Theo Morgan
Period 8
Chapter 13 – Odd Questions
1. What was manifest destiny? What forces created this concept?
Manifest Destiny was the expansion view of Americans which they believed that America was
destined by God to expand over the Western Hemisphere. Manifest Destiny was driven by
pride in the nation’s political system and a firm belief in racial superiority of white Americans
over minorities (racial purity).
3. How did Texas become available for annexation?
annexation?
What prevented its immediate
Texas became available for annexation through the diplomatic efforts of Sam Houston. Initially
the Mexican government allowed immigration by US citizens into the Texas territory, which
eventually led to American farmers in the region to want the region to be its own country.
They called this Fredonia. They then rebelled, leading to the Mexican-American War (The
Alamo). Mexicans were not so ready to give up their claim to the Texas territory as it had good
growing lands and was a buffer to the warring tribes.
5. What were the characteristics of western immigrants? What problems did they face? How
were these overcome?
Until the California Gold Rush, most of the immigrants moving West had been families
searching for a new life. The California Gold Rush led to many single men giving up everything
and moving West, birthing the term “49ers.” The community of all men in California reflected
how the Jamestown community almost failed. Since all the men were in the mountains, the
new cities that sprang up in California were mainly run by foreigners, such as the Chinese.
7. What were the goals of President Polk? How did he resolve the Oregon question?
Polk was a strong supporter of annexation and expansion. The annexation of Texas was
especially important to him. Polk initially offered a compromise to establish a border on the
49th parallel. This was rejected by the British. Then Polk asserted the American claim to all of
Oregon, birthing the slogan “54-40 or Fight.” In the end, to avoid war, the British gave the
Americans the 49th parallel land.
9. How did American interest in California develop?
The interest in California was never too great in earlier years. Mainly maritime traders lived
there who traded goods with almost everyone in the region. Polk then decided that New
Mexico and California should be added to the Union and put much effort into doing just that.
The Americans tried to blockade Mexican ports and stand up to Mexican authority in California
which partially caused the Mexican-American War. The Gold Rush brought many more people
to California.
11. On what grounds was Polk’s call for war criticized?
Many Whigs felt like Polk’s policy of annexation was dictatorial because he often didn’t consult
anyone before making political decisions. Also, they thought that he was taking land just for
the sake of taking land – manifest destiny. The land that he was taking especially the Texas
region had no real greater purpose compared to what they could be focusing their military
efforts on. Whigs found that Polk’s policy favored the South too much.
13. What were the objectives of the American offensives in the war?
Essentially, the Americans wanted Texas as part of the country. They wanted the border to be
at the Nueces River. The Battle of San Jacinto had the goal of getting back at the Mexicans for
slaughtering US soldiers, and also for capturing Santa Anna. Later the Bear Flag Revolution set
off a trigger of events which pulled the Mexican army across the Rio Grande, giving the US
forces an excuse to attack them.
15. What were the South’s arguments against the Wilmot Proviso? On what points did they
differ from the arguments of the North?
The South argued that all Americans had equal rights in new territories, including the right to
move their property there. It was met with competing ideals, such as extending the Missouri
Compromise. While the Whigs thought it best to not extend slavery into the West, the
Democrats (especially Stephan Douglas) introduced the idea of popular sovereignty, which
meant the citizens of the region could decide the policy for slaves.
17. What problems faced President Zachary Taylor when he took office?
The California Gold Rush pressed the need to resolve slavery in the West. This was also the
time of many competing political parties, including the newly introduced Free Soil party. This
meant many competing opinions when it came to any policy regarding slavery whatsoever.
Also, he faced rising sectional tensions especially with the new territories, and whether or not
they would be slave or free states (eg., California, Texas, New Mexico).
19. Who were the “younger” politicians who emerged after 1850? How did they differ from
the leaders they replaced?
William H. Seward of New York, Jefferson Davis of Mississippi, and Stephan Douglas of Illinois
were the younger politicians. Unlike the previous generation, (Clay, Calhoun, and Webster,
who mostly represented their parties), the new politicians represented their ideals primarily.
They also had to represent larger regions than the politicians who preceded them. And to
protect these ideals and these regions they devoted all of their political efforts.
21. How did the political parties react to The Compromise of 1850?
The major political parties endorsed The Compromise of 1850. Dissent came from individuals.
This was partly due to the fact that it included parts that all groups could agree with, for
example, it wanted the abolition of slave trade, but not the abolition of slavery itself. Still, the
compromise took 7 months to negotiate, because details couldn’t be agreed upon, especially
between the old politicians, Webster and Calhoun.
23. What was the Young America Movement? What national sentiment did it reflect? Who
were its spokespersons? What did it accomplish?
The “Young America Movement” supported the expansion of American democracy throughout
the world as a way to divert attention away from the controversies over slavery. Franklin
Pierce and the Democratic party supported it. The Young America Movement led to further
expansion, the Ostend Manifesto, and more sectionalism. It reflected the national sentiment of
Manifest Destiny.
25. How did the North react to the Kansas-Nebraska Act? The South? What affect did it have
on the Whigs? The Democrats?
The South opposed the bill because Nebraska would be above the Missouri Compromise line,
and therefore be a free state. The North was supportive of it. However, Douglas asserted that
popular sovereignty would be used in both Nebraska and Kansas. Northern Democrats
supported this split. It destroyed the Whig party because some were appalled that the Missouri
Compromise was abolished. It also divided the Democratic Party and led to the rise of the
Republican Party.
27. What problems were faced in the attempt to organize a legitimate government in Kansas?
Why did these problems arise? How was it that Kansas became a battleground for the sectional
controversy?
Settlers from both North and South began flooding into Kansas after the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
When the first elections were held, there were only about 1500 legal voters in Kansas. But
thousands of Missourians traveled into Kansas in order to influence the vote toward proslavery. The diverse mix of people led to frequent clashes, some of them physical, among the
settlers. Many free state settlers from the North refused to recognize the new government
because the voting had been thrown off. They created their own legislature.
29. What types of society did Northerners wish to create? How did free soil and free labor fit
into their plans? Why did they feel that the South was holding them back?
Sectionalism produced very different ideologies in each region. In the North, the proper
structure of society was centered on the belief that slavery was morally evil. They argued it was
the right of all citizens to own property, to control their own labor, and to have access to
opportunities for advancement (the Free Soil ideology). The North saw the South as trying to
extend slavery throughout the nation, as well as ideas of non-social mobility.
31. What were the elements of the South’s pro-slavery response? Who were its major
spokespersons?
The pro-slavery argument was an intellectual defense of slavery that said slavery was a positive
good, because it was good for the slaves, who they believed enjoyed better working conditions
than northern industrial workers. They also believed it was good because it was the only way
the two races could live together in peace. It was also an economic positive. John C. Calhoun,
Professor Thomas R. Dew, and most Democrats supported this.
33. What effect did the Depression of 1857 have on political divisions in America? How did it
increase the tension between the North and South? What did both sides see as the significance
of this economic decline?
The Depression strengthened the Republican Party because distressed manufacturers, workers,
and farmers came to believe that the hard times were the result of the unsound policies of
Southern-controlled Democratic administrations. It heightened the issue of whether or not
slavery was good for the economy. The North formed into the Republican Party to combine
anti-slavery efforts. The South blamed the Depression on the North’s refusal to accept slavery.
35. How did President James Buchanan respond to the Kansas question? What were his
reasons? What was the outcome? What does this tell you about the possibility of compromise
on the issue of slavery in the territories?
Buchanan supported Kansas’ admission to the Union as a slave state while endorsing the Dred
Scott decision. He was simply trying to resolve controversy. The free state residents refused to
participate in the convention and pro-slavery forces won control over the convention, as a
result. Later at Lecompten they set the Constitution for Kansas. There was mixed support for
the terms of the constitution, showing that the North and South would never be able to truly
compromise on slavery.
37. What were the goals of John Brown’s raid? Why did it have such an impact in the South?
Brown’s plans were to seize a mountain fortress in Virginia from which he believed he could
start a slave insurrection in the South. He and his group of 18 followers seized control of the US
arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. From there, however, the plan entirely failed. Brown’s
actions got him hung for treason. This event made Southerners believe they could not live
safely in the Union because they believed John Brown had the support of the Republican Party
in this grand plan.
39. What was the Republican platform in 1860? To what specific political groups were the
Republicans trying to appeal? And how did this platform propose to appeal to them?
The Republicans were much more unified than the Democrats were, which helped them,
because Lincoln would go on to only win 40% of the popular vote, but still win the majority of
the electoral vote because of the division of the Democrats. The Republican leaders were
trying to attract every major interest group in the North. The platform endorsed a high tariff,
internal improvements, a homestead bill, and a Pacific railroad to be built with federal financial
assistance. It also said that Congress couldn’t legalize slavery in territories. Lincoln’s moderate
position on slavery attracted more followers than extreme abolitionists would have, for
Republicans. He also was a representative of the West, which helped then gain California’s
support.