known
simply as Los Angeles. (Courtesy Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library)
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Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832
Mission San Gabriel by Ferdinand Deppe, 1832
Using Indian labor, Franciscan missionaries transformed the dry California coastal
hill country into a blooming garden and built a long string of missions in which to
celebrate their religion. This painting of Mission San Gabriel conveys the beauty and
the awesome size of these mission establishments. (Santa Barbara Mission Archive)
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Polk and Dallas Flag
Polk and Dallas Flag
This campaign banner celebrating the candidacy of James K. Polk and George M.
Dallas on the Democratic ticket carries a subtle message conveying the party's
platform. Surrounding Polk's picture are twenty-five stars, one for each state in the
Union. Outside the corner box, a twenty-sixth star stands for Texas, which Polk
promised to annex. (Collection of David J. and Janet L. Frent)
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Map: American Expansion in Oregon
American Expansion in Oregon
The slogan of Polk's supporters had been "Fifty-four forty or fight," but negotiation of a boundary at the 49th parallel
avoided the danger of war with Great Britain.
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Map: Major Battles of the Mexican-American War
Major Battles of the Mexican-American War
The Mexican War's decisive campaign began with General Winfield Scott's capture of Vera Cruz and ended with his
conquest of Mexico City.
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Map: Oregon Boundary Dispute
Oregon Boundary Dispute
Although demanding that Britain cede the entire Oregon Territory south of 54°40', the United States settled for a
compromise at the forty-ninth parallel.
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Map: The Election of 1844
The Election of 1844
The election of 1844 demonstrated one incontestable fact: the annexation of Texas had more national support than Clay had
realized. The surging popular sentiment for expansion that made the underdog Polk rather than Clay the man of the hour
reflected a growing conviction among the people that America's natural destiny was to expand into Texas and all the way to
the Pacific Ocean.
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