"Our manifest destiny [is] to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free development of out yearly multiplying millions." - John L. O'Sullivan, 1845
The Accession of "Tyler Too":
Whigs bribed newly-elected president Harrison nearly to death for political office.
Henry Clay liked to control things, and William Henry Harrison had to remind him that he was president.
Clay and Webster's plans failed when Harrison died of pneumonia after four weeks in office (shortest term after longest inaugural address).
John Tyler was an old school Virginian gentleman, and he stuck to principle. He previously resigned from the senate.
Tyler represented the minority group of the Whig party. This was to attract southern votes. He was largely a Democrat, which made it difficult for him to agree with his party.
John Tyler: A President Without a Party:
Clay brought out his platform, which was nationalistic.
Clay wanted the independent treasury system closed to open a "Fiscal Bank," and Tyler signed to have it closed.
Then Tyler vetoed the proposal for the "Fiscal Bank."
The Whigs retried, calling it a "Fiscal Corporation," and again Tyler vetoed it.
Tyler was repeatedly threatened with death. Impeachment failed only because it didn't pass in the House of Representatives, and Tyler's whole cabinet (except for Webster - dealing with England at the time) resigned.
The proposed Whig tariff was vetoed as well because it proposed giving the states money from the sale of land in the west, and he couldn't see throwing away money when there was very little already.
The Whigs cut the distribution of money out, and lowered the tariff rates to 32%. Tyler reluctantly signed in 1842.
Whig pushes for higher rates slowed down as the U.S. rose out of depression.
A War of Words with England:
By 1842 hatred for England had to be stopped, by treaty or by war.
Anti-Britishness came from:2 wars
Pro-British Federalists died out
British writers wrote on tobacco spitting, slave auctioneering, eye gouging, lynching, etc.
British magazines stressed Yankee shortcomings.Americans struck back, starting the "Third War with England." Fortunately, it was all name-calling.
Copyright laws did not include foreign authors until 1891.
America borrowed lots of money from England to build the country, but when the panic of 1837 broke out, no one gave it back.
In 1837, an insurrection erupt in Canada. Americans rushed to their aid.
Washington was unable to maintain neutrality when the Carolina, a ship supplying the insurrectionists, was burned by the British off the coast of New York. Propaganda went wild, though only one American died.
McLeod, identified as the person who destroyed the ship, was saved from execution by the British who threatened war should he die.
In 1841, 130 Virginian slaves captured an American ship (the Creole), and the British kept them out of trouble.
Manipulating the Maine Maps:
The British wanted to build a road from Quebec to the seaport of Halifax, but it would pass through disputed territory.
The Aroostook War, small battles between lumberjacks, came close to erupting into a full fledged war.
In 1842, England sent Lord Ashburton to tie things up. He reestablished relations with Webster, and they compromised - U.S. got 7,000 of 12,000 square miles in dispute. The British got the Halifax-Quebec route.
The British gave up (on accident) 6,500 square miles which included valuable iron ore sites in Minnesota.
The Lone Star of Texas Shines Alone:
Mexico regarded Texas as a providence in revolt from 1836 to 1844. They threatened war should the U.S. help them.
1839 - 1840 - Texas sealed treaties with France, Belgium, and Holland.
Britain wanted to see texas free, because it would check the southward expansion of the U.S.
Texas was a potential free trade zone for Britain, and it was a secondary supply of cotton, making them less dependent on the American cotton.
The Belated Texas Nuptials:
James K. Polk became president in 1844, while Texas was being hotly debated.
In 1845, Texas was invited to the U.S., worrying the north because they thought it would be an aid to continuing slavery. Mexico had lost Texas for good by that point already, though they were angry with the U.S.
It took nine years to complete the annexation of Texas to the U.S.
Oregon Fever Populates Oregon:
Spain, Russia, Britain, and the U.S. all had claims to Oregon Country, but Spain and Russia dropped out.
Britain really wanted to hold on to the portion north of the Columbia River.
They discovered and explored it, had treaty rights, and occupied it.
The Hudson Bay Company was trading profitably with the indians for furs.
Robert Gray discovered the Columbia River, and Lewis and Clark explored the region as well (both American claims).
Missionaries and settlers were spreading to Oregon, and they held American occupation in the territory (very important).
Americans were expanding westward in thousands (5,000 by 1846), while the British only maintained a population of 700 people. They wanted to set some peaceful treaties before they were engulfed.
The only disputed area was between the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River (south and east), and the 49th parallel.
A Mandate(?) for Manifest Destiny:
Henry Clay (Whigs) and James K. Polk (Democrats) ran for president. The Democrats became popular by equating the terms "empire" and "liberty," and then campaigning to annex Texas and take Oregon Country up to 54° 40'.
The Whigs fought back, claiming Polk was for slavery (because he wanted Texas).
Clay said to the south that he wanted to annex Texas, but to the north that he wished to postpone it. He was caught in the act, and lost the favor of many abolitionists.
Polk beat Clay (170 to 105, 1,338,464 to 1,300,097), and Texas was annexed within a year. The Democrats' victory was viewed (by themselves) as a mandate by the voters to annex Texas, so Tyler signed the bill to do it 3 days before he left office.
Polk the Purposeful:
Polk wasn't brilliant, but he worked non-stop. He worked himself so hard he died only 103 days after his presidency.
Once he had an objective, he strove for it. He developed a four point program, and completed it within four years.
Objectives:Lowered Tariff. With support from the south, it was lowered from 32 to 25 percent. It was now known as the Walker Tariff of 1846.
By 1846, he restored the independent treasury.
He acquired California.
He settled the Oregon dispute.Once Polk had annexed Texas, the south cooled off. He had no intention of maintaining the 54° promise he held as part of his platform. He tried 49° with Britain. They refused.
The British had a change of heart. The Columbia wasn't the same as the St. Lawrence, and the Hudson's Bay Company had depleted the region of furs.
Britain came back personally and re-offered 49°. Polk threw it to the senate, who accepted it (partly because they were 1 month into war with Mexico.
Polk got a reasonable compromise, and all of Texas. The south was happier than the north, but that's life.
Misunderstandings with Mexico:
California was a hot spot with its valley's and San Francisco Bay.
Polk wanted to buy it from Mexico, but relations were bad.
The Texas dispute was still hot. The U.S. wanted to argue boundaries, and Mexico still considered it their territory. Polk was careful to keep soldiers out of the disputed areas, in hopes of peaceful treaties.
Polk heard rumors about Britain's plans to seize California from Mexico (just rumors), so he sent John Slidell as a minister to offer a maximum of $25 million for it. The Mexicans refused.
American Blood on American (?) Soil:
Polk was frustrates, so he sent 4,000 men, under General Zachary Taylor very close to Mexican forces. He proposed war to Congress, but they declined.
Mexico attacked, killing 16 Americans, and Polk tried again (despite "all our efforts," we couldn't avoid bloodshed). Congress voted overwhelmingly for war. Polk got Mexico.
Polk still wanted California. Both sides wanted a fight. Mexico was hoping for war between U.S. and Britain.
Though Mexico got the shaft, many Americans thought Mexico had done them wrong.
The Mastering of Mexico:
Polk still didn't have California, so he talked with exiled Santa Anna about selling out his country. Santa Anna went home, and rallied men to defend it.
All Californian campaigns were successful. Captain John C. Frémont was ready with a few dozen men when war broke out, and he won his battle. General Zachary Taylor defeated 20,000 troops under Santa Anna with his 5,000 men on Feb. 22 - 23, 1847.
Next, Mexico City had to be taken, but Taylor knew he couldn't do it. Control passed to General Winfield Scott, who battled successfully up to Mexico City. He was the best general of the time.
Fighting Mexico for Peace:
(You can tell this is an American history text)
Nicholas P. Trist bribed Santa Anna $10,000 in an armistice. Anna took the money, and used the time to build defenses.
Trist was called back, but he wouldn't come. He signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on Feb. 2, 1848, and forwarded it to Washington.
The treaty encompassed Texas, the area stretching to Oregon, and California, all for $15 million and $3.25 million in damages.
Polk paid the money, which usually doesn't happen. This shows either a guilty conscience or "fair play."
Profit and Loss in Mexico:
13,000 American lives were lost, and a ton was gained. U.S. territory was increased by 1/3, more than with the Louisiana purchase.
The war was practice for the Civil War. The Navy and the Marine Corps got some practice, as well as generals Lee and Grant.
Foreigners gained respect for the U.S. army.
Mexicans regarded the north and Uncle Sam as bullies who might take their land at will. The money paid to them didn't lighten things too much.
The slavery issue was brought up again because it had to be decided whether the new lands would be slave or free states.
Representative David Wilmot (PA) introduced the amendment that slavery should never exist in the land taken from Mexico.
It passed the House of Representatives twice, but not the senate. The Wilmot Proviso represented the slavery controversy in the north and south.
Polk left the White House acquiring more land than any other president of the U.S., but inciting a burning issue to be resolved; whether slavery would exist there.
Some Mexicans took pleasure in the fact that "Santa Anna's revenge" was such a hurtful issue in U.S. history.
Chronology:
1837 - Canadian rebellion and Caroline incident
1841 - Harrison dies after 4 weeks in office; Tyler assumes presidency
1842 - Aroostook Was over Maine boundary; Webster-Ashburton treaty
1844 - Polk defeats Clay in "Manifest Destiny" election
1845 - United States annexes Texas
1846 - Walker Tariff; Independent Treasury restored; United States settles Oregon dispute with Britain; United States and Mexico clash over Texas boundary; Kearny takes Santa Fe; Frémont conquers California; Wilmot Proviso passes House of Representatives
1846 - 1848 - Mexican War
1847 - Battle of Buena Vista; Scott takes Mexico City
1848 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
COMPLETE