Horace Greeley Go West young man go west

Horace Greeley: “Go West, young man, go west. ”

Belief: U. S. was ordained to expand to the Pacific Ocean & into Mexican and Native Amer. territory. Manifest = obvious and inevitable. Also cited the supriority of the American race People went west searching for land.

Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851) Native Amer. control of 400 -mile-wide slice east of Rockies and from Arkansas River to Can. NA would not attack settlers & let Army build forts for annual payments.

Henry Clay: Feared that territorial expansion would reopen the painful controversy over slavery and threaten the stability of the Union

Texas Independence Mexican Independence from Spain 1821 Mexican settlers in Texas: Tejanos

Texan Independence 1820 s—Mexico encouraged American immigration to Texas Hoped to strengthen economy Increase tax revenues Create a buffer from Native Americans American settlers soon outnumbered Tejanos in Texas

Who were the people who immigrated to Texas? Much of the available land was suitable for cotton Great majority were southerners, many of whom brought slaves with them.

Texan Independence Stephen F. Austin— established a colony of Americans. Each received: 177 acres of farmland 4, 428 acres of grazing land 10 year tax exemption

Texas Independence Cultural differences arose between Anglos and Mexicans Southerners brought slaves— Mexico outlawed slavery 1829 1830—Mexico closed borders to immigration from U. S. and placed a heavy tax on imported U. S. goods

Texas Independence Despite restrictions—more Americans came to Texas 1833—Mexico repealed prohibition of immigration 1835— 1000 new U. S. settlers each month. Led to the Texas Revolution

Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna Seized power due to instability in Mexico Conservative and autocratic regime Increased powers of national government at expense of state and territorial governments; Affront to Texans

Texas Independence Austin unsuccessfully argued with President Santa Anna for Texas independence. Texas in revolt Santa Anna marched on San Antonio with 4, 000 soldiers

Texan Independence Feb. 23 -Mar. 6, 1836: siege of the Alamo This here story is sacred to all of us Texans. So please pay attention to my good friend, Mr. Simoncini.

Texas Independence Feb. 23 -Mar. 6, 1836: siege of the Alamo All 187 defenders (Texans & Tenn. volunteers) and 1, 500 Mexicans killed.

Texas Independence March 2, 1836—Texas declared independence Late March, Santa Anna executes 445 rebels at Golidad Sam Houston named Texas’ military commander-in-chief

Texas Independence April, 1836, Battle of San Jacinto Houston and troops wipe out 630 Mexican troops in 15 min. and capture Santa Anna released after signing Treaty of Velasco, granting Texas independence

Jackson Van Buren Harrison Tyler Feared annexation might cause a dangerous sectional controversy and even a war with Mexico

20 Years of joint occupation

Trails West Santa Fe Trail: 780 miles 1821 -1848—wagon trains of 100 wagons Oregon Trail: Begun 1836 Marcus & Narcissa Whitman Prairie schooners

Trails West Yakima Oregon Trail CA Trail Mormon Trail Nauvoo SLC rail St. Louis Fe T anta Old Span. S Independence Santa Fe Butterfield Overland Mail

Trails West Mormon Trail Followed part of Oregon Trail Escaping religious persecution Joseph Smith—founded 1827 Smith murdered Brigham Young new leader Settled edge of Great Salt Lake Selected for its isolation

Well I don’t know, pilgrims; but life on the trail was hard. How long did journeys last? My butt hurts! I’m so bored!!! 5 -6 months; 12 -15 miles a day.

My life is sooooo hard! I haven’t shaved in days. Life on the trail was hard.

That’s good, ya little nippers. Did many people die on the trail? Dead on the trail

I’m NOT side saddle! That’s pretty good, pilgrim. Ya sure ain’t side saddle students like those kids up in Sonora. OK. Now, about how many settlers were killed by Native Americans?

Unh—Me answer that one, Duke. Less than 400 migrants— 1/10 of 1 percent —killed by my people. Most die from cholera, snake bite and other diseases. Actually, my people more helpful than harmful to migrants—often we serve as guides and trade with people on wagon trains.

1844 Election Henry Clay, Whig James K. Polk Democrat First Dark Horse

December 29, 1845, under President James K. Polk, Texas enters the union as a slave state. Polk desired war with Mexico—bring New Mexico and California to union.

Fifty-four forty or fight

Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to march to the Nueces line to protect against a Mexican incursion. Southerners supported Polk— saw war with Mexico as chance to expand slavery and more pro-Southern votes in Congress

Opponents of slavery opposed the possible war. Meanwhile: John C. Fremont led a U. S. military exploration party into California, further violating Mexican lands.

California 7000 Mexicans 700 U. S. citizens in Sacramento River Valley Began thinking about joining U. S. Polk quietly informed them that the U. S. would be sympathetic to a revolt against Mex. authority in CA

Polk ordered Taylor South to Rio Grande

Taylor expedition prompted Mexico to send troops across the Rio Grande. Congress declared war but some objected. War unpopular.

Colonel Stephen Kearny moved from Fort Leavenworth, KS to Santa Fe, NM. Most Mexicans in NM wanted to join U. S. —NM fell to U. S. : without a shot being fired.

Fremont seizes Sonoma, June 1846. Local rebels proclaim the Bear Flag Republic Mexican forces quickly give way and depart.

Sep. 1846, Taylor Captures Monterrey; lets Mexican troops escape Mar. 1847, Gen. Winfield Scott takes Veracruz

Sep. 1847, Scott takes Mexico City Total casualties: Mexico— 50, 000 men; about 50% of land; U. S. — 13, 000 men; 11, 000 from diseases.

U. S. War with Mexico Ended Feb. 2, 1848—Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo For $15 million, U. S. got California (CA), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), Utah (UT), most of Arizona (AZ) and parts of Colorado (CO)

Wilmot Proviso David Wilmot Amendment to Mexican War appropriations bill that would have prohibited slavery in any territory annexed from MX. Passed in House; failed in Senate Southern counter: all Americans had equal rights, including right to move slaves anywhere Polk: simply extend Missouri Compromise line

Polk’s proposal Extend Missouri Compromise line to Pacific Coast Squatter Sovereignty People of ea. territory, thru legis. , decide on slavery

Election of 1848 Polk: ailing Lewis Cass, MI, Dem health; refused to run. Zach. Taylor, Whig M. Van Buren Free Soil

Beginning of the end of the second party system

Jan. 24, 1848, Gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill Began California Gold Rush; San Francisco becomes a major city

Zachary Taylor Southerner & slaveholder National outlook Statehood could become the solution to the issue of slavery in the territories Let states settle slavery question for themselves Federal government settle issue in territories Because CA adopted an anti-slave constitution, admit as a free state

Personal liberty laws Northern states; barred courts and police officers from helping to return runaway slaves Congressional southerners demanded national fugitive slave law

Clay’s Compromise of 1850 An omnibus law 1. CA admitted as free state 2. Rest of lands acquired from Mexico—territorial govts formed w/o restrictions on slavery 3. TX yield in boundary dispute with NM 4. Slave trade, but not slavery abolished in D. C. 5. New & more effective fugitive slave law

Greybeards—dominant in Phase I

New Leaders in Phase II Wm. Seward Opposed Abolitionist J. Davis Rep of New South S. Douglas Sectionalist Advocate for RR

Millard Fillmore Succeeded Taylor Understood the political importance of flexibility

How was the original Clay proposal resolved? Clay left Washington for the summer Douglas broke the 5 -piece bill into smaller bills By mid-September, Congress had passed all of the components President signed

The Election of 1852 Franklin Pierce Democrat Winfield Scott Whig John P. Hale Free-Soil

Many Whig defections: Free Soilers and Conscience Whigs

Fugitive Slave Act Part of Compromise of 1850

The Young America Movement Democratic Party Expansion of American democracy throughout world would divert attention from slavery controversies Dream: republican Europe & into Pacific and West. Hemis.

The Ostend Manifesto Pursue purchasing Cuba (Pierce) Manifesto: take by force Antislavery northerners were angered—said Pierce was conspiring to add a new slave state to the Union South opposed all efforts to acquire new territory that would not support slavery

Kansas-Nebraska Act Virtually destroyed the Whig Party Divided Northern Democrats Spurred the creation of the Republican Party Douglas

Bleeding Kansas Thousands of border crossers from MO Swelled KS population from 1, 500 to >6, 000 Border crossers voted illegally

Bleeding Kansas Result: pro-slavery majority in territorial legislature Immediately legalized slavery Outraged free-staters elected own delegates Constitutional convention in Topeka Enacted constitution excluding slavery President Pierce denounced as traitors

Free-Soil Ideology Free-soil = free labor Most white northerners came to believe that the existence of slavery was dangerous not because of what it did to blacks but because of what it threatened to do to whites Heart of democracy: the right of all citizens to own property, to control their own labor and have access to opportunities for advancement Therefore, the South was the antithesis of democracy

Slave-Power Conspiracy Free-Soil Ideology Slavery could eventually threaten white jobs in North Conspiracy: Extend slavery throughout the nation and destroy the openness of northern capitalism and replace it with the closed, aristocratic system of the South Heart of new Republican Party

Counter Southern Ideology—Causes Nat Turner Rebellion (1831) Expansion of cotton economy to Deep South Growth of Garrisonian Abolitionist movement

Southerners should stop apologizing for slavery as a necessary evil and defend it Thomas Dew as a positive good Slavery was good for the entire country

Slavery: basis of the southern way of life A way of life superior to any other in the U. S. or world North: greed, debauchery, destructiveness Factory system; crowded, pestilential cities filled with unruly immigrants South: orderly, stable society operating at a slow and human pace Secondly: biological inferiority of African Americans; felt unfit to care for themselves, let alone exercise the rights of citizenship

Election of 1856 James Buchanan Democrat John C. Fremont Republican Millard Fillmore Native Amer.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (Sanford) Fifth Amendment forbade Congress from taking property without due process The Taney Court Thus, Congress had no authority to pass a law depriving persons of slave property in territories Made Missouri Compromise unconstitutional

Deadlock over Kansas Buchanan supported KS admission as slave state Pro-slavery legislature called a constitutional convention in Lecompton Free staters refused to attend Pro-slavery majority created Lecompton Constitution allowing slavery Election for new legislature under the Lecomption Constitution, antislavery groups turned out and created an antislavery majority Called for vote on Lecompton Constitution

Deadlock over Kansas Lecompton constitution was rejected by >10, 000 votes Clear that the majority of people in Kansas rejected slavery Buchanan pressured Congress to admit KS under Lecompton Constitution Died in the House April 1858, Lecompton Constitution again submitted to voters in Kansas Voters again rejected the Lecompton Constitution KS entered as free state in 1861

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Douglas: no moral position on slavery Lincoln: slavery, if unchecked, could lead to denial of rights of others as well

John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry, VA No other single event had as much influence as the Harper’s Ferry raid in convincing white southerners that they could not live safely in the Union

Election of 1860 Lincoln Douglas Breckenridge Bell