WESTERN EXPANSION& The Rise of the Slavery Issue

Cultural interaction—three interchanges: animals,

technology, disease

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Manifest (and Not So Manifest) Destinies

Manifest Destiny—sea to sea, and

maybe north to south?

California society—presidios, missions,

rancheros (like planters); Franciscans, Indians

New Mexico—denser population,

Santa Fe TrailJohn L.

O’Sullivan, who gave John Gast the concept for

his painting Manifest Destiny,

with Progress leading the way.

A ranchero, a forerunner of the American cowboy, who worked cattle on ranchos in

Texas, New Mexico and California.

American immigration to Texas—Americans

welcomed—nearly free land; “Come on over!”—90% southerners

Cultural conflict—religion, language, slavery, dictatorship

Texan independence—Lone Star Republic

—10 years until annexation

The Alamo in San Antonio; Stephen Austin, the major land agent, or

empresario, in the Anglo settlement of Texas.

Mexican general Santa Anna; Sam

Houston; and Santa Anna accepting Houston’s terms after

San Jacinto.

The Trek WestMigration West—Oregon, California, Utah

Breakdown of women’s traditional role—new roles,

but for women only

Women’s sense of loss—radical social, domestic changes

Pressures on the Plains Indians—herds, grass, wood; tolls?

The difficult way west and idealized depictions of women who made the journey.

An encampment of Sioux on

the Northern Plains.

The Political Origins of Expansion

Tyler becomes president—Jackson/Dems didn’t want him

Tyler breaks with the Whigs—Whigs hated vetoes—expel

The Texas movement—Tyler’s found an issue—annexation

Polk’s nomination—Democrat who supports pro-Texas

annexation, Oregon: “54-40 or Fight”; Clay loses southerners

Polk’s narrow victory—abolitionists

snubbing of Clay made a slave-holding

Texas inevitable

Disputed boundary of Texas—Rio

Grande vs. Nueces

John Tyler, Harrison’s vice-

president who filled out his term, he was

distrusted as “the renegade”; James

K. Polk, a “continentalist” who set out to

expand the U.S. and did.

Conquest of Mexico— “Bear Flag Revolt,”

Buena Vista, Mexico City, $97 million and 13,000 lives

Northern discontent—Slaveholder Polk promised “54º40'

or Fight!” but compromises with Britain, then fights for Texas Wilmot Proviso—no slaves in New Mexico, but couldn’t pass Senate

Peace treaty with Mexico—Guadalupe

Hidalgo takes New Mexico, California for $18 million

Zachary Taylor, hero of Buena Vista, known as “Old Rough and Ready” and Winfield Scott, the conqueror of Mexico

City, known as “Old Fuss and Feathers.”

Battle of Molino del

Rey

New Societies in the WestEvolution of western society—violent early on, but

eventually traditional values take over

Life in the mining camps—wild, but usually

temporary with 80% Americans

Women in the Camps—5% women and

children but a precious resource; mining the miners

Nativist and racial prejudices—Indians,

Mexicans, Chinese killed, driven out, or relegated to the worst resources

Environmental impact of mining—grab and dash mentality

San Francisco’s chaotic growth—unplanned helter-skelter, slap-dash development

James Marshall, the man whose 1848 discovery started the California Gold Rush by finding gold flecks in the mill race

of Sutter’s sawmill where Marshall was working.

State of Deseret—Young held legislative,

executive, judicial and religious power; “state” applied

for admission to union in 1849

Polygamy—women went along—why?

Irrigation and community—faith and

hierarchy turns desert into a garden

Salt Lake City’s orderly growth—checkerboard based on long. and lat.; family centered

with equality in gender numbers Hispanic-Anglo conflict—Hispanics

overwhelmed, “out-lawed” and dispossessed

Many Mormons used hand carts like this to transport

their goods from Illinois to the Great Basin area of Utah

under the leadership of Brigham Young.

Juan Cortina, Hispanic “Robin Hood” who practiced “social banditry” by

taking from the Anglos and giving to the poor Mexicans.

Escape from CrisisIssue of slavery’s extension —slavery

goes with slaveholder or 36°30’ or does territory

determine legality? Congress making Oregon free kills 36°30’

Free Soil party—extension of slavery’s the

issue, not slavery itself; 1848 Dems/Whigs split campaigns N and S

Taylor’s Plan—skip territories: two big states w/ W.P.

Clay’s compromise—Omnibus Bill with California

free; rest, popular sovereignty; slave trade a no-no in D.C.; stronger fugitive slave law to restore southern property

Passage of the Compromise—one by one gets

things done; North, South support parts = “Compromise of 1850”

Rejection of secession—still minority, but line drawn

Fugitive slave law—with Uncle Tom’s Cabin, stirs

up bitterness; all have to help return slaves?

Stephen Douglas and Lewis Cass,

supporters of “popular

sovereignty”; “Old Rough and Ready”

Whig Zachery Taylor favored two states,

California and New Mexico, with the Wilmot Proviso.