Manifest Destiny End Notes
OREGON
 A bigger issue of the time is about the territory of Oregon (A vast territory on the Pacific Coast
that went as far as the Alaskan border.
 It was claimed at one time by Russian, Spain, Great Britain, and the US. (Spain gave up
claims). The two biggest claimers were the US and Great Britain.
 The British based their claims on the Hudson Fur Company’s business/dealings with the Native
Americans in the Pacific Northwest. In 1846 there are less than 1000 British living North of the
Colombia River.
 US Claims in Oregon are based on:
1.
Captain Robert Gray’s discovery of the Colombia River – 1792
2.
Lewis and Clark – Early 1800s
3.
Trading Posts and a US fort in Astoria, Oregon established by John Jacob
Astor in 1811
4.
Protestant Missionary who settled in the Willamette Valley. Began “Oregon
Fever” in the 1840s
The Election of 1844
 Democratic Party- Expansionists
Convention had trouble choosing between Martin Van Buren (Not Pro-Manifest Destiny),
John C Calhoun (Pro Slave, Pro Annexation, Pro South), James K Polk of Tennessee The
Dark Horse Candidate who was chosen to run for President. He Supported Manifest
Destiny, Taking Texas and Oregon and California) His campaign slogan was “54 40 or
Fight”
 The Whigs nominate Henry Clay of Kentucky
 The Liberty Party (A New York Anti-Slavery Party) nominates James Birney who basically
takes votes away from Clay. The end result of the election is a victory for Polk.
Polk
 Polk’s Nickname is “Polk the Purposeful”.
 He is too serious and very hardworking and not brilliant and he does everything for a purpose.
Some of his goals:
1.
Lower the Tariff (Will introduce the Walker Tariff -Walker (the Secretary of the Treasury)
reduces the Tariff of 1842 from 32% to 25 %
2.
Restore the Independent treasury dropped by the Whigs in 1841. (Goal Reached in 1846)
3.
Get California (He will originally try to buy it form the Mexican Government)
4.
Fix the Oregon Dispute (Accomplished with the Compromise of 1846. This Compromise settles
the boundary at the 49th Parallel)
Big topic of the election – Manifest Destiny
Big Concern – Texas
War with Mexico
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US annexation of Texas causes diplomatic tensions with Mexico.
Shortly after taking office in 1845, Polk sends a special envoy sent with John Slidell to Mexico
City. He gives him specific orders:
1.
Persuade Mexico to sell California and New Mexico Territories
2.
Settle the dispute between the Mexico-Texan border
He fails with both.
Mexico will insist that the Mexico-Texan border is not the Rio Grande, but the Nueces.
While Slidell is in Mexico City, Polk will send General Zachary Taylor across the Rio
Grande into territory claimed by Mexico.
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April 24th 1846 – The Mexican army crosses the Rio Grande and will capture a US patrol
killing 11.
Polk already has a war message prepared for Congress but the Northern Whigs also known as
the Conscious Whigs led by Abe Lincoln will issue The Spot Resolutions.
The Spot Resolutions will basically demand the exact location where American blood had been
shed on American soil.
Congress didn’t believe that it was our territory where the blood was shed and they were
arguing that it was a scheme/plan to take southern territories from Mexico.
Unfortunately for them, the War Declaration/Resolution will be passed by a large majority in
both houses.
Most of the war is fought in/on Mexican Territory.
Santa Anna made a deal with Polk and Santa Anna said he was going to build up an army to
attack the Mexicans but he betrayed them and attacked the Americans instead.
General Kearny will succeed in taking Santa Fe and Southern California.
John C. Fremont will overthrow Mexican rule in Northern California and will proclaim
California the Bear Flag Republic.
General Zachary Taylor with a force of about 6000 crosses the Rio Grande and has a major
victory at Buena Vista on February 18th, 1847.
General Winfield Scott invades central Mexico and captures Vera Cruz. By September
1847, he takes Mexico City.
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The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ends the war and was negitiated by Nicholas Trist
Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo:
1.
Mexico recognizes the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and Texas.
2.
Mexican Cession- The US takes possession of California and New Mexico. We pay 15
million for the territories. We assume/take on claims by American Citizens against
Mexico. Slavery becomes a major issue. The treaty is still ratified even though the
Northerners were against slavery
The Wilmot Proviso (1846)
 It was proposed by David Wilmot in Congress. It basically forbids slavery in the new
territories acquired from Mexico. It passed in the house and was defeated in the senate.
Gadsden Purchase (Pierce)
 He wants a strip of land in the Southwest to build a railroad. In 1853, Mexico agrees to sell it
for $10 million. It is present day New Mexico and Arizona.
Manifest Destiny – South
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The South is not happy with territorial gains and looked towards Latin America. The area they
mostly looked to was Cuba.
The Ostend Manifesto
 was a brazen scheme by Polk to purchase Cuba from Spain for $100 million and Spain refuses
to sell.
 A group of armed adventurers (Filibusters) from the South will lead a couple of small
expeditions to take Cuba by force that was unsuccessful. An example of one of the people who
led one of the small expeditions who failed was Narcisco Lopez.
The Walker Expedition
 William Walker is an expansionist.
 He tries to take Baja, California from Mexico (1853).
 In 1855 he will, for a time, take over Nicaragua and gains temporary US recognition (1856).
 He wanted to create a pro-slave Central America but is defeated and executed by Honduran
authorities (1860)
The Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850)
 Clayton was the Secretary of State. Bullwer was the British Diplomat.
 The major issue was the building of a Central American Canal. The Treaty said that neither
nation would take exclusive control over future routes in Central America but they do agree to
build the canal.
 It is the Panama Canal.
1901 – Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. US is free to build the canal without British interference. The
Panama Canal is built
Seward’s Folly 1867 (Seward was the Secretary of State). It was the purchase of Alaska from Russia.