MANIFEST DESTINYIMPACT ON SECTIONAL TENSIONS

Western Expansion

Essential Questions:

What is Manifest Destiny?How are areas added to the US?

What is the impact of the addition of these territories on sectionalism and on the political parties?

Manifest Destiny

Young America Movement –”City on a Hill”

Both idealistic and imperialistic Political ideals – democracy, white

man’s suffrage, freedom Economic ideals – white man’s

opportunity, free enterprise, laissez faire capitalism

Social ideals – egalitarianism, social mobility, Anglo Saxon racism

““Manifest Destiny”Manifest Destiny”““Manifest Destiny”Manifest Destiny”

First coined by newspaper editor, John O’Sullivan in 1845. 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 federaltive 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."

".... 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 federaltive 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.

A myth of the West as a land of romance and adventure emerged.

Gast – American Progress

Diplomacy Patterns Continue

Bully Adams Onis

Compromise Rush Bagot Commission of 1818 1824 Treaty w/

Russia

Webster-Ashburton Treaty

Aroostok War 1839 Cause: The expulsion of Canadian

lumberjacks in the disputed area of Aroostook by Maine officials.

State declared war Congress called up 50,000 men Scott arranged compromise Land in Maine exchanged for that in

Minnesota

Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842Maine Boundary Settlement, 1842

Connections: Key Trails West

Key Trails

Santa Fe – trade w/ MexicoOverland – Oregon and CaliforniaOregon – Americans

Trail experiences Roles Environment Isolation tribes

Texas Revolution

Austin and Americans – 1820s migration to N. Mexico No slavery, RC – no enforcement

Home Rule 1830s – changes Enforcement; limited immigration

Santa Anna – dictator1836 Revolution

Alamo ---Goliad ----San Jacinto Annexation blocked – sectionalism,

Mexico

The War

Election of 1844

Polk – expansionist position Re-annexation (Texas) Re-occupation (Oregon)

Deep water ports – Asian trade1845 – Tyler accomplished

annexation through a joint resolution

Almost two front war

Overland Immigration to the Overland Immigration to the WestWest

Overland Immigration to the Overland Immigration to the WestWest

Between 1840 and 1860, more than250,000 people made the trekwestward.

Between 1840 and 1860, more than250,000 people made the trekwestward.

The Oregon TrailThe Oregon Trail – Albert – Albert Bierstadt, 1869Bierstadt, 1869

The Oregon TrailThe Oregon Trail – Albert – Albert Bierstadt, 1869Bierstadt, 1869

The Oregon Dispute: The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or 54’ 40º or Fight!Fight!

The Oregon Dispute: The Oregon Dispute: 54’ 40º or 54’ 40º or Fight!Fight!

By the mid-1840s,“Oregon Fever” wasspurred on by thepromise of free land.

Oregon Treaty 1846

“54 40 or Fight”Compromise

49th parallel – border Puget Sound to US Vancouver Island to BR Columbia River – joint navigation for a time

Mexican American War 1846

Issue: conflict over disputed territory; California – deep water ports

Polk sought war – lucky incident Whig opposition Spot Resolution – Lincoln Civil disobedience - Thoreau

War – easily accomplished objective –difficult to achieve peace

The Mexican War (1846-1848)The Mexican War (1846-1848)The Mexican War (1846-1848)The Mexican War (1846-1848)

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 18481848

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, 18481848

Nicholas Trist,American

Negotiator

Nicholas Trist,American

Negotiator

The Mexican CessionThe Mexican CessionThe Mexican CessionThe Mexican Cession

Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago

Mexican Cession to US$15 million to Mexico; assume $3

million in debt Rio Grande = border US citizenship for residents of the

territoryGadsden Purchase - 1853

Wilmot Proviso

Heightened sectionalism Proposed no slavery in territory

acquired from Mexico and no free blacks in the territory

Protect white man’s opportunity

Calhoun and Emerson

“Mexico is to us the forbidden fruit, the penalty of eating it would be political death.” John C. Calhoun

“Mexico to us is poison…” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Significance of the War

Large amount of new territory Ports and natural resources gained War experience --- Civil War impact Racism and tension between Mexico

and the US War heroes Increase in sectional tensions –

access to land critical for N & SManifest destiny tied to extension

of slavery destabilized the political system

New Meaning of Race

“Anglo-Saxon Race” – superiority of white American culture

Race tied to religion, class, ethnicity/culture, color and birth place

Impact – loss for Hispanic citizens, no rights for Asians, Indian culture and land taken (CA) some ocal variation EX . TX/NM – “Spanish”/”Mexican”

Land, legal rights, opportunity limited (Foreign Miners Tax)

Additional Treaties

Tr. Of Wangshia 1844 Four ports opened; extraterritoriality

Tr. Of Tientsin 1858 11 ports; trade and travel in China

Tr. Of Kanagawa 1854 Consulate, visits, fair treatment of

castaways ---- Harris Convention1858 – five ports opened

Clayton Bulwer Treaty

Neutral canal, build together Renounced control Central America

Walker and Nicaragua

American Expansionism 1850s

Territorial Growth to 1853Territorial Growth to 1853Territorial Growth to 1853Territorial Growth to 1853

Westward the Course of Empire Westward the Course of Empire Leutze, 1860Leutze, 1860

Westward the Course of Empire Westward the Course of Empire Leutze, 1860Leutze, 1860

Election of 1848

Foreshadowed problems – inability of the 2APPS to deal with sectionalism

Free Soil Party – only clear position no slavery in the territories – Van Buren

Democrats – popular sovereignty – Cass

Whigs – no clear position - Taylor

Free Soil PartyFree Soil PartyFree Soil PartyFree Soil PartyFree Soil!

Free Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!

Free Soil! Free Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!

“Barnburners” – discontented northern Democrats.

Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties.

Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new territories!

“Barnburners” – discontented northern Democrats.

Anti-slave members of the Liberty and Whig Parties.

Opposition to the extension of slavery in the new territories!

The 1848 Presidential Election The 1848 Presidential Election ResultsResults

The 1848 Presidential Election The 1848 Presidential Election ResultsResults

Compromise of 1850

Clay & Webster – compromise for unity

Calhoun – S must have legal access to the territories to preserve the union – two presidents – N & S – veto power

7 month debate – deadlocked Omnibus Bill

Passage

Douglas broke into partsPassed – but w/o commitment to the

overall bill Taylor threatened a veto ---diedNashville Convention –rejected

secession but conditional unionism; Georgia Platform – based on enforcement of Fugitive Slave Law

The Compromise

Stricter Fugitive Slave Law – most controversial aspect (Ableman v Booth) –S now wants federal power to enforce – contradiction to states rights ideas

No slave trade in Washington DC California entered as free state Utah and NM territories – popular

sovereignty TX debt assumed in return for land to

New Mexico Territory

The Compromise Map

Western Societies

Farming – shaped region – imitative of eastern culture, more open opportunity

1849 – Gold Rush – Mining frontier Boom towns, rapid growth Real benefits to developers Multiculturalism - Chinese

Tensions

Religion – Mormons and DeseretHispanic Rancheros – loss of land Chinese and Mexicans struggle for

opportunity Native Peoples – Sioux moving

frontier

New West Historians

Continuity – parallels the process from earlier periods

Convergence - multicultural, multiracial, multidirectional, intersecting

Conquest – seizure of land and resources – competition - colonial

Complexity – many layers of understanding and interpretation – various points of view

Internal Expansion: Northern Society

Material growth and development Telegraph RailroadsImprovements in manufacturing and

agriculturalIncrease in volume and range of

internal trade Mass immigration

Railroads

30,000 m by 1860New financing Loans state and localLand grants - federal

Immigration - Opportunity

1820- 1840 700,0001840 -1860 4.2 million;3 million

arrived 1845-1855Greatest influx in proportion to

population1.5 million Irish; 1 million + German66,000 Chinese

Impact on cities

Overcrowding, poverty, disease, crimeSegregated by social classEthnic neighborhood and self help

groups (Five Points )Political parties and civic

celebrations unify “cauldrons of democracy”

New Working Class – Wage Labor (wage slavery)

Immigrants replaced young unmarried native born women (most still women)– 61.7%

Decreased paternalism; impersonal; worker as machine or part - response Tardiness; drunkenness, absence, loafing

Increase in labor militancy – race and ethnicity divided