THE CIVIL WAR ERA

Unit Overview (1844-1877)

Big Picture

The thirst for territorial expansion in the 1840s epitomized Manifest Destiny in the United States. Diplomacy, border disputes, annexation, and cession defined this decade and more importantly rekindled the sectional fires of 1820. The flames of the 1840s would be much harder to extinguish however, and grew like a crescendo over the following decade…a crisis was impending.

The Democrats and Expansion Election of 1844

Question: Land acquisition Whig—Henry Clay Democrat—Martin Van Buren?

James K. Polk Dark horse Supported expansion Wins nomination

Polk wins: 170—105 Liberty party

Swings NY

Polk’s “Must” List

1. The Walker Tariff (1846) Reduces tariff of 1842 to 25%

Successful

2. Reenacting the Independent Treasury Accomplished in 1846

3. Acquisition of California4. Settling the Oregon dispute

Hudson Bay Company—influence waning

California

Population (1845) 13,000 Mexicans Several western Indian tribes

75,000 natives Americans

Whaling ships traded in port Merchants Pioneers—Sacramento Valley

Polk tries to purchase John Slidell + 25 million

Mexico rejects offer

New Mexico Trade routes Americanized communities Another Texas?

Expansion

Texas and Oregon Texas: 1845

Annexed by John Tyler Polk’s election mandate

Oregon: 54’ 40” or fight! British territory dispute

War? Polk offers 49th parallel

15 June 1846

The Mexican War

Border dispute in Texas U.S.-Mexican diplomatic relations

Rio Grande v. Nueces River Zachary Taylor and troops

Congress declares war: 13 May 1846 Opposition and critics

Whigs “Spotty” Lincoln

Oregon!

Battle Tactics

Taylor’s offensive Monterrey to Mexico City?

Polk’s conundrum Stephen W. Kearny

Santa Fe Bear Flag Revolt

John C Frémont Winfield Scott

Vera Cruz to Mexico City Checkmate!

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

02 February 1848 Nicholas P. Trist

CA and NM to U.S. Rio Grande border U.S. assumes debt to

Mexicans Pays $15 million to

Mexico Extreme factions of

expansion vote against the treaty.

Slavery and the Territories

The Wilmot Proviso (1846) David Wilmot (PA) Outlaws slavery in

Mexican Cession Fails to pass the

Senate Property rights