Trends in Antebellum America: 1810-1860
1. New intellectual and religious movements.
2. Social reforms.
3. Beginnings of the Industrial Revolution in America.
4. Re-emergence of a second party system and more
political democratization.
5. Increase in federal power  Marshall Ct. decisions.
6. Increase in American nationalism.
7. Further westward expansion.
“Manifest Destiny”
 First coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845.
 ".... the right of our manifest destiny to over spread and
to possess the whole of the continent which Providence
has given us for the development of the great experiment of
liberty and federated development of self-government
entrusted to us. It is right such as that of the tree to the
space of air and the earth suitable for the full expansion of
its principle and destiny of growth."
 A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure
emerged.
3 Themes of Manifest Destiny
 the virtue of the American people and their
institutions;
 the mission to spread these institutions, thereby
redeeming and remaking the world in the image
of the U.S.; and
 the destiny under God to accomplish this work.
Implications of Manifest Destiny
“And that claim is by the right of our manifest destiny to
overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which
Providence has given us for the development of the great
experiment of liberty and federated self-government entrusted
to us.”
John L. O’Sullivan
Advice on the Prairie"
by William T. Ranney 1853
John Gast’s “American Progress”
“American Progress” by John Gast, 1872
The Promised Land--The Grayson Family, 1850.
William S. Jewett
The Grayson family presents us with a scene of domestic bliss, the wide
open and above all, empty space away to the West. The light calling to
the family to seek out new lands.
Manifest Destiny by W. M. Cary
The Pony Express
 Between April, 1860 and Nov., 1861.
 Delivered news and mail between St.
Louis, MO and San Francisco, CA.
 Took 10 days.
 Replaced by the completion of the
trans-continental telegraph line.
Aroostook “War,” 1839
 The only war ever declared by a state.
 Between the Canadian region of New
Brunswick and the state of Maine.
 Cause:
The expulsion of Canadian lumberjacks in the
disputed area of Aroostook by Maine officials.
 Congress called up 50,000 men and voted for
$10,000,000 to pay for the “war.”
 General Winfield Scott arranged a truce, and a
border commission was convened to resolve the issue.
Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842
Movement to the Far West
 American settlement reaches Pacific in 1830s and
1840s
 Settlement encroaches on lands claimed by Mexico
and England
Borderlands of the 1830s
 1842--Webster-Ashburton Treaty settles the
northeast U.S.-Canadian boundary
 Americans begin settling in
Oregon territory (joint U.S., English claim)
New Mexico territory (owned by Mexico)
California (owned by Mexico)
Territorial Expansion by the
Mid-Nineteenth Century
The Texas Revolution
 1820s--Americans move into Texas
 "Anglos" never fully accept Mexican rule
 1829--Mexico tries abolishing slavery
 1835--armed rebellion breaks out
Texas Declaration of Independence
Key Figures in Texas Independence, 1836
Sam Houston
(1793-1863)
Stephen Austin
(1793-1836)
Remember the Alamo!
Davey Crockett’s Last Stand
The Battle of the Alamo
General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Recaptures the Alamo
The Goliad Affair:
•Mexican forces executed 365
Texan prisoners who had
surrendered.
• Several weeks after the surrender
of the Alamo, General José Urrea
engaged a force of Texans under
the command of Colonel James W.
Fannin at the small town of Goliad.
•Surrounded and outnumbered,
Fannin surrendered in the belief
that he and his men would be
afforded the recognized rights of
prisoners of war.
•Santa Anna, however, ordered
Nicolás de la Portilla to execute the
prisoners, which he promptly did
despite some moral misgiving. All
365 prisoners were executed.
Antonio López de
Santa Anna
San Jacinto:
Santa Anna’s Surrender
The Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas
 March, 1836--Texans declare independence
 April, 1836--Santa Anna defeated at San Jacinto
 May, 1836--Santa Anna’s treaty recognizes Texas'
claim to territory (Mexico repudiates)
 Texas offers free land grants to U.S. settlers
 Annexation to U.S. refused by Jackson
Texas Revolution
Trails of Trade and Settlement
 Santa Fe Trail closed to U.S. travelers as a result of
Mexico’s war with Texas
 Oregon Trail conduit for heavy stream of settlers to
the Oregon country
 Oregon settlers demand an end to joint U.S.,
English occupation
The Mormon Trek: Westward Flight
 Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints
founded by Joseph Smith, 1830
 Mormon church seeks revival of pure aboriginal
American Christianity
 Mormons persecuted for unorthodoxy
 Flee New York for Nauvoo, Illinois
 Murder of Joseph Smith prompts resettlement to
Great Salt Lake in Utah
The Mormons Trek: Mormons in Utah
 1847--State of Deseret established
 Desert transformed into farmland
 Mormons at first resist U.S. governance
 1857--Brigham Young
governor of Utah
accepts post as territorial
Western Trails
Overland Immigration to the West
 Between 1840 and
1860, more than
250,000 people
made the trek
westward.
The Oregon Trail – Albert Bierstadt, 1869
Trails Westward
Tyler and Texas
 1841--John Tyler assumes presidency after William
Henry Harrison’s death
 Tyler breaks with Whigs
 1844--Tyler negotiates annexation with Texas for reelection campaign issue
 Senate refuses to ratify
 Tyler loses Whig nomination to Henry Clay
The Triumph of Polk and Annexation
 Democrats nominate James K. Polk
 Polk runs on expansionist platform
annexation of Texas for Southern vote
U.S. jurisdiction of Oregon for Northern vote
 Polk, Congress interpret his election as mandate
for expansion
 Texas annexed before Polk inaugurated
James Knox Polk:
“Young Hickory?”
James G. Birney and
The Liberty Party: Decisive?
Liberty Party
Election of 1844
The Doctrine of Manifest Destiny
 "Manifest destiny" first used in 1845
God wants the U.S., His chosen nation, to become
stronger
Americans make new territories free and democratic
growing American population needs land
 Limits to American expansion undefined
Polk and the Oregon Question
 1846--Polk notifies Great Britain that the U.S. no
longer accepts joint occupation
 England prepares for war, proposes division of the
area
 Senate approves division of Oregon along 49o north
latitude, Treaty of 1846
 U.S. gains ownership of Puget Sound
 North condemned Polk for division
Northwest Boundary Dispute
The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or Fight!
 By the mid-1840s,
“Oregon Fever” was
spurred on by the
promise of free land.
 The joint British-U. S.
occupation ended in
1846.
The Bear Flag Republic
The Revolt  June 14, 1845
John C. Frémont
Manifest Destiny and the MexicanAmerican War
 Widespread call for annexation of newly-settled
lands
 “Manifest Destiny” a slogan of those believing the
U.S. divinely ordained to encompass Mexico and
Canada
The Slidell Mission: Nov., 1845
 Mexican recognition of the Rio
Grande River as the TX-US border.
 US would forgive American citizens’
claims against the Mexican govt.
 US would purchase the New Mexico
area for $5,000,000.
 US would buy California at any price.
John Slidell
Wilmot Proviso, 1846
Provided, territory from that, as an
express and fundamental condition to
the acquisition of any the Republic of
Mexico by the United States, by virtue
of any treaty which may be negotiated
between them, and to the use by the
Executive of the moneys herein
appropriated, neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude shall ever exist
in any part of said territory, except for
crime, whereof the party shall first be
duly convicted.
Congr. David Wilmot
(D-PA)
War, Expansion, and Slavery,
1846-1850
War with Mexico, 1846-1848
1. Polk’s Expansionist Program
2. American Military Successes
The Mexican War (1846-1848)
War with Mexico
 May 13, 1846--War on Mexico declared
 General Zachary Taylor wins campaign in northern
Mexico
 Colonel Stephen Kearney captured New Mexico
and joined John C. Frémont in taking California by
early 1847
 September, 1847--General Winfield Scott occupies
Mexico City
Settlement of the MexicanAmerican War
 February, 1848--Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
 Rio Grande becomes southern border
 New Mexico, California ceded to U.S.
 Mexican War politically contentious
Whigs oppose
Northerners see as Slave Power expansion
The Mexican-American War
General Zachary Taylor at Palo Alto
“Old Rough and Ready”
The Bombardment of Vera Cruz
General Scott Enters Mexico City
“Old Fuss and Feathers”
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848
Nicholas Trist,
American Negotiator
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 1848
The Treaty was basically forced on Mexico!
 Mexico gave up claims to Texas above the Rio
Grande River.
 Mexico gave the U. S. California and New Mexico.
 U. S. gave Mexico $15,000,000 and agreed to pay
the claims of American citizens against Mexico
(over $3,500,000).
Results of the Mexican War?
1. The 17-month war cost $100,000,000 and 13,000+
American lives (mostly of disease).
2. New territories were brought into the Union which forced the
explosive issue of SLAVERY to the center of national
politics.
* Brought in 1 million sq. mi. of land (incl. TX)
3. These new territories would upset the balance of power
between North and South.
4. Created two popular Whig generals who ran for President.
5. Manifest Destiny was partially realized.
The Mexican Cession
War, Expansion, and Slavery,
1846-1850
California Gold and Racial Warfare
1. The Forty-Niners
2. Racial Warfare and Land Rights
GOLD! At Sutter’s Mill, 1848
John A. Sutter
California Gold Rush, 1849
49er’s
Two Views of San Francisco, Early 1850s
 By 1860, almost 300,000
people had traveled the
Oregon & California
Trails to the Pacific
coast.
Territorial Growth to 1853
Internal Expansionism

“Young Americans” link territorial growth to other material
achievements
technological innovation—e.g. telegraph
transportation improvements
growth of trade
mass immigration
Discovery of California gold inspires transcontinental
projects
 Territorial expansion wanes after 1848, economic,
population growth continues

Westward the Course of Empire
Emmanuel Leutze, 1860
The Costs of Expansion
 Working class poses problem for ideals
working for wages assumed the first step toward becoming
one’s own master
new class of permanent wage-earners conflicts with old
ideal
 Economic expansion creates conflicts between
classes
 Territorial expansion creates conflicts between
sections
 Both sets of conflicts uncontrollable